Gaming
Gaming
Street Fighter 6: How the drive system works
One of the biggest gameplay innovations in Street Fighter 6 is the drive. We will explain how you use this resource and what mechanics are available to you with it.
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Street Fighter 6 features some all-new mechanics that greatly differentiate the title's gameplay from its predecessors. The biggest change is the introduction of another resource. Since Super Street Fighter II, players have only had one super meter available, which was used differently depending on the game. Secondary mechanics were also present in other parts of the series, like the revenge bar in Street Fighter IV or the V system in Street Fighter V.
The new system in Street Fighter 6 is called Drive. Each player starts a round of combat with six charges on their drive meter, which can be spent on various mechanics. Drive refills on its own. However, the following things support padding:
- Attack the opponent. Regardless of whether attacks are blocked or hit
- Successful Drive Parries
- Run towards the opponent
Watch how the world's best players use these characters at Red Bull Kumite in New York on March 16-17.
The drive display has 6 segments
© Capcom
Here, we explain what you can do with your drive and what happens when it is used up. In other articles, we also offer an overview of all characters and general beginner tips for Street Fighter 6.
01
Overdrive
Overdrive moves are indicated by a yellow glow
© Capcom
Cost: 2 segments
If you perform a special move by pressing multiple buttons, it will be strengthened and given new attributes. This is also represented by your character's yellow glow. These overdrive moves were already available in previous instalments of the series. It was first used in Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact. Here, it was still called EX-Specials. This is still the term currently used by the community for this type of attack.
Overdrive moves often not only have different frame data and damage values. In some cases, this also gives the attacks completely new purposes. For example, Ryu's donkey kick in the Overdrive version allows a follow-up hit with a wall bounce. His Overdrive Shoryuken starts out completely invulnerable.
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02
Drive Parry
You can fend off all attacks with Drive Parry
© Capcom
Cost: Channeled
Holding down the two Medium buttons (or the dedicated Parry button in Modern) puts your character in a stance that blocks any attack. During this time, as long as you do not actively parry an attack in this way, your drive meter will be continuously used up. In this way, you automatically fend off all attacks (high, low, cross-up). However, when you let go of the buttons, your parry has a short recovery animation where you can get hit for a punishment counter. You can also be thrown at any time during a parry.
It is a misconception that you can act earlier after a parry than if you block. That is not correct. A regular drive parry doesn't change your block stun. However, the situation is different with the perfect parry. This is triggered when an attack hits a parry within the first two frames. It is accompanied by a zoom effect and additional effects.
With a Perfect Parry, time stands still
© Capcom
If you land a perfect parry, you can immediately punish your opponent for the attack. However, your damage is greatly scaled. Subsequent hits lose 50 percent of their damage.
03
Drive Impact
Two drive impacts collide here
© Capcom
Cost: 1 segment
If you've already played Street Fighter IV, you might remember the Focus Attack. This was the special mechanic of this part of the Street Fighter series and works similar to the Drive Impact from Street Fighter 6. When you press your two Heavy buttons (or the Drive Impact button in Modern controls), your character dashes forward and gains Super Armor for three hits.
If you land a Punish Counter with a Drive Impact, your opponent will kneel, and you'll get an opportunity for a combo. This makes the move very tempting. After all, you are effectively invulnerable for three hits while using it. In the corner, Drive Impact becomes even more dangerous. If your opponent blocks a Drive Impact and is pushed against the wall of the stage, you get another opportunity to attack without hitting it.
However, you should be careful. A Drive Impact can be thrown. Attacks that break Super Armor and a fourth attack after you've already absorbed three will also defeat the move. It's also possible to respond to an opponent's Drive Impact with your own, thereby landing a Punish Counter.
04
Drive Reversal
Create some space with the Drive Reversal
© Capcom
Cost: 2 Segments
However, if your opponent is putting a lot of pressure on you, you can also throw yourself away with similar inputs: While you are blocking an attack, you simply press forward, and the two heavy buttons (or the Drive Impact button) by one perform drive reversal. This will knock your opponent away and create space between you. If a drive reversal is blocked, it can be penalized by attacks with eight frame start-up.
Since Drive Reversals break Super-Armor, at least you don't have to worry about taking a Drive Impact while doing it.
05
Drive Rush
You can quickly get to the opponent with Drive Rush
© Capcom
Cost: 1 segment from Drive Parry, 3 segments as Cancel
One of the most complex new mechanics in Street Fighter 6 is the Drive Rush. Of all the techniques mentioned here, this is the most difficult to incorporate into your own game plan. However, it also offers the greatest reward for mastery.
You can run a drive rush in two ways. In both cases, all you have to do is enter a dash by double-tapping forward. Either you do this while entering a drive parry or when you land an attack with a normal move that would also be cancelable with a special move. It doesn't matter whether the opponent blocks this attack or not.
If your input is successful, your character will charge forward with a green effect. If you input an attack during this time, it maintains the dash's momentum, giving it more forward motion. Attacks performed from drive rushes have more impact, causing more hit or block stuns on your opponents. This makes them suitable for starting your offensive or generating combos that would not normally be possible.
Note, however, that Drive Rushes, which you perform by canceling a move, cost a full three charges on your Drive Meter.
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06
Burnout
Over the course of a match, your drive meter will decrease in different ways. Of course, primarily by using its charges for the mechanics mentioned here. But the following actions also rob you of Drive:
- Block attacks
- Being hit by an opponent's Super Move, Drive Impact or Punish Counter.
As soon as you run out of drive, your character will go into burnout. In this, no drive mechanics are available to you until your bar has filled up again, which happens over time. In this state, whenever you need to block a special or super move, you take 25 percent damage. This can also result in a player losing the round through what is known as chip damage. Additionally, for each attack blocked, you are trapped in block stun for four additional frames.
But it gets particularly dangerous in the corner. If a character in burnout is hit by a Drive Impact and then touches the stage wall, they will be completely stunned and open to a powerful combo. But then he leaves the burnout.
Be sure to check out the history of Red Bulls Street Fighter 6 global Kumite competition!
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