Street Fighter V: How to Play Ryu

Ryu might be one of the originals in the Street Fighter universe, but he never stops being amazing. As one of the most well-balanced fighters, he is a perfect candidate for beginners. His ability to to present a threat at both close and long range means he’s able to adapt in any situation.

Perfect against both fast and powerful fighters, Ryu is a jack of all trades. Of course, he does have his own down sides. Being a jack of all trades means that he isn’t particularly the master of any. Unless you count the Hadouken. He has several variations of that. Ryu is best played at close to medium range, so that players can take full advantage of his robust moveset.  

Special Moves

Ryu maintains all of his classic Special Moves, so if you’ve been a fan of the series, you’ll feel right at home. The Hadouken has been slowed down slightly, but even so, it’s still one of the fastest projectile moves in Street Fighter V. It’s perfect for getting an aggressor to back off or creating an opening for something a bit more special.

The Shoryuken has a very short range. A character standing almost right next to you can avoid it, but it’s perfect for taking out airborne adversaries. Initiating your V-Trigger with the attack (by hitting both L. and M. Punch when inputting the command) will add a couple of extra hits and a bit more damage.

The Tatsumaki Senpukyaku is the most versatile component of Ryu’s moves. It’s fast, powerful, and draws the enemy in. Even better is the fact that it can be pulled of instantly as part of a combo, even if you happen to be in the air.

When combined with Ryu’s unique attacks, particularly the Axe Kick (Back + H. Kick) and the Solar Plexus Strike (Forward + H. Punch), you have a slow but powerful string of attacks capable of decimating even the strongest characters. Using the speed of Tatsumaki Senpukyaku at the end of a combination will definitely help to stun the opponent, making this whole list of moves even deadlier. 

V-System

Every character in Street Fighter V now has an ability that can nullify or dodge attacks. Ryu’s is the Mind’s Eye and it requires perfect timing in exchange for absorbing all incoming damage. When used correctly, you can cancel out a vicious attack and leave your adversary desperately trying to recover.

His V-Trigger (Denjin Renki) sends Ryu into overdrive. All of his attacks will do more damage, as well as land more hits, and his Hadouken can even be charged with electric energy. Triggering this state will also alter his Critical Art, making it even more powerful.

Critical Art

It’s not about how you start, but how you finish. And if Ryu knows how to do anything, it’s how to finish a fight in style. His Critical Arts (the Shinku Hadoken and Denjin Hadoken) are powerful blasts that are best triggered at close to medium range, although they can fly across the entire screen. They’re immensely powerful, but incredibly slow moving, so you’ll want to spring them on your opponent when they’re either stunned or recovering.

Two forward quarter circles and a punch will trigger this vicious attack as long as your EX bar is completely full. Initiating your Critical Art while your V-Trigger is active will add a larger charge, and some fancy (as well as deadly) electricity into the mix. Heaven help the poor soul caught on the business end of this attack.

With these powerful Critical Arts, and his repertoire of balanced special abilities, Ryu is still a force to be reckoned with. He may not be as fast as a lot of the members of the Street Fighter V roster, but he can still duke it out with the best of them. There’s a reason he’s a mainstay in the series.