Hiya!

Capcom has released a lot of very memorable music for their fighting games over the years. From Street Fighter II’s Guile’s Theme, which goes along with everything, to Capcom vs. SNK 2’s catchy “This is the True Love We’re Making”, to Street Fighter III’s repetitive but fun “Beats in My Head” all the way to tracks like Street Fighter EX3’s “Precious Heart,” they’ve produced a good number of memorable beats to beat some heads in.

So, when Capcom finally showed off the completed roster for the upcoming Street Fighter 6, they also made it so we can listen to each and every character’s theme song. Some of them are… not so good. Thankfully, there are a few of them which are real bangers. Well, after listening to all of them, I decided to give my thoughts on which ones are the best of the bunch.

I will say there is a slight caveat to this list as the song just can’t be good. The music should also match the character’s vibe because, hey! It’s a character track! If it doesn’t suit the character, then what the point? With that in mind, let’s go look at the 5 character tracks which I wouldn’t mind vibing to.

#5 Zangief (R.E.D)

The protector of Russia’s skies has a pretty imposing song.

Zangief has always been a brute of a character in the Street Fighter series. He’s not terribly quick but his slow movement can be scary as he steadily closes the gap between his opponent. Then, when you think he’s still just to far for him to hit you with anything, all of a sudden, you realized your head been sucked in between his muscular thighs as he slams you to the ground with his vintage Spinning Pile Driver. This is the kind of vibe I get with Zangief’s theme song, R.E.D. It’s the song of something deadly slowly but surely drawing closer and closer to your doom.

I will say the song itself isn’t all that amazing but, for a professional wrestler like Zangief, it fits him to a T. In fact, I can sort of picture him using this song as his entrance music as he slowly walks to the ring. It’s super serious and has a no-nonsense feel to it, which does kind of describe the character perfectly, now that I think about it. The song is just good but matching it with Zangief enhances the effect.

#4 Cammy (OverTrip)

My baby girl is all grown up now and wearing pants!

Out of all the returning characters from the Street Fighter series, Cammy was the one Capcom really paid special attention to as she now has a radically new look. Gone are the long braids, beret and green unitard. Cammy’s now dressing more sensibly with yoga pants, a kind of sports bra but covered by a blue jacket embossed with a Union Jack flag on the back. Her new look denotes a much more serious and deadly look and this is what Cammy’s new theme song, OverTrip, denotes as well.

I had a bad first impression with Cammy’s new theme song as it didn’t sound all that impressive or catchy. However, as I gave it some time and let it play out, it did grow on me more and more. There’s a certain spy-like quality to the overall mood it sets, which works with Cammy’s new undercover look. I also love the little sound cues, such as some simulated gun cocking sound effects sprinkled throughout. Once again, it’s not an amazing song but I learned to like it a whole lot because of how well it suits this new Cammy.

#3 Kimberly (Ninjastar Pop)

God, I just know I’ll hate fighting against Kimberly and all her mixups… but I gotta say, her song is really good.

When I first saw Kimberly’s moves, I knew she was going to be a very fast paced character. Her being trained by Guy and adapting his ninja fighting techniques made that oh so apparent. She just has this youthful vibe to her and her theme song, Ninjastar Pop, emphasizes it. The song itself is a bop, with a really bouncy and energetic rhythm to it. It may not exactly sound like something from the ’80s, the era Kimberly is so enamored with, but that’s a minor quibble to how fun it sounds.

This is also one of the songs in Street Fighter 6 which actually sounds good on its own. I can’t say the previous couple of entries, R.E.D. and OverTrip, are something I would want to listen to if they weren’t connected to Zangief and Cammy, respectively. Kimberly’s Ninjastar Pop, on the other hand, is a song I wouldn’t mind listening to on the radio. I do kind of wish it fully embraced her personality by making it sound like a retro ’80s new wave song but the song itself is so good, I don’t really mind that much.

#2 JP (The Plunderer)

Is JP the new big bad in Street Fighter 6? His theme song definitely makes it sound like he’s the new big bad.

Every fighting game has to have the main evil to defeat and it looks like newcomer JP is going to assume that very role. Right from the outset, JP’s song, The Plunderer, has a very oppressive feel to it. With heavy and deep notes played all throughout, it makes him sound like the insurmountable force of evil he seems to be. However, it does get better as you let the tune rock.

As far as I know, each new song can sort of be broken up into 2 parts, signifying the 2 rounds you play in a typical Street Fighter match. While the 1st “round” is already really good, it’s when the 2nd “round” kicks in when things get even better. The song becomes even more imposing and threatening. The notes even seem to get slightly more louder, making you really feel like some kind of monster is after you. It’s just great… but not the greatest character song found in Street Fighter 6.

#1 Jamie (Mr. Top Player)

Now, this is a Street Fighter song… because it sounds super street!

While the other songs I’ve listed here are good, they simply pale in comparison with Jamie’s theme song, Mr. Top Player. This funky little song just seems to fit everything a Street Fighter character theme song needs to be. For one, it’s very recognizable and fits Jamie’s cocky personality perfectly. This jazzy ditty oozes confidence and that describes the character exactly.

Not only that, this is also just a plain good song. Maybe video games should add more funk and jazzy type songs to their games because Jamie’s theme song slaps! It gives off vibes like one of the best anime theme songs ever, Tank! from Cowboy Bebop, because of how cool it sounds. It’s also something you can actually dance to so I don’t think anyone would mind if it starts playing at a dance party or something like that. Not only that, it also works well in the fighting game scene as I can definitely can see myself trying to toss a Hadoken while this is playing. Right now, Jamie’s has easily the best song in Street Fighter 6.

BONUS: Ryu (Viator)

Mr. Wanderer sounds like he wants to dance as well.

I actually really like Ryu’s new theme song, Viator. It has a really cool looking sound, much like Jamie’s really funky sound. However, when I hear it, I simply cannot picture good old vagabond Ryu in his tattered clothing as he perpetually tries to master his fighting skills. No, what I picture is Ryu putting on an all-white zoot suit, complete with hat and super big sunglasses and a gold chain. He’s also clean shaven because he stinks of aftershave and has a big old smile as he walks out the door of his penthouse elevator to the stretch limo waiting for him to take him to the club.

That’s just doesn’t sound like Ryu, does it? However, that’s the very vibe I get with this song. So, while I think it’s good, it just does not match the Ryu I know, which is why it didn’t make the list.

Byee!

What’s your favorite song from Street Fighter 6? Let me know in the comments section below!