How to Block in Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is one of the most anticipated games of the year, and fans of fighting games are excited to discover new gameplay mechanics and strategies. One of the essential skills in any fighting game is blocking, and in this article, we will discuss how to block in Street Fighter 6 effectively. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the series, mastering blocking techniques will help you survive and thrive in the game.

Normal blocking is the most basic form of defense in Street Fighter 6. To perform it, you just need to hold back on the joystick or pad while standing. This will make your character guard against high and mid-range attacks, such as punches and kicks. It is worth noting that normal blocking does not protect you against low attacks, such as sweeps and low kicks.

To block low attacks, you need to perform crouch blocking.

Crouch blocking is similar to normal blocking, but you need to hold down on the joystick or pad instead of back. This will make your character guard against low attacks, but you will be vulnerable to high and mid-range attacks. Crouch blocking is especially useful against characters that rely on low attacks, such as Zangief and Blanka.

It is important to note that crouch blocking will not protect you against overhead attacks, which hit high despite their animation. To defend against overhead attacks, you need to use a parry technique.

Drive Impacts are a new mechanic in Street Fighter 6 that allow characters to break through their opponents' defenses. They are similar to armored attacks in other fighting games, but they require specific criteria to activate. Drive Impacts can be challenging to block, especially if your timing is off.

However, there is a technique called Drive Parry that can help you counter Drive Impacts effectively. To perform Drive Parry, you need to input a parry command during the active frames of the Drive Impact. This will negate the attack and leave your opponent vulnerable to a counterattack.

It is worth noting that Drive Parry has limited uses, and it can be risky to rely on it too much. It requires precise timing and can be punished if you miss the timing. Therefore, it is essential to know when to use Drive Parry and when to stick to normal or crouch blocking.

One of the key strategies in Street Fighter 6 is to mix up your blocking and parrying techniques. By doing so, you can keep your opponent guessing and prevent them from exploiting your defense. For example, you can start by blocking normally, then switch to crouch blocking when you anticipate a low attack. You can also use Drive Parry when you expect a Drive Impact or an overhead attack.

The key is to stay unpredictable and not rely too much on one technique. This will make your defense harder to read and give you more opportunities to counterattack.