Street Fighter 6 has an ideal option for a DLC fighter in the form of one of the series' oldest characters, Retsu. The roster of Street Fighter 6 already provides players with a solid mix of old and new, so another new take on an old fighter seems like a natural choice. It remains to be seen who else will join, but there is still room for classic characters to make a splash in Street Fighter 6.

For as complex as it is, Street Fighter 6 is quite welcoming to newcomers, and a big part of that is its roster. Even in the base roster, there is a wide variety of characters for players of varying styles. Those looking for speed and mobility can find what they're looking for in Chun-Li or Kimberly, while those who want to hit hard have choices such as Zangief and Marisa. Then there are characters like A.K.I who feel thoroughly unique in how they work. Street Fighter 6's roster is one of its strengths, having a cast that is both well-rounded and featuring some notable icons.

Retsu is an Excellent Candidate For Street Fighter 6's DLC

Street Fighter 6

One character that players can encounter during their travels in Street Fighter 6's World Tour is Retsu, an old monk with a distinctive design. Retsu was the first opponent from the original Street Fighter, and never had a proper return appearance until Street Fighter 6. In World Tour, he acts as a recurring opponent who will test the protagonist's skills at certain points in their journey through one of its many side missions. He uses a variant of Ryu's fighting style, likely since they both trained in similar styles, and generally comes off as an amusing, affable sort of fellow during his interactions.

Retsu isn't the first Street Fighter alumnus to resurface after a long wait, with Birdie doing the same in Street Fighter 5.

Retsu is not an important character and doesn't really factor into Street Fighter 6 World Tour's main story in any notable way. However, he's a fun character to be around and comes off as something of a pseudo-mentor to the protagonist. He recalls how he was a hothead in his youth, and also remembers his many matches with series mascot Ryu well. Taking the next step and letting him be a full-fledged mentor feels like a logical progression. Plus, it would be fun to see him with a more well-defined fighting style than simply being a larger Ryu with a flying kick.

There's more that Retsu could add to Street Fighter 6 rather than being a twist on the classic fighting game archetype of the old martial arts master. It took 36 years after his original debut in the first Street Fighter for him to make his way back to the main series. Despite his lack of relevance overall, he has held an iconic place in the series as the first opponent that Ryu can face in the games, which ensured that he would be memorable. Coming back in Street Fighter 6 is good, but making Retsu playable would be a true tribute to Street Fighter's history.

Retsu was the first opponent from the original Street Fighter, and never had a proper return appearance until Street Fighter 6.

If Retsu comes to Street Fighter 6, it may not be for a while, since fans already know what to expect from Street Fighter 6's DLC in the near future. However, Retsu still has a chance to make it into the game later, and a pretty good argument to do so. Since he's already in World Tour, he would just need a proper moveset of his own and some new dialogue to make the jump to playable. Retsu is a true original, and Street Fighter 6 has an excellent DLC candidate in him.

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Street Fighter 6 Tag Page Cover Art
9 /10

Street Fighter 6
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Fighting
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Systems
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Top Critic Avg: 91 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
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Released
June 2, 2023
ESRB
T For Teen Due To Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
Developer(s)
Capcom
Publisher(s)
Capcom
Engine
RE Engine
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, PS4, PS5, & Xbox Series X|S
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Play legendary masters and new fan favorites like Ryu, Chun-Li, Luke, Jamie, Kimberly and more in this latest edition with each character featuring striking new redesigns and exhilarating cinematic specials.
Dominate the Fighting Ground: Street Fighter 6 offers a highly evolved combat system with three control types - Classic, Modern and Dynamic - allowing you to quickly play to your skill level.

The new Real Time Commentary Feature adds all the hype of a competitive match as well as easy-to-understand explanations about your gameplay. The Drive Gauge is a new system to manage your resources. Use it wisely in order to claim victory.

Explore the Streets in World Tour: Discover the meaning of strength in World Tour, an immersive, single-player story mode. Take your avatar and explore Metro City and beyond. Meet Masters who will take you under their wing and teach you their style and techniques.

Seek Rivals in the Battle Hub: The Battle Hub represents a core mode of Street Fighter 6 where players can gather and communicate, and become stronger together. Use the avatar you create in World Tour to check out cabinets on the Battle Hub floor and play against other players, or head over to the Game Center to enjoy some of Capcom's classic arcade games.

Franchise
Street Fighter
Genre(s)
Fighting