One of the biggest crossovers in fighting game history is on the way.
Mai Shiranui is headed to Street Fighter 6, as Capcom revealed months ago. On Monday, the developer and publisher showed off her gameplay for the first time, revealing how of most iconic Fatal Fury characters was being translated into the world of Street Fighter.
You can check out Mai's fiery gameplay reveal below, showing off her two launch costumes and explosive moves.
Equipped with her fans and some kicks that even Chun-Li would be impressed by, Mai is neat shake-up to the existing roster of fighters. Here's Mai's main abilities, as detailed by Capcom:
- Kachousen: Mai throws her fan like a fireball. When used normally, the fan loses to other projectiles and your opponent’s strikes can knock them down. But when you hold down the input, they can no longer be neutralized by strikes. In addition, if the fan hits an opponent, it will pop up and fall down on them for another hit.
- Ryuuenbu: Spin forward in a fiery blaze for combos or to control space.
- Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi: Perform a cartwheel and fly towards opponents to elbow them. The OD version sends Mai into the air to follow up on the attack or to surprise opponents below.
- Hishou Ryuuenjin: Mai’s dragon punch, which works as an effective anti-air as she delivers a flying upwards kick bathed in flame.
- Kagerou no Mai: Mai’s Level 1 Super Art, she sets the immediate vicinity on fire, which can be useful as an anti-air move or combo ender. The move also gives Mai five Flame Stocks which give all of Mai’s special moves and Level 1 and 2 Super Arts special properties.
- Chou Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi: Mai’s Level 2 Super Art where she rushes forward in a blaze of glory that can get around projectiles.
- Shiranui Ryuu: Enbu Ada Zakura: Mai’s Level 3 Super Art, she flies like a butterfly and stings like a bee in a series of elegant fan strikes.
Fortunately, we won't be waiting much longer to go hands-on with Mai's moveset, as she's headed to Street Fighter 6 on Feb. 5, 2025. When she arrives, I'll need to make sure to adjust my more unique ranking of all of the different characters in Street Fighter 6.
Mai is included in the Year 2 Character Pass and Ultimate Pass, which also grants access to M. Bison, Terry, and the upcoming character Elena.
While I was playing a ton of Street Fighter 6 at launch and into 2024, I have to admit I dropped off a few months ago. This seems like a great time to get back in the groove and practice a bit. Street Fighter 6 saw critical acclaim at launch, and the game has sold over 4 million copies so far. Looking ahead, Capcom is set to have a strong February not just from Mai's arrival but also the impending launch of Monster Hunter Wilds.
Street Fighter 6 is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam), PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4.
