What are the best Street Fighter 6 Zangief moves?
Zangief is the forefather of all fighting game grapplers and he has had multiple iterations through the years. His most powerful version so far was in Alpha 3, where he was top tier, and his weakest was his latest SFV entry, where many consider him to be the worst character in the game.
His SFV playstyle focused entirely on trying to get in and threaten with the Screw Piledriver, creating a vortex-like scenario once Gief is able to get in. Street Fighter 6 came to change things around and now he can take full advantage of Drive Parry and Drive Rush to become a completely new type of monster.
10. Triple Stomp
Start at: 0:29
Zangief just got access to a brand new target combo in the shape of this Triple Stomp.
It doesn’t knockdown but it seems it can leave the opponent in a mixup scenario with the right resources and at the optimal range.
It’s nice to see ways for Gief to get conversions in neutral rather than have him try to get as close as possible to the opponent.
When to use this move: As a conversion in neutral.
9. Tundra Storm
Start at: 2:52
Tundra Storm is considered the most useless move in Street Fighter V.
It has Gief counter a mid-kick attack and the issue with it is that has a high risk and a low reward, and can only be used in extremely specific scenarios.
Street Fighter 6 seems to have changed it to be able to counter-kick moves of all heights, and the amount of damage seems to be huge, so it seems that it could actually be a very useful move this time around.
When to use this move: When reading a kick incoming.
8. Triple Chop
Start at: 1:20
Once again, the issue with SFV is that his neutral pretty much sucked, as his entire design was built around trying to get in.
With all the new changes, it’s really important that Gief can have nice conversions in neutral, and the triple medium punch target combo seems to do the trick.
It looks very hit-confirmable, the range is great, and you get a knockdown out of it.
When to use this move: As a conversion in neutral.
7. Dropkick
Start at: 0:43
This is one of the more mysterious new moves Zangief has.
It seems that Gief can perform a standing dropkick move just like Rainbow Mika, and the reward as a Punish Counter is huge!
Furthermore, it seems like the move can be held to become a jumping attack, very difficult to anti-air and causing massive corner carry and a wall-splat, that can be turned into a highly damaging combo.
When to use this move: To initiate a punish.
6. Drive Rush Strong
Start at: 0:31
This time around, Grief’s command grabs seem to give him little to no oki at all, so Drive Rush is an essential part of his game plan.
He is still lacking his infamous Green Hand attack, but canceling Drive Rush into Medium Punch seems to do the trick.
He can use this move to close in the gap and thanks to the extra frame advantage granted by Drive Rush, he can tick throw from it.
When to use this move: To close the gap and tick throw.
5. Spinning Wheel Kick
Start at: 1:05
This is a brand new move which is very similar to one of Abel’s.
Grief launches a spinning wheel kick, covering a great distance and being able to convert from if a Punish Counter state is in play.
Furthermore, it bypasses low attacks, so its usage is essential to his new gameplay.
When to use this move: To bait out a low attack and convert, at mid to long range.
4. Siberian Express
Start at: 0:38
This move has been associated with the Red Cyclone for several years now, but it was noticeably missing in SFV.
Well, it’s back now and it essentially works as a command grab, very similar to his SPD.
The major difference here is that Gief actually changes sides with the opponent after he lands the move, so it can definitely come in handy.
When to use this move: When you have your back against the corner and want to put your opponent there instead.
3. Cyclone Lariat
Start at: 0:01
The dreaded V-Trigger 1 from Street Fighter V is back and with a twist.
This time, it’s his Level 2 Super, and as always it sucks the opponent in, which, if you know Gief, you realize it’s one of the scariest scenarios for your opponent to be in.
Also, it seems to have several follow-ups as you can simply use the vacuum effect, use its multiple hits to launch the opponent in the air, or even convert from the suck-in on hit into a devastating Jackhammer move.
When to use this move: As a utility Super Art, it has countless usages.
2. Bolshoi Storm Buster
Start at: 1:39
This is Zangief’s Level 3 Super, and oh boy is it scary.
Not only does it deal an unusual amount of high damage, even when not in Critical Art, its startup is super fast and it seems to have a pretty good range as well, and it can be used as a tick grab.
The scariest part about it seems to be that after the “flash” upon activation, the screen freezes, meaning that it is unreactable and you have to guess it is coming if you want to avoid it.
When to use this move: To deliver the final blow when your opponent least expects it.
1. Screw Piledriver
Start at: 1:08
This is it. The move everyone associates with Zangief. The move that made 360-degree motion input command grabs a thing.
In Street Fighter 6, you don’t get any kind of pressure from it unless you spend Drive Gauge by using Drive Rush afterward, but the lack of oki is compensated with damage.
Seriously though, the damage is absurd, it really is. This will make Zangief a dreaded character for sure and it seems exciting that they went for the threat of big damage upon landing the SPD rather than the vortex pressure from SFV.
When to use this move: After conditioning your opponent to block and not see it coming.
Zangief is a polarizing character but an iconic face of the franchise, and he has been in most Street Fighter games, with the notable exception of the Street Fighter Alpha launching roster and the Street Fighter 3 series.
Now he’s back, scarier than ever, and hard-hitting as he has not been since Street Fighter II, equipped with all sorts of tech that helps him do this thing. Beware of the Red Cyclone!
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