Street Fighter 6 finally has the Legendary Hungry Wolf and I’m delighted | Impressions

Street Fighter 6 finally has the Legendary Hungry Wolf and I’m delighted | Impressions

As a lifelong fighter fan who has spent countless hours mastering the art of virtual combat, I must say that Street Fighter 6‘s latest addition, Terry Bogard, is nothing short of a dream come true! This iconic character from SNK’s Fatal Fury series and King of Fighters universe brings a unique flavor to the Street Fighter roster.


It turns out Terry, known for his iconic baseball cap and sassy attitude, has made his way into Street Fighter 6. This character might be unfamiliar to some, but he’s a legendary figure in the world of SNK’s Fatal Fury series and King of Fighters universe. Lately, there have been some surprising developments with crossovers between SNK and Capcom, such as the announcement of Ken, Chun-Li for “City of the Wolves”, and rumors about Cristiano Ronaldo’s potential involvement – making it an intriguing time to be a fan of one-on-one fighting games.

After devoting numerous hours, I’ve been testing Terry Bogard in Street Fighter 6. I’ve taken him online and explored everything he provides in the World Tour mode. The developers at Capcom have done an impressive job of incorporating Terry, considering his historical role in a series that often involves moving between various action planes. There’s a nifty sidestep move that echoes mechanics from some Fatal Fury games, and it seems tailor-made for young Terrance. Although Terry is as emblematic to SNK as Ryu and Ken are to Capsule, he’s always been a more complex and technical character; his regular attacks are less conventional than you’d expect, and he feels quite distinct from his shoto counterparts. Many have likened him to Akuma, as his special moves and techniques are familiar and easy to execute, yet hide a level of depth and potential danger that can surpass other Shotokan characters when skillfully handled. I concur with this assessment.

Street Fighter 6 finally has the Legendary Hungry Wolf and I’m delighted | Impressions

Terry’s strengths and weaknesses are quickly obvious after a bit of time spent with him. He lacks a proper hefty set of heavy attacks that can punish the same way as Ryu and Ken with their heavy punches and kicks, and don’t always behave in the way you would expect. When playing in Modern mode using Terry’s style in World Tour, the combo strings are awkward and not always easy to connect with. The startup on his Power Wave and Burning Knuckle can leave him exposed if you aren’t employing them at the opportune moments. He telegraphs the latter quite noticeably, with a quick pose before flying through the air.

In the fundamental version of the game, Terry seems excessively powerful due to his extensive arsenal of offensive special moves and signature techniques. He’s got everything except for a typical ranged attack using projectiles. The Power Charge move can be interrupted with other specials or boosted to send opponents flying across the screen, rebounding so you can land a Rising Tackle. His Super Arts are extraordinarily potent when used skillfully, particularly at Level 2, enabling a lethal follow-up attack.

It’s clear that playing with him is enjoyable and he slots well into the team, but has Capcom done an excellent job at giving Bogard proper characterization to engage players emotionally? Indeed they have.

Street Fighter 6 finally has the Legendary Hungry Wolf and I’m delighted | Impressions

In a refreshing twist, the storyline has been revamped to portray Terry and Ken as long-time pals. This friendly dynamic is seamlessly incorporated into the arcade mode cutscenes and feels authentic, given my perception of them as rivals from different companies whose friendship makes perfect sense. Terry’s character selection animation depicts him playing King of the Monsters on a genuine Neo Geo MVS arcade machine. The Pao Pao Café 6 stage is filled with nods to the past and Easter eggs related to old SNK games, such as barrels that explode into a flurry of baby chicks, Blue Mary performing with a band themed around Final Fight, and even Kim Kaphwan soaring through the air. There are numerous animations and poses borrowed directly from classic King of Fighters and Fatal Fury games, as well as past Capcom/SNK collaborations like SVC Chaos. For veteran Neo Geo enthusiasts like myself, the abundance of deep cuts will undoubtedly bring a smile to our faces.

In Street Fighter 6’s World Tour mode, Terry brings along his mastered skills and offers a variety of side missions. His journey across the global map is unique, featuring custom versions of Beat Square and Pao Pao Café as stages. It’s in these locations that the Easter Eggs become particularly noticeable. For instance, entering his stage’s loading screen reveals the juggling monkey from the Neo Geo CD, an unexpected detail that left me amazed.

Street Fighter 6 finally has the Legendary Hungry Wolf and I’m delighted | Impressions

Upon reaching Pao Pao, you come across three characters who seem to be dressed up as Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi, and Blue Mary from the Fatal Fury series. However, contrary to initial assumptions that Capcom might be making a humorous reference to the Fatal Fury crew, these encounters lead to friendship missions where you interact with the genuine versions of Higashi and Mary from Capcom. You even get the exciting opportunity to master two moves of theirs for use in World Tour mode. The place is filled with nods to old games, as Duck King and Geese Howard are mentioned or depicted playing basketball with Bogard. Anton, Blue Mary’s dog, appears during one of Terry’s missions, while a scene reminiscent of Mary’s Real Bout Fatal Fury ending sequence features her sipping wine elsewhere.

No fan of either company could complain about the way Capcom have implemented one of the most beloved non-Capcom icons into their flagship fighter, this is a perfect example of how to produce a crossover that satisfies fans on either side, making it feel like he has been part of the roster for years. There will probably be tweaks and balancing changes as time goes on, and we will get to see what level, competitively, Terry will end up in for the fervent competitive scene. We also have Mai Shiranui and Elena to look forward to, not to mention the tantalising prospect of SNK’s own big hitter Fatal Fury returning. It is an exciting time to be a fan of fighting games, and especially of Street Fighter 6.

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2024-10-10 12:16