Guide Best Street Fighter Games Of All Time

38. Street Fighter Zero 3 (Saturn)

Arguably the most refined entry in the Alpha / Zero sub-series, Street Fighter Zero 3 has a massive cast of characters, all-new backgrounds, a completely fresh soundtrack and new game mechanics which make it one of the deepest and most rewarding entries in the entire Street Fighter franchise. Released on both the PS1 and Saturn, the game would later come to the Dreamcast, as well as the PS2 and PSP.

37. Street Fighter: The Movie (Arcade)

Unlike the home console version of the same name, Street Fighter: The Movie was developed not by Capcom but by American company Incredible Technologies. Taking inspiration from Mortal Kombat, the decision was made to digitise the real-world actors and place them into the game. The end result is exactly as you'd expect; the developers were unfamiliar with Street Fighter's core mechanics, and it plays very poorly – so poorly that Capcom would step in and handle the domestic version of the game.

36. Street Fighter (Arcade)

The game that started it all. directed by Takashi Nishiyama (Kung-Fu Master, Fatal Fury), Street Fighter laid down the foundations of an entire genre, introducing the concept of special moves and blocking. Another innovation was pressure-sensitive pads in the original arcade version, which would register the strength of the player's fist – these were later replaced with the iconic six-button setup when they proved to be unreliable. Despite all of its groundbreaking efforts, Street Fighter hasn't aged all that well and is arguably best remembered for establishing the format which its sequel would refine dramatically. The game would be ported to the PC Engine CD as Fighting Street.

35. Street Fighter EX3 (PS2)

Released exclusively for PS2 instead of coming to arcades, Street Fighter EX3 gives the visuals a massive overhaul and includes tag battles to make the fights more interesting. Despite these improvements, it was treated quite poorly by some media outlets at the time of release, and the EX3 series didn't evolve beyond this entry. Developer Arika would go on to produce its own fighting games series which shares some of the same characters, called Fighting Layer.

34. Street Fighter: The Movie (PS1)

While it looks similar to the 1995 arcade game of the same name, the home ports of Street Fighter: The Movie for PS1 and Saturn are actually different from the coin-op. Developed internally by Capcom rather than by Incredible Technologies (the company responsible for the arcade version), the game (which goes by the title Street Fighter: Real Battle on Film in Japan) is based largely on Super Street Fighter II Turbo, but is plagued by bouts of slowdown. It's better than the arcade version, but that isn't really saying all that much.

33. Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight (NES)

Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight is an interesting game, arriving on the NES after the release of the first Street Fighter, but before its sequel hit arcades and caused an explosion of interest in one-on-one brawlers. The game's story was changed for the Western release to at least try and justify the use of the name (our hero is now called Ken), but gameplay-wise, this is unlike any other Street Fighter title, taking the form of an action platformer. Get the hang of it and Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight can entertain, but mostly it just annoys.

32. Street Fighter III: New Generation (Arcade)

Produced in tandem with the ongoing Alpha spin-off series, Street Fighter III: New Generation had the unenviable task of following directly on from Street Fighter II, one of the most successful arcade games of all time. Capcom was keen to start anew with this sequel – Ryu and Ken are the sole returning characters, with every other fighter being all-new. Powered by Capcom's CPS3 board, the game offers amazing animation and visuals, but it didn't achieve the same commercial success as its direct forerunner. However, Capcom would release two iterations of the game, 2nd Impact and 3rd Strike, which not only introduced classic characters but made the Street Fighter III series even more popular.

31. Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams (GBC)

Visually it is a big step down from the arcade original, but this is a fairly good-looking game considering the hardware. Gameplay is the most important thing and luckily it feels like a Street Fighter game despite the occasional irritation of an unintended special move. As a single-player experience this is a decent little fighter that will keep you occupied for quite a while, but some extra modes would have been welcome. Sound effects are bad and the ending bug also annoys, but the big disappointment is the lack of two-player mode with its absence making the game that bit less appealing.

30. Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact (Arcade)

Released in 1997, Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact introduced two new characters – Hugo and Urien – as well as EX Specials, more powerful versions of standard special moves. Bonus round also made a comeback, as they hadn't been seen since the end of the Street Fighter II series. Bundled together with New Generation in the Dreamcast release SF3: Double Impact, Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact occupies a weird place in the Street Fighter III linage; it's better than the first game but stands in the shadow of 3rd Strike.

29. Super Street Fighter II Turbo (3DO)

Capcom iterated on the Super Street Fighter II concept a second time, giving fans what is considered to be one of the finest one-on-one brawlers ever made. Sadly, it was never ported to the SNES or Mega Drive at the time, but it did come to the 3DO. Super Street Fighter II Turbo was comfortably the best console port of the game for quite some time.

28. Street Fighter X Tekken (PS3)

There's plenty to enjoy in Street Fighter X Tekken; the cast is second-to-none, it's vibrant and never takes itself too seriously, but you almost wish it would. There was an opportunity for a truly great technical fighter in combining Street Fighter and Tekken, but it's denied in favour of a strategy-light, juggle-heavy scrapper that — like Capcom's other cross-company crossover all those years ago — never quite satisfies.

27. Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (Arcade)

A quick-fix release to fight off the growing number of pirate versions of Street Fighter II, Champion Edition allows you to play as the four boss characters and select the same character in two-player battles. Capcom also refined the gameplay and rebalanced each fighter. It would be overshadowed by the release of the far superior Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting.

26. Street Fighter V (PS4)

Street Fighter V's gameplay sits with the best that gaming has to offer. The characters are truly distinct, the presentation first rate, and the netcode is utterly sublime. A lack of single-player modes at launch dulls the sheen somewhat, and is the only element preventing the title from achieving true greatness. However, with the engrossing Capcom Fighters Network, the game's set up as a fantastic online playground in which to research techniques, stalk idols, view friends' failures, or simply sit back and watch – all the while waiting for your next challenger in this deep, enthralling fighter.

25. Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha (PS1)

The first Street Fighter game to enter the realm of 3D visuals, Street Fighter EX was developed by Arika in collaboration with Capcom. Despite the polygon graphics, the gameplay remains locked to a 2D plane. The original Street Fighter EX was only released in arcades and would come to home consoles in its update 'EX Plus Alpha' form, which unlocks all of the 'time-release' fighters and adds Dhalsim, Sakura, Evil Ryu, Bloody Hokuto, Cycloid-β and Cycloid-γ.

24. Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (3DS)

It would be easy to sit here and pick apart all of the things that Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition doesn't do, but the truth is, Capcom has somehow been able to miraculously squeeze every bit of bone-crushing fighting action onto the portable screen of the 3DS and still managed to toss in a staggering number of added features and options to go along with it. Even losing a few frames of character and background animations is a small price to pay for the stunning 3D visuals.

23. Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers (Switch)

If the only question you have prior to playing Ultra Street Fighter II is, "I want to know if this is the ultimate version of Street Fighter II", then chances are you're going to come away impressed. The gameplay is as tight and enjoyable as ever, and there's a simplicity to the game engine which makes it incredibly appealing – while it lacks some of the improvements seen in recent fighters, this simplicity somehow makes for a purer experience and one which is more accommodating to genre newcomers to boot. Sadly, Capcom's attempts to add value to this likeable yet ageing template fall totally flat. Buddy Mode is so brief it borders on being pointless, while Way of the Hado – complete with its laughable motion controls – is something you'll only fire up for your own twisted amusement.

22. Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition (MD)

Released in arcades as Champion Edition, this iterative update would lay down a pattern that Capcom would adhere to for the next few years.

As it stands, Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition on the Genesis / Mega Drive is a pretty impressive achievement considering the hardware it was produced for, but it’s nothing more than an interesting footnote in the Street Fighter lineage. The group battle option is neat, and the fact that it includes both the Champion Edition and Hyper Fighting variants of the game is a bonus for completists, but there are better variants of the game to play today.

Champion Edition would also be ported to the PC Engine.

21. Street Fighter Alpha 3 (GBA)

Cuts have been made in order to bring the game to the Game Boy Advance, but that was to be expected. What’s surprising is how Crawfish managed to cram in the huge character line-up, multiple modes of play and still got it to look and (most importantly) play like Street Fighter Alpha 3. Controls may take a bit of getting used to and there are a few quibbles (with this many characters you really need an in-game move list) but overall this is an excellent game with plenty to keep you entertained.

20. Super Street Fighter II: Turbo Revival (GBA)

It was almost inevitable that Capcom would bring Street Fighter to the GBA, but this first stab isn't all that great. The characters, moves and music that made Street Fighter II great are all here, and you can certainly have fun with this particular version. Of course, much of what appeals with this game is available in the other versions of Street Fighter II, and as well as multiplayer they have less awkward controls. The new artwork and stages (even if there wasn't anything wrong with the old ones) generally work well, but unless you have a strong desire to experience Super Combos and Akuma, it's hard to recommend this over the other versions available. A bold experiment, all the same.

19. Street Fighter EX2 Plus (PS1)

Released in arcades in 1998, Street Fighter EX2 introduces "Excel Combos" and four new fighters: Blanka, Vega, Sharon and Hayate. Allen Snider, Blair Dame, Darun Mister, Pullum Purna and M. Bison were all dropped from the initial release of the game, only to be reinstated in Street Fighter EX2 Plus, which arrived in 1999. EX2 Plus also included Sagat, Vulcano Rosso and Area as playable fighters. This is the version that would also be ported to the PS1. A PS2 sequel, Street Fighter EX3, followed in 2000.

18. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PS3)

This is a HD remake of Super Street Fighter II Turbo with redrawn graphics courtesy of UDON Entertainment and remixed music by members of the popular OverClocked ReMix site. Developed by Backbone Entertainment, it was released digitally on Xbox 360 and PS3, but was also released in physical form as part of Capcom Digital Collection. While some fans are divided on the look of the redrawn HD visuals, this remains a fine version of an already fine game – and some of the remixed music is utterly fantastic.

17. Street Fighter Alpha: Warrior's Dreams (PS1)

After Super Street Fighter II, Capcom went back to its roots with its next game. Street Fighter Zero (or Alpha, as it would be known outside of Japan) shows younger versions of the key characters and also adopts a colourful, anime-style aesthetic. However, it packs in various innovations as well, making it a solid evolution. The big issue is that it often feels unfinished; there aren't that many locations to fight in, and the sequel ended up feeling like the game we should have gotten. The Saturn and PS1 ports are both worth a look.

16. Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition (PS4)

Released in 2018 to address issues with the base version of Street Fighter V, Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition puls in all of the DLC from seasons 1 and 2, as well as sprucing up the UI and introducing Arcade and Extra Battle modes. Each fighter also has an extra V-Trigger to select from, as well.

15. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (PS4)

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition is mainly concerned with pulling together all of the DLC released for Street Fighter V, as well as making some minor gameplay adjustments. This is arguably the definitive version of the game.

14. Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (SNES)

Street Fighter II was a landmark moment in the history of video gaming. Capcom essentially created a genre with this game; while one-on-one fighters existed prior to its release (the original Street Fighter being one example), the game pioneered many concepts which are now commonplace. However, playing Street Fighter II today is a tricky proposition, purely because the core idea has been expanded and improved upon relentlessly by the likes of Capcom, SNK, Arc System Works and countless other companies which jumped on the bandwagon following the game's success. This SNES port is arguably the game's most famous iteration, outside of the arcade original.

13. Street Fighter IV (PS3)

Street Fighter IV is so well balanced, so well thought-out and so downright addictive it's hard to tell yourself to stop playing and actually get some work done. At times, you're forced to think the game must have been in development for 10 years or more. It's essentially Street Fighter II with a lick of paint and rebalanced. The moves remain unchanged. A new focus attack mixes things up on the fighting part, allowing you to charge attacks and unleash them, breaking your opponent's guard and potentially starting a combo. A revenge meter also allows for the player most taking a beating to dish out a special move and get right back into the fight. They are simple tweaks that greatly improve the dynamic of the gameplay.

12. Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition (Arcade)

Released on PS2 in 2003 to mark the 15th anniversary of the Street Fighter series, Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition is based on Super Street Fighter II Turbo. It contains multiple modes which are intended to replicate the feel of the various versions of the game; "Normal" (the original Street Fighter II), "Champ" (Street Fighter II: Champion Edition), "Turbo" (Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting), "Super" (Super Street Fighter II) and "Super T" (Super Street Fighter II Turbo). Depending on which option is selected, the player will have access to a different set of characters. The game was ported to arcades and Xbox in 2004.

11. Street Fighter 6 (PS5)

Street Fighter 6 is an absolute humdinger of a sequel. Capcom has created a fighting system that has all of the tactical depth professional players expect but managed to make it fairly easy for casuals to wrap their heads around. Not only that, it’s introduced smart ways to onboard newcomers, including a simplified control scheme and a great suite of tutorials, which even extend to the very enjoyable RPG-inspired single player story mode. A strong roster of starting characters, near-flawless rollback netcode, and a seemingly never-ending selection of content – including interactive online lobbies with playable retro games – round out another unbelievably impressive effort from the seemingly unstoppable Japanese publisher.

10. Super Street Fighter IV (PS3)

How do you make one of 2009's best releases even better? You take a leaf out of Super Street Fighter IV's book by listening to player's criticism, adding a heap of new characters, and releasing it all at a budget price. Make no bones about it - Super Street Fighter IV is essentially the same game that was released last year, only considerably beefed up. With several new characters, Super Street Fighter IV takes a step into "Vs" territory, with a roster of names practically bulging at the seams. Factor in a slew of new stages, a considerably improved online component and a budget price tag and you have yet another stand-out showing from the Street Fighter franchise.

9. Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max (PSP)

Known as Street Fighter Zero 3 Double Upper in Japan, this PSP exclusive includes the additional fighters from the GBA version and adds Ingrid from the spin-off Capcom Fighting Evolution. In terms of faithfulness, this is one of the best ports of the game.

8. Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (SNES)

Despite the presence of four new fighters and some excellent gameplay modes, Super Street Fighter II doesn't manage to overshadow Street Fighter II' Turbo: Hyper Fighting. The faster speed of the previous title — tied with the better sound and a stronger nostalgic bond — will have many players avoiding this sequel altogether. Of course, such historical footnotes don't make the game a failure, but they do explain why Super is held in slightly lower regard than Turbo.

7. Ultra Street Fighter IV (PS4)

The final iteration of Street Fighter IV, Ultra Street Fighter IV brings five new characters to the roster _ Rolento, Elena, Hugo, Poison and Decapre – as well as six entirely new stages and some gameplay tweaks. Initially released on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, Ultra would also be ported to PS4 by Other Ocean Interactive; this version was plagued with bugs and issues at launch.

6. Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition (PS3)

Following Super Street Fighter IV's success on home consoles, Capcom created an arcade version which would benefit from the same updates and improvements. Street Fighter III's Yun and Yang were added, while Evil Ryu and Oni became playable fighters. The game was then ported to consoles as Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition.

5. Street Fighter II' Turbo: Hyper Fighting (SNES)

Street Fighter II' Turbo: Hyper Fighting was undoubtedly a big deal when it launched in arcades. The Street Fighter craze was in full force, and it was genuinely exciting to see the original game refined and improved in such a manner; you could finally play as the four boss fighters, and the additional speed injection made things much faster and enjoyable. Ported to the SNES in 1993, Turbo is an improvement over its forerunner and offers more depth and entertainment as a result.

4. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (Saturn)

The sequel to the excellent X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter keeps things largely the same, with the biggest change being the roster. Several characters are dropped and replaced with new ones (if you're an X-Men fan, then you might want to look elsewhere). Still, the introduction of the Variable Assist – where the off-screen fighter can be used in special moves – is a welcome addition, and who doesn't love being able to play as Spider-Man and The Hulk? Like its forerunner, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter was ported to the PS1 and Saturn, with the latter benefitting massively from the console's optional 4MEG RAM cart.

3. X-Men Vs. Street Fighter (Saturn)

Seeking to innovate in what was becoming a slightly stagnant genre, Capcom and SNK began experimenting with the concept of having multiple characters involved in each one-on-one battle. SNK's Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle arrived in arcades on September 20th 1996, only for Capcom to release X-Men vs. Street Fighter five days later. Both offered the ability to tag in another character during rounds, but Capcom's effort is arguably the one that found the most fame. The company would follow it up with Marvel Vs. Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom.

2. Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Saturn)

Now, this is more like it. Street Fighter Alpha has its fans, but this sequel improves on it in every possible way, making it feel more like a 'complete' game. New characters are introduced (and all have their own stages this time), as well as fresh mechanics and special moves. The 'Chain Combo' system seen in the first Alpha is replaced by Custom Combos, which are a lot more fun. The Saturn port of Alpha 2 is generally regarded as the best of the '90s home releases, but the PS1 version is still a lot of fun. Alpha 2 Gold was included on Street Fighter Collection on both consoles, too.

1. Street Fighter III 3rd Strike: Fight for the Future (Dreamcast)

Easily the pinnacle of the Street Fighter III sub-series (and, some would argue, the best Street Fighter game of all time), Street Fighter III 3rd Strike adds series favourite Chun-Li, along with four brand-new fighters: Makoto, Remy, Q, and Twelve. Arguably the biggest innovation is the introduction of the "Guard Parry", where the player can nullify an attack by tapping forward at exactly the right time. This feature resulted in Evo Moment 37, where Daigo Umehara performed a parry several times over to win the match when he appeared to be beaten. This event has led to 3rd Strike becoming almost legendary with fighting game fans, and it continues to be played competitively all over the world.