The Street Fighter 6 closed beta has come to an end, and fans feel mostly positive about it. While there is some debate over certain Drive mechanics, it’s not a dealbreaker in the grand scheme of Street Fighter's legacy. From gameplay to the lobbies, and from the character creator to a promised single-player World Tour, Street Fighter 6 looks like it will be firing on all cylinders. The amount of hype for Street Fighter seems to be at an all-time high, and fans can't wait for the full game.
Unfortunately, Street Fighter 6 only has a vague release window of 2023. While the content shown in the beta and trailers suggest that the game could be ready by mid-2023, that's still months away. Excitement for Street Fighter 6 and long-standing disappointment in Street Fighter 5 have created a post-beta lull in which fighting game enthusiasts everywhere will need to find other games to keep themselves occupied. Fortunately, the fighting game genre has more than enough variety to keep everyone entertained, and recall Street Fighter 6’s numerous highlights.
Past Street Fighter Titles for Gameplay
Those looking to prepare for Street Fighter 6 may want to revisit past Street Fighter titles. Many of these are available on modern platforms thanks to re-releases, and the Drive System from Street Fighter 6 means something from each entry has carried into the upcoming title. Those looking for the closest-feeling Street Fighter games may want to try Street Fighter 4 and 5, while others might seek out Street Fighter 3: Third Strike or Street Fighter Alpha 3. Even the different versions of Street Fighter 2 are worth checking out to catch some fun Easter eggs in 6.
Soul Calibur 6 for the Character Creator
Many were impressed by the custom character diversity found in Street Fighter 6’s closed beta. With options all-but guaranteed to grow over time, making cosplay characters or original fighters will likely become a pastime for certain players. Those looking for something similar will want to check out the Soul Calibur series, as starting in Soul Calibur 3, each game has included Create-a-Soul for players to add their own personal avatars onto the roster. Soul Calibur 6 offers a secondary campaign solely for custom characters, meanwhile browsing and downloading other people's creations can become as enjoyable as normal gameplay.
Them’s Fightin’ Herds for Lobbies
Modern fighting games have experimented with interactive lobbies for several years, with Arc System Works doing most of the heavy lifting. Some offer a decent social experience, but nothing holds a candle to Street Fighter 6's multifaceted Battle Hub. The closest thing to it can be found in a recent indie game called Them's Fightin' Herds. This animal-based airdasher comes with an online mode called Pixel Lobby, in which players can walk avatars of the characters across a large map. Not only can the usual meet-and-fight interactions take place, but a side mode allows players to compete for salt in dungeons. When one player pulls ahead, they transform into a predator boss. There's nothing else like it, making the game worth checking out.
Guilty Gear Strive for Online Functionality
Rollback netcode and crossplay are gradually becoming standard features in fighting games, and crossplay is starting to catch up in terms of ubiquity. There are a lot of recent games with great online experiences, but one of the best might be Guilty Gear Strive. While its pixelated lobbies leave a lot to be desired compared to Them's Fightin' Herds, Strive’s netcode is some of the best in the industry. Guilty Gear Strive will be running a free crossplay beta featuring all base and DLC characters from October 13 to October 17, so anyone with a PS4, PS5, or gaming PC should check it out.
Mortal Kombat: Deception for Story
Fighting games have struggled to get story modes right since their inception. The arcade port format has clung to the genre, and single-player content has suffered for it. Street Fighter 6 is going to make big strides, but it isn't the first to try. Them's Fightin' Herds, Slap City, and older games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl or the Touhou fighting games have inventive single-player offerings. However, the enormous scope of Street Fighter 6’s World Tour is only paralleled by the near-identical Konquest Mode in Mortal Kombat: Deception. Anyone who can track that game down will quickly be prepared for the customization-driven world-hopping adventure coming to Street Fighter 6.
Capcom Fighting Collection for Variety
There are so many fighting games to try, and it's good for potential FGC members to develop their interests. A great place to start is the recent Capcom Fighting Collection, offering 10 titles from Capcom's past that have fallen into varying levels of obscurity. Those looking to try out retro games with great netcode may instead want to try the free Fightcade, an online application that also has training and community features. Either way, Street Fighter 6 is going to have its own rotating roster of classic Capcom titles, and familiarizing oneself with how these old games play could lead to high scores on SF6’s official leaderboards.
Street Fighter 6 will be released in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
