Kimberly May Be My New Main In Street Fighter 6

Tokyo Game Show offered Street Fighter 6’s latest version to be tested. Capcom has just revealed the next group of fighters. However, I was able to play the demo and see the final three reveal sessions: Juri, Guile and Kimberly. Kimberly, the wildcard in that group of fighters, was my first choice. I chose to devote most of the time to her and what it brings. After just a few rounds I was unable to resist switching to another player.

If you haven’t been keeping up, Kimberly is a ninja pupil of Guy who adores the ‘80s and graffiti. She incorporates the latter interest into her acrobatic offense, such as throwing exploding spray cans like they’re shurikens. That’s silly and fantastic. She’s also set to play a pivotal role in the plot. I spoke to Street Fighter 6 director Takayuki Nakayama and producer Shuhei Matsumoto who told me that Kimberly, Luke, and Jamie act as the game’s main faces to compliment the old guard of Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li.  Jamie’s technical game is Luke’s forte, while Kimberly values speed. 

Given Kimberly’s apparent importance, it’s good to know she’s a blast to use. Kimberly’s swiftness allows her to quickly close gaps with attacks that rush opponents. I loved executing her running step-up kick, where she walks on and then kicks off an opponent’s face, flipping backward to immediately create distance again. You can also follow up this move with an extreme powerbomb. Kimberly is able to cave in and deliver a powerful superman punch. This can be used as a chokehold for a takedown. 

My favorite trick is her Hidden Variable attack. This essentially acts as a smokescreen teleport as Kimberly drops an exploding spray can like a smoke bomb to create a “surprise” ambush. It was fun to use this method to help me regain my ground. Even though Kimberly will be knocked unconscious by all the paint, they look amazing. 

I also dig what I can only describe as Kimberly’s take on Ryu/Ken’s famous hurricane kick. She ascends vertically, instead of turning across the screen. This makes it ideal for punishing enemies who are too close or avoiding aerial attacks. It can also be done mid-jump. This moves feels incredible satisfying. Kimberly is a complete package. Kimberly’s playful and entertaining style blends seamlessly with the rest of the cast. 

A demo isn’t enough time to master all of Kimberly’s intricacies, but she’s another stand-out rookie in a game that’s doing well in that respect. She’s the most fun I’ve had playing a combatant in Street Fighter 6 so far as someone who favors speedier, agile characters. I can’t wait to get to know Kimberly better when the game launches next year.