'Street Fighter 6' review: A world-class fighter for all comers

"Street Fighter 6" is about to touch down on consoles and PC on Friday, June 2, and it's shaping up to be a fighting game for the history books. The sequel has expanded upon its predecessor in several meaningful ways.

Not sure if you should step into the ring? Read on for our thoughts on the newest addition to the long-running "Street Fighter" franchise.

"Street Fighter 6" (pre-order), $60

$60 at Amazon

Why I love 'Street Fighter 6'

"Street Fighter 6" is a spectacular mix of style, color and meaty brawls rife with throwbacks to some of our favorite mechanics from the past. The newest entry in the long-running fighting game series is a compelling experience that stays with you long after you put down the controller. While there are some systems that are admittedly still lacking, it's a fantastic buy for both beginner and veteran fighting game enthusiasts.

Related: How we choose our products

'Street Fighter 6' is a game that's easy to pick up and play while maintaining the challenge of deeper combat systems. You've got your EX and Focus style attacks, Drive Impacts and Hadoukens on board for those who want to dig deep and experience every bit of minutiae the fighting scene has to offer. And for everyone else, lush visuals, booming bass-heavy music and a varied character roster are all fantastic reasons to step inside, even if it's been some time since you've touched a Street Fighter game.

A stunning roster of diverse new characters adds to the game's replayability while (revitalized) fan-favorites return. Jamie is a fun and stylish embodiment of Yun and Yang's fighting style, while Kimberly is a ninja wannabe with a penchant for pop culture, a follower of Bushinryu Ninjutsu. They all add layers to the "Street Fighter" lore and feel fantastic to fight with, especially since you can customize the game's controls to your liking. This means everyone can jump in and figure out the character they're best with without having to worry about learning older control schemes.

There's no shortage of things to do in-game. The Battle Hub makes online matches a breeze, ensuring you're always ready to challenge players around the globe. An unexpected gem in "Street Fighter 6" is the World Tour mode. This mini-open world filled with addictive gameplay loops, tongue-in-cheek humor and a wealth of content, is a delight. It takes you on a nostalgic journey back to Metro City, offering a different way to learn new specials and moves. "Like a Dragon" fans will undoubtedly notice some parallels in the gameplay as well.

You can create your own character to explore World Tour and beyond, and it will act as your online avatar. Custom character creation, while expansive, is still lacking despite all its sliders and options. If you're building a traditionally attractive person with a small frame, you're fine, but it feels wonky when it comes to building models with bigger frames. This means larger features like chests for women end up looking comical and bizarre when finished. Additionally, the clothing you can purchase for your fighter is painfully ugly. Luckily, these systems aren't at the core of Street Fighter's being.

But the appeal of "Street Fighter 6" extends beyond story options and customizable characters. The Arcade Mode comes with impressive cutscenes and unlockable artwork, while the Training missions and Practice modes are some of the most comprehensive tutorials in the fighting game genre. There's also a range of accessibility features to ensure anyone can jump in and have a blast.

All in all, "Street Fighter 6" is feature-rich package that draws you in and keeps you engaged for hours on end. While the character creator could use some improvements, the game's overall depth and richness more than make up for it. "Street Fighter 6" stands as a testament to Capcom's excellence in crafting a classic fighter game with a modern twist. It's a must-play for any fighting game enthusiast, and certainly one of the best games of summer 2023.

"Street Fighter 6"

Key features of "Street Fighter 6":

Eye-popping, vibrant colors and visuals
Bombastic combat with customizable control mapping
New characters added to an expansive roster of newcomers
An abundance of content to wade through, including the brand-new World Tour mode
Welcoming to newbies and veterans alike

"Street Fighter 6", $60

$60 at Amazon

The best new video games

Not into fighting games? There's still plenty more to sift through. The best games range from high-flying adventures as Link in "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" to adventures as a fledging witch or wizard in "Hogwarts Legacy." Jump into one of these high-profile releases as summer creeps in.

"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom"

The Switch-exclusive follow-up to 2017's "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" has been years in the making. It promises to offer Link an even larger world to explore while building on the massive land of Hyrule from the previous game, plus a new building mechanic.

Link must once again take up arms to fight a new threat plaguing the land. This time around, he'll have a whole suite of abilities to do it with. This game is set to be the biggest Switch release of the year. Rated 4.8 stars at Amazon.

"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom", $70

$70 at Amazon

"Hogwarts Legacy"

This immersive "Harry Potter" adventure finally lands on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 after its initial next-gen console debut in February 2023. Now, players on older systems can join others in the Wizarding World. "Hogwarts Legacy" is the biggest "Harry Potter" game yet, with setpieces anyone who enjoys the books and films can get lost in for hours. These ports of the game are available now.

Set in the late 1800s, a century ahead of the "Harry Potter" books, "Hogwarts Legacy" follows a new student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as they go from fledgling magic user to a full-fledged witch or wizard. While doing so, players will uncover an ancient secret found nestled deep within the world of magic. Rated 4.1 stars.

Hogwarts Legacy (for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X), $60 (reduced from $70)

$60 at Amazon