How to play Zangief in Street Fighter 6

With Street Fighter 6 finally in the hands of excited players around the world, it is important to know whom you are going to be playing as and against if you’re going to get ahead.

A veteran villain of the series, Zangief returns after his brief foray into acting in Wreck-it-Ralph and is as large and in charge as ever. We’re going to be going through everything you need to know to get started playing as Zangief in the game, including his backstory, combos, and the best ways for you to get a handle on him.

How do you play Zangief?

In Street Fighter 6, despite being a slower character, Zangief is incredibly powerful, particularly with his throws. When up close to his opponents, he can deal some serious damage, but closing the gap can be difficult.

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Images via Capcom

Despite this, he has a longer reach than most, so when at a mid-range, even his chip damage is significant.

His signature throw, the Screw Piledriver, is devastating for breaking his opponent’s guard and can be difficult to recover from.

Who is Zangief in Street Fighter 6?

In Street Fighter 6, Zangief is a veteran wrestler dedicated to enhancing the strength of his students, as much as himself. Nicknamed the Red Cyclone, he made his first appearance in Street Fighter 2.

Zangief hails from Russia where, during the Cold War, his goal was to display Russia’s superior fighting abilities compared to other nations.

Click to enlarge

Images via Capcom

Despite being more of an antagonistic force, Zangief has gone on to become one of the most recognizable faces in gaming, appearing in several other fighting games like Tekken x Street Fighter and as a Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

At a colossal 7’0, he towers over the majority of characters, including the new series poster boy, Luke.

Zangief's combo moves 

A hulking wrestling master in Street Fighter 6, Zangief specializes in throws and can usually break his opponent’s guards, blocks and Drive Parries with ease.

Here, we’ll be breaking down some of the more complicated combos Zangief has to offer, including his Special Moves, Super Arts and Unique Attacks.

For this guide, we’re using the inputs from the classic control scheme.

If you’re looking for more character guides, why not check out our guide on how to play as Ken as well? For more on Street Fighter 6, keep checking back with GGRecon!