Everyone recognizes the name Street Fighter regardless of whether they’ve even played the game or not. An iconic staple in video game fandom, Street Fighter games also serve as a major pillar of the fighting game genre, influencing countless succeeding titles like Mortal Kombat.
Like other classic gaming franchises such as The Elder Scrolls or Metal Gear Solid, multiple entries in the franchise have seen releases over the years, but only a select few stand the test of time as the best Street Fighter games in the series’ existence.
1. Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (1991)
The best fighting game ever released, Street Fighter II set the foundation for the fighting game moving forward. A title that influenced everything from Mortal Kombat to Virtua Fighters, Street Fighter II laid the groundwork for the genre at a pivotal moment, living on not just as best entry in the Street Fighter series, but the fighting game that should be at the top of every gaming fans’ bucket list.
2. Street Fighter IV (2008)
After a temporary series lull from the late 1990s to the end of the 2000s, Street Fighter games returned in grand fashion with Street Fighter IV. Between its fluid 2D graphics and retro arcade aesthetic, Street Fighter IV felt like a loving homage to the best Street Fighter had to offer. A sequel in the same favorable mold as Street Fighter II, Street Fighter IV met everyone’s greatest expectations when it came to Street Fighter games, matching the acclaim of everything that came before it.
3. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike (1999)
The second and final spin-off addition to Street Fighter III, one might refer to 3rd Strike as a more polished version of Street Fighter III. Adding in five new characters (including fan-favorite protagonist Chun-Li), the game also came equipped with a more conducive combat system, improving upon the weaknesses of 2nd Impact. In theory, aside for Street Fighter II, most players will have a difficult time finding a better ‘90s-era fighting game than this 1999 masterpiece.
4. Street Fighter 6 (2023)
The most recent addition to the Street Fighter games universe, Street Fighter 6 marks a definitive return to form for Capcom’s hit series. The prototypical fighting game of tomorrow, Street Fighter 6 features a slew of ahead-of-its-time innovations, right down to a real-time commentary presiding over matches. Making use of a larger roster, more immersive stages, and a cross-platform playability, Street Fighter 6 captures the same addictive tone that made Street Fighter II so fun to play in the first place.
5. Super Street Fighter IV (2010)
While most fans tend to dismiss Super Street Fighter IV as a minor addition to the franchise, such gross assumptions fail to capture how fantastic the game had been upon its release in 2010. One of the greatest fighting games brought to a handheld device, every major component associated with Street Fighter IV wound up in the game, from the signature 2D art style to the smooth gameplay of its sister title.
6. Super Street Fighter II Turbo (1994)
A game well ahead of its time, Super Street Fighter II Turbo introduced moves no one had ever seen before in a fighting game, from fast-paced super combos to the inventive air combo. The fact that gamers still play Super Street Fighter II Turbo in competitive tournaments just further proves how sensational a game Turbo ranks as for diehard fans across the globe.
7. Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dreams (1995)
In contrast to the more realistic graphics of Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dream made the interesting decision to revert to a more manga-esque animation design. While such inspired artistic direction helped Warriors’ Dream win over audiences in the mid-1990s, the game’s infectious gameplay serves as the primary reason players return to it again and again in the decades since. A promising first entry in the Alpha series, it also ushered in one of the most successful periods in Street Fighter games history (as seen with its sequels).
8. Street Fighter: 2nd Impact – Giant Attack (1997)
An updated version of Street Fighter III: New Generation, at first glance, 2nd Impact seems to bear little difference to its earlier sister title. On closer examination, however, players might notice more fine-tuned gameplay features, including a new variation of Special Moves known as EX Specials (an attack that became a common characteristic in Street Fighter games that followed).
9. Street Fighter Alpha 2 (1996)
A perfect improvement over the already seminal Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dreams, few things could’ve made Street Fighter Alpha 2 any better. With a massive lineup of playable characters from Street Fighter games before it, Street Fighter Alpha 2 also takes the time to improve upon the basic gameplay of Warriors’ Dreams, adding in new stages, new combos, and a more nuanced single-player mode.
10. Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (1992)
Capcom had a tough assignment when it came to improving the already perfect Street Fighter II. Despite this tall order, the company soon outdid itself, releasing the better-than-expected Street Fighter II: Champion Edition. Containing only a handful of small differences from its predecessor, Champion Edition tailored itself more to fans of the Street Fighter games, with Capcom adjusting each characters’ strengths for more balanced gameplay between players.
11. Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting (1992)
Like Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting concerned itself with creating a more streamlined gameplay experience, balancing out characters’ strengths and weaknesses to ensure more competitive interplay. Unlike Champion Edition, however, Hyper Fighting features a far more fast-paced gameplay style, with players having to use timing and precision to land each move, heightening the drama of every fight.
12. Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (1993)
Another entry in the Street Fighter II subseries, Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers continues the same basic trends as Champion Edition and Hyper Fighting. Like its sister titles, The New Challengers strives to balance out each playable character’s basic strengths while introducing four new characters to the mix (Fei Long, Dee Jay, T. Hawk, and Cammy). However, Capcom also rolled out some additional gameplay features this time around, including new special moves like Ryu’s “Fire Hadōken” and M. Bison’s “Devil Reverse.”
13. Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition (2011)
The most amazing aspect of Super Street Fighter IV: 3D relates to how well it plays. Despite its status as a mobile game, it has the same basic gameplay features as the original Super Street Fighter IV, playing just as well as its 2010 counterpart. A satisfying Nintendo 3DS exclusive, 3D Edition does enough to entice every prospective gamer through its rich gameplay aesthetic.
14. Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition (2003)
As its name might suggest, Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition serves as a loving homage to Super Street Fighter II Turbo. A mishmash of every major Street Fighter arcade game before it, Hyper Street Fighter II allowed avid fans a look into the golden age of Street Fighter games, revisiting old stages while playing as a variety of cult favorite characters. It may have done little to reinvent the Street Fighter name or push the series in new directions, but with its nostalgic look back at Capcom’s flagship fighting series, the game met with resounding success.
15. Street Fighter III: New Generation (1997)
Perhaps the most perplexing game in the Street Fighter franchise, Street Fighter III took everything Capcom had perfected with its Street Fighter II subseries and omitted it from New Generation (hence the name). With only Ryu and Ken returning here, New Generation’s radical roster of new faces did little to endear itself to fans of the series. However, one must note that each subsequent entry to bear the Street Fighter III name acted as a major improvement over New Generation (especially 3rd Strike).
16. Street Fighter (1987)
The one that started it all, Street Fighter may have been the first entry in the series, but most fans fail to regard it in the same favorable light as some of its best sequels. A decent enough cabinet arcade game, Street Fighter does little to differentiate itself from the other, far better fighting games that flooded the market in the years ahead, like Mortal Kombat, Virtua Fighters, or The Kings of Fighters.
17. Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition (2010)
Rounding out the Street Fighter IV subseries, Super Street Fighter IV saw two satisfactory releases, with the Arcade Edition just slightly below the 3D Edition release for the Nintendo 3DS. Regardless, this exclusive release for the PS3 and XBox 360 went above and beyond glossing over the basic mechanics of Street Fighter IV. Placing a deeper strategic focus on characters’ health meters, Arcade Edition makes for one of the more interesting, if somewhat unremarkable, Street Fighter sequels in recent memory.
18. Street Fighter Alpha 3 (1998)
The chief characteristic that sets Street Fighter Alpha 3 apart from every other addition to the Street Fighter games series has to do with its signature “ism” feature. In essence, Street Fighter Alpha 3 gives a player a choice of three different gameplay styles–A-ism, X-ism, and V-ism–each providing a major overhaul of each character’s moves and skill sets. Aside from this unique feature, though, Street Fighter Alpha 3 offers little else to measure up to the earlier Alpha sequels, paling in comparison to 3rd Strike or 2nd Impact.
19. Street Fighter V (2016)
To be fair, Capcom’s regular patches allowed Street Fighter V to grow into a far better game than it had been upon its release in 2016. However, most fans couldn’t help but express their utter disappointment with the initial iteration of the game. With a threadbare 16-character roster, it felt like a serious step back in the franchise, although subsequent updates added 30 more characters for players to choose from.
20. Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challenger (2017)
While the Street Fighter series has no shortage of great games, the series has its fair share of weaker entries as well, none more so than the mediocre Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challenger. Despite its gleaming graphics, The Final Challenger proves how much importance fans place in a cohesive gameplay structure (a key attribute missing from Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challenger).
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