Street Fighter is a name that few gamers can forget. Pioneering the modern-day Fighting Game genre, the Street Fighter franchise has changed significantly from its coin-op days. There have been many ups and downs in the history of this fan-favorite franchise with each new game coming with a plethora of revisions. This gives the franchise an element of ambiguity, as the same game could play in a profoundly different way from another revision. Today we will go over the five best, and worst, the franchise has offered us.
The Best
5. Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold
The Street Fighter Alpha series is packed with games that spur fond memories of arcade gamers and fighting game fans. Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold, however, is the console-only release and revision of the popular arcade classic. Released on PS1 and Saturn, with Saturn being fully featured, the revisions made may be questionable to some but the additional content is fantastic. Along with the change in flow this revision brought new moves, streamlined character selection, special EX costumes, vs. Shin Akuma mode and the X-Men Vs. Street Fighter version of fan-favorite Cammy White. This is especially notable as this iteration has a unique English voice over and special effects on her attacks. These great features make it easily the best version of the game for everyone to enjoy
4. Street Fighter Alpha 3
Hot off the heels of Alpha 2 Gold came Street Fighter Alpha 3. With a huge roster, unique gameplay styles, and an enhanced custom combo system, this game became legendary among fans. It also defined an aesthetic for an entire generation of Street Fighter games to come. The character sprites saw use in not only the Alpha series, but some of the Marvel Vs. Series of games as well, making them instantly recognizable to casual and hardcore fans alike.
3. Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter IV came at a time of uncertainty for Capcom. Fighting games were on a downward trend and after the failure of their last title, Capcom Fighting Jam, Capcom was uncertain of the future of the fighting franchise. Street Fighter IV proved to be a runaway arcade success, however, and breathed new life into the dying franchise and genre. While not perfectly balanced, it boasted tight gameplay, an improved 3D graphical style, innovative systems and an enhanced console port. While not as polished as its further revisions Street Fighter IV is solidified as one of the best of the franchise.
2. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike is a polished game with an established following. Lauded for its tight controls, impressive graphics and skillful parry system, this game rewards those willing to sit down with its various systems and experience them to their fullest extent. This makes it a favorite for competitive play as the skill ceiling is exceedingly high. As a result this game has gone from cult hit to recognized milestone in the beloved franchise.
1. Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo
The arcade classic that started it all. With a fun roster of classic World Warriors, these fighters are all fun to learn and master. Even with its status as a retro game, it retains the speed, depth and skill that hardcore players love and the charm to entice a more casual audience. This makes the arcade classic fit nicely into this top 5 as the game is still played in tournaments to this day. Any gaming fan who has never dipped their toe into this classic owes it to themselves to experience this piece of multiplayer game history.
Continue to page 2 for the WORST Street Fighter games…
