How to do combos in Street Fighter 6

Rebecca Barrett

Share this article...

• Follow us

Street Fighter has always been known for its intricate and precise gameplay mechanics, classic controls, and the latest instalment, Street Fighter 6, is no exception. To succeed in this highly competitive fighting game, players must understand the art of executing combos with precision timing and mastering the Link system. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a newcomer to the series, getting familiar with the gameplay loop and adjusting your timings accordingly is crucial.

How to practice and use combos

In Street Fighter 6, executing combos requires more than simply mashing buttons randomly (although from our experience that still works just not as effectively as special moves and medium kicks) Instead, a heavy emphasis is placed on timing each move correctly. This means that players must carefully input their commands at the right moment to chain attacks together smoothly.

Newcomers should be prepared to invest time and practice to get used to the rhythm and cadence of the game, as it plays a vital role in performing successful combos. Playing against your friends, or in casual games can give you the time to practice these hard combos or get a feel for how quickly the moves link together.

Here are some ways to get better at combos:

• Use the game’s tutorials and training mode
  • This game offers full tutorials on each character and their combos.
• Don’t rush into advanced combos:
  • You don’t have to worry about including Drive Rush in your combos right from the start. adding in a quick orchid palm or snake strike might be more useful
• Use the visual frame data in training mode: 
  • Frame data, displayed visually in the training mode, is key for understanding when to land your hits.
• Find cool combos on YouTube:
  • Watch match videos of your chosen character to get better at their combos, and watch how people incorporate lotus fists and light attacks with wall jump or forward strike.
• Start with simple combos: 
  • Begin with basic two or three-hit combos. For instance, you can try to crouch medium kick into Hadoken on characters like Ryu.
• Practice makes perfect: 
  • Combos heavily rely on timing. If this is your first fighter where timing is crucial, hitting your combos consistently will only come with practice.
• Button mash and hope:
  • Obviously, this is a joke but we have all been there… sometimes finding the best moves comes by just having fun.

Combo examples

Learning and memorising all these combinations can be daunting, especially when they change for each character, the best advice we can give is to just pick a few you enjoy and find easy and hone in on them, then expand into the others with other characters as your confidence builds.

For example, a simple sequence for Ryu includes his Solar Plexus Strike + Solar Plexus Strike + Hadoken which would be the combination of his normals: Forward + Heavy Punch, Forward + Heavy Punch, Down, Down-Forward, Forward + Punch 

A more complicated sequence for characters such as Chun-Li would be her Serenity Stream + Senpu Kick (Quarter-Circle Back + Punch into Medium Kick) + Spinning Bird Kick (Hold Down into Up + Kick ) + Tensho Kicks (Down + Down + Heavy Kick )

The best way to practice any number of combinations of light kick, medium punch, light punch, and drive gauge with characters such as Dee Jay, Luke, or Jamie is to try out the training mode. There you will be able to perfect your target combo and unique attacks instead of just button-mashing drive rush and overdrive or drive parry until something happens.

Linking combos and moves

Unlike some other classic fighting games where moves can cancel into one another seamlessly, Street Fighter 6 adopts a modern controls different approach through its Link system. Moves in Street Fighter 6 do not cancel into each other, but rather, they “Link” together. This means that players must manually input the next move in a combo sequence after the previous move has been completed. This requirement adds an additional layer of complexity to executing combos, as it demands precise timing and execution from the player.

To chain attacks together into combos, players can’t rely solely on mindless button mashing. Instead, they must provide intentional gaps between each combo. For example, instead of mindlessly mashing the attack button or B button three times, players can create gaps between combos by inputting the sequence B.BBB…B. These intentional pauses between attacks allow for smooth linking of combos, ensuring fluidity and maximizing damage potential.

Understanding the Link control scheme is not only essential for executing links but also for gaining an advantage over your opponent. By linking combos together seamlessly before your opponent has a chance to react, you can create devastating offensive strings that keep your opponent on the back foot. Timing is key here, as a well-executed combo can quickly turn the tide of battle in your favour. Getting that something like a sweet combo of crouching heavy punch into anti-air specials against Cammy players is exactly what the best combos and common moves will be to help fight off long range attacks or any combos of light attack.

By keeping the link system in mind while playing Street Fighter 6, you can achieve a fluid and precise combos, making your gameplay experience smoother and more enjoyable. Remember, mastering sequences requires practice, patience, and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics. So, whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned player, take the time to learn the nuances of timing and linking, and prepare to unleash devastating combos on your opponents in Street Fighter 6, throw those eagle punches and lotus fist, slide into lightning kick barrage and Tensho kicks, pull as much out of Manon and Marisa as possible.