Street Fighter 6 – Super Serious Tier List [June 2023]

Street Fighter 6 has been out for a hot minute now, so guess what? It’s time for a tier list! Everyone loves those, right?

First of all, let’s all agree that making a tier list not even a week after a game is out is kinda stupid and serves absolutely no purpose. Usually, you could compile such a list after a year or so of competitive play and use hard data to make something that might be helpful to someone out there.

That said, Tier Lists are fun, more or less synonymous with fighting games and I would like to use this opportunity to sum up my Street Fighter 6 Ranked experience so far.

So here is ESTNNs officials Street Fighter 6 Tier List.

Characters are only judged by one factor: “How likely will I pull the LAN after getting my ass beaten in Round 1?”

Alt + F4 before Round 1 Ends -Tier

This might be the most prestigious tier of them all. Who cares about S or SSS Tier? Making me rage quit and lay down crying for 20 minutes is the highest honor a character can achieve. Congratulations to all the winners and please don’t match with me ever again, I’m not good at this game.

JP

Whoever chose to design this character is an evil person. While relatively unimpressive on lower Tiers, having to deal with a JP that slightly knew their stuff was for someone with my puny Shoto-brain almost impossible. And who gave him that shitty full-screen grab and a low-ranged spike?! Zoning is cheating and I wish nerfs upon you.

Cammy

I love Cammy, she is probably one of the cooler characters in Street Fighter 6 and the extended Capcom universe. But I don’t want to deal with her anymore. Drive Rush into Gabs? Hooligan Combination into Cannon Strike or Fatal Leg Twister or Silent Step then Grab always gets me and I refuse to learn how to deal with it like an adult. Playing her? Fun? Playing against her? Alt + F4.

Dee Jay

There are two kinds of Dee Jay’s: those that just like his character and vibe with him and those that can execute inputs for Sunrise Festival blindfolded with both hands tied behind their backs. Weirdly enough I’ve only run into the latter in my wacky-ranked adventures. And after getting knocked down a few ranks, I now know that these are fights I don’t want to pick.

Zangief

The highest amount of respect goes out to anyone who chooses to main Zangief. He’s a menace to society and poor Shoto’s all around the globe. Throw fireball? Get grabbed. Try Drive Impact? Get grabbed. Poke? Grabbed? Stale bread? Countered, then grabbed. Jumpin? Lariat. Now I go by an iron rule, if a Gief doesn’t start the round with an EX Fullscreen Commandgrab, its time to put down the controller and reach for the plug.

Won’t Rematch You -Tier

Blanka

Everyone loves the Brazillian green guy with the funny stuffed mini-me. So do I but whenever I see someone successfully employ and utilize the child, I consider my life choices. Whoever is sitting on the other end either clearly knows their stuff or put in the input by accident? Either way, I’m scared. Love him but I can’t deal with getting by Rolling Attacks. No more League Points for you.

E. Honda

Just like Blanka’s Rolling Attack, the Sumo Headbutt, sumo Smash, and Oicho Throw come out so fast that I just don’t know how to deal with them. Why did they make him so scary looking and have him rush at you full speed like that? I don’t like it, I’m scared. Please take my LP leave.

Guile

I have respect and fear for anyone who picked Guile Day 1 and stuck with him. The classical zoner, crunching backward monarch, and everyone’s favorite family man. As someone who dabbles in Manon, he forces me to be patient while baiting pokes. Can’t deal with that though. My puny shoot brain tells me to jump in and eat that Flash Kick. Every. Single. Time.

Manon

While Manon is my current main, that doesn’t mean I can’t fear when going up against her. Your fiercest foe will always be yourself, as they say. Or as it’s better known: getting punished by the same stuff you’ve been trying to pull off. And if she gets to 5 Medals at the end of the first round, that Alt + F4 combination is starting to look tempting.

Jamie

I tried to play Jamie and I just didn’t get it. Everything about him looks really cool but equally terrifying. His command list gives me the same jumpscare that Dee Jay’s Sunrise Festival gives me. If you play can play him, good for you. I don’t know what to expect while going up against a Jamie but I sure as hell won’t give you more free League Points. This isn’t a charity.

Ken

I don’t rematch against Ken’s out of sheer principle. Flowchart Ken is real, even in Gold Rank, Diamond, and beyond and I just don’t want to deal with it. Having done so since the Street Fighter IV days is more than enough.

Marisa

The big woman is surely a sight to behold but her super armor, speed, and relentless pummeling are not so much. You’ve most likely also been on the receiving end of a competent Marisa by now, and they only get scarier the higher you climb. But they won’t take any more points from me.

Kimberly

Kimberly is all over the place, fast furious, and many many colors that just overwhelm me. While a friend of mine called her Cammy but worse with spray paint. I’ve dealt with my fair share of Kimberly menaces so far. And if you take two rounds of me in the blink of an eye, I’m not gonna subject myself to that again.

“I can Deal with That” -Tier

Ryu

Ryu is Street Fighter, if you can deal with him you can play Street Fighter. It is funny however that the higher you seem to climb, the more non-Shoto-esque Shotos you’ll find up the ladder. It’s terrifying to watch them play this man in such an unhinged manner. But still doable.

Luke

Dealing with Luke is like having to deal with an excitable puppy. While lives and breathes Street Fighter 6, he is currently far from the menace that he was in Street Fighter V. Just be patient, hold back, and watch him make mistakes. Unless you run into someone that knows exactly what they’re doing, but by the time you realize that it’s over.

Juri

Let’s be real, no one picks Juri because of her fun resource management or her versatile kit. You’re here for the evil “step on me” energy and the feet. You do you but that also shows whenever you’re up against a Juri. Run them down, and make sure they don’t stock up on Fuha. Or watch them fumble Feng Shui Engine

Chun-Li

While there are not many fighting game characters as iconic as Chun-Li, so far in my bizarre ranked adventures she has proven herself a less scary but more mobile Guile. I can deal with that. And it will never not crack me up to yell “Let’s go Justin!” when she throws out her Hoyoku-sen super and I just hold down Drive Parry.

Who? -Tier

Lily

Has anyone seen this girl? She looks fun to play with her Yaoi-Paddles and her Condor Wind and Mexican Typhoons. She looks like a more mobile Juri with a range. A shame she’s not in Street Fighter 6.

Dhalsim

I have fond memories of playing Dhasim. Sitting in a corner while shooting literal fireballs while keeping control of neutral ground and air by using his long limbs. He did Yoga so JP could make me hate myself and then some. But has anyone seen him?

For more Street Fighter 6 content check out our guidelines on How to Improve, How to Unlock Optional Costumes, and How to use the Drive System.