Street Fighter 6 – Ryu Character Breakdown

Street Fighter 6 reintroduces a majority of legacy characters, none more iconic than Ryu. Being involved with every Street Fighter game ever, Ryu is the mascot of this franchise. In this sixth installment, he is a more grizzled and seasoned warrior. His quest to become the “greatest warrior in the world” appears to be nearly complete. His crushing blows and smooth input makes him the go-to character for many players. There are some new tricks in his repertoire, for sure. Pound for pound, he is pretty much the same fighter that players know him as.

Of course, the new Drive System offers a deeper way to fight. Everything from dodges, counters, and Special Arts moves. There are many more options for players to best their opposition from around the arena. Ryu is a classic brawler that can also be a pretty effective zoner if a player chooses to be. He has always had an impressive move set and all of his famous attacks make a return in this sequel. There are a few things to look into with the new mechanics that Street Fighter 6 offers.

Even though Ryu is a martial artist, he brings brutality to his style that is almost unmatched. In the hands of certain players, he can be a little spammy with his projectiles. Which can be challenging to get around. Ryu is a well-rounded fighter that is accustomed to both new and seasoned players. His controls have remained largely unchanged after all these years and the new enhancements only add to his efficiency. Given that this is the sixth entry to this franchise, there are some new things to learn from Ryu.

Ryu’s Power Moves

So, given that Ryu is a brawler, his main focus is on his punches and kicks. He comes with a couple of throws, but no grapples. Most of his attacks can be enhanced through the Drive Gauge, of course. Ryu comes with some new kicking and charging attacks. A little something extra that helps closes the gap and garner some extra damage. This time around, Ryu comes with some extra surprises that some players probably won’t see coming. Well-versed Street Fighter players will know what to expect with Ryu, sure. However, there are a couple of aces up Ryu’s torn sleeves that give him a little more oomph with his attacks.

High Blade Kick

• Roll one-fourth of a circle forward, then press kick. Ryu will unleash a massive sidekick that will send the opponent zooming across the arena.

Tatsumaki Senpu-kyaku

• Roll one-fourth of a circle back, then press kick. Classically known as the “Hurricane Kick,” Ryu will spin horizontally through the air with his leg out like a helicopter. It is very good for closing the distance and ending combos.

Aerial Tatsumaki Senpu-kyaku

• While airborne, roll one-fourth of a circle back, then press kick. Ryu will execute the “Hurricane Kick” while in the air. He can do this either stationary or moving forward.

Hashogeki

• Roll one-fourth of a circle back, then press punch. Ryu will give a gut punch with a burst of his inner Chi powers. It is kind of like a close-range Hadoken.

Hadoken

• Roll one-fourth of a circle forward, then press punch. This is Ryu’s classic fireball projectile move. Not much has changed, it’s the same as it ever was. It can be highly effective from any range, which grants Ryu a few zoning tactics.

Denjin Charge

• Press down two times then, press punch. Ryu will become supercharged like a Saiyan. His projectiles and a few other moves will have more damage behind them.

Shoryuken

• Roll a ‘Z Pattern,’ then press any punch. Ryu will fly up in the air like Superman, and develop a rub-crushing punch. Also, known as the “Dragon Punch,” this is Ryu’s quintessential power move. This can be used as an anti-air move. Which happens much of the time. Alternatively, it is also a powerful standing attack that can be melded into combos.

Ryu’s Super Arts Moves

Now, Ryu’s Super Arts moves are basically the same as his Power Moves. The hard part with this is the timing. Things can get a little tricky during the heat of a fight. This is especially true when it comes to executing combos. Ryu’s Super Arts Moves come with heavy damage and they also come with some hefty knockback power. So, they are efficient as a standalone attack. However, during a combo, they are nice finishers.

Shin Hashogeki

• Roll one-fourth of a circle back, twice. Then, hit any punch button. Now, whenever close enough, try and execute this Super Art Move. It will fry the opponent and it will send them flying to the other side of the arena.

Shin Shoryuken

• Roll one-fourth of a circle forward, two times. Then, hit any kick button. Now, one would think that this would execute Ryu’s High Blade Kick move, but it doesn’t. Instead, a colorful cinematic will start and Ryu will unleash a super Dragon Punch.

Shinku Hadoken

• Double roll one-fourth of a circle forward, then hit any punch button. This is a charged-up fireball attack that dishes out double the damage. It’s very good for combos in any form. For maximum damage, get in as close as you can to lay out the opponent.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that Ryu is a very comfortable fighter to control in Street Fighter 6. His classic move set still remains intact after all these years. The sixth main installment of the Street Fighter franchise introduces some new features to the mechanics, but the core gameplay still remains untouched. For new players, Ryu is a good fighter to start with and it doesn’t take long to get the hang of him. Street Fighter 6 is now available for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.