While we were debating our picks for the title of the best street fighter game, we realized it’s a pretty hard task to choose one. We’ve hence decided to list out the finest titles which the awesome fighting game series from Capcom has given us over the years. The inception of the series took place in 1987 when its first entry was launched as an arcade game. The tremendous success of the title compelled its developers to come out with other entries, and the ones that followed gave the gaming industry some of the greatest titles it has ever seen.
Having originated through arcades, SF games follow the guidelines of the said classic platform till date, even though its developers have stopped releasing arcade versions now. With its relentlessly addictive gameplay and some of the most memorable characters the industry has even witnessed, the Street Fighter series has given us fond memories to cherish, and newer games are being doled under it from time to time on newer platforms. The SF series has evolved a lot over the years, and has constantly strived to grant us great fighting game experiences. Among the many titles which the series has received till now, we have picked out a collection of five which we think are the finest ones. These games have been listed in no particular order of preference however.
1 – Street Fighter Alpha 3
Released in 1998 for arcades and for a variety of platforms including the PlayStation, the Dreamcast, the Sega Saturn and more in the years that followed, Street Fighter Alpha 3 succeeded in leaving a huge impact on the fighting game genre as a whole. This 2D title featured all the characters from the previous Alpha games, whereas it blessed the sub-series with new ones like Guile, E. Honda, Blanka, Balrog, Dee Jay and Fei Long. Fresh theme music for all the returning characters was created by Capcom. What distinguished Street Fighter Alpha 3’s gameplay from the rest was its incorporation of the ‘isms’ concept which offered three different playing styles to choose from. The game was also responsible for having introduced the Guard Power Gauge.
2 – Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
Considered the most excellent entry from the series till date, 3rd Strike is the epitome of the entire Street Fighter experience. It is credited to have brought back the classic Chun-Li character, along with four other fighters. Equipped with a large number of awesome moves and combos, these characters gave the game some truly unforgettable scenarios. A grade-based Judgment system also forms part of it, granting grades based on various gameplay traits after each match. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike was released for arcades in 1999, and it later made its way to the Dreamcast, PS2 as well as the Xbox. It is even available for the PS3 and the Xbox 360 in the form of its Online Edition which gave the game a big makeover, apart from of course adding online multiplayer capabilities.
3 – Super Street Fighter IV
A huge modern day success, Super Street Fighter IV made waves when it was launched for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2010. Based on the incredible Street Fighter IV, this game refined the experience of the original with updates to its character roster, game modes like Team Battles, Endless Battle and Replay Channel, balance tweaks and a lot more. A robust online multiplayer component amplifies the fun of Super Street Fighter IV in more ways than one. The game is played with 3D backgrounds and characters, but of course transpires on 2D planes.
4 – Street Fighter Alpha 2
Everything from the Super Combo gauge and Alpha Counters to Air-Blocking and Fall Breaking were incorporated into Street Fighter Alpha 2 which was launched back in 1996. Improvements such as new endings, stages, moves and gameplay systems gave this title a huge edge over its predecessor. Originally released for arcades, it later made its way onto the PlayStation, the SNES, the Sega Saturn and other platforms. The game features a Custom Combo system which allows you to use up a super meter in order to perform devastating multi-hit combos. Street Fighter Alpha 2 is an incredible game in every sense of the term.
5 – Street Fighter X Tekken
A match made in heaven was what it was called when this mash up was unveiled for the first time, and boy did it manage to meet the expectations of fans. Bringing together characters and concepts from two of the most popular fighting game franchises ever, Street Fighter X Tekken defined what crossovers should be all about. The game was built on the 2D-style gameplay of the Street Fighter series as it was developed by Capcom, and despite this, the charm of both the series was still kept intact in the most elegant of ways. The deep game mechanics which have made their way into the title seldom fail in providing you with long gaming hours. Unique additions which were granted to it include the new Gem System and a Pandora Mode. The Gem System allows characters to equip three gems which are meant to provide different stat boosts depending on their types. The Pandora mode on the other hand provides the remaining character from a tag team match with the ability to sacrifice another character in exchange of a huge strength boost. Released in 2012, Street Fighter X Tekken can be purchased now for the PS3, Xbox 360, PC and PS Vita.
Conclusion:
Like we said, we weren’t able to pick just one best street fighter game, which is why we went with listing out the ones we think are the greatest from the series. Tell us what you thought about them.