Summary
- Street Fighter 2: The World Warriors changed VS Fighting games forever with its introduction of multiple playable characters and attack combos.
- Street Fighter 3: New Generation was divisive at the time but is now recognized as revolutionary for its stunning sprite work and introduction of important mechanics.
- Street Fighter 6 is considered the best Street Fighter game of the 21st century, with its online Battle Hub, approachable features, and deep gameplay encouraging innovation and replayability.
Regarding 2D fighting games, one series stands a Tiger Uppercut above the rest. Of course, we're talking about Street Fighter. Since 1987, Capcom has launched over twenty games following Ryu and Ken's martial arts journeys. And that excludes over a dozen spin-offs and crossover titles!
0:42 RelatedStreet Fighter 6: All Character's Age, Height, Birthday, And Fighting Style
Here's everything you need to know about the Street Fighter 6 characters!
PostsOne may argue that Street Fighter is a sparse series with only six mainline entries in the past thirty-plus years. However, many updates/re-launches showcase the series' progression, with all its ups and downs. We ranked each entry so you can decide which ones are worth playing!
Updated on April 3, 2025, by Jerel Levy: With Street Fighter 6 in full effect, it's time to clean this article up with some unique aspects and better readability. Take a look at all the Street Fighter games throughout the series history and see which titles rank as the best.
21 Street Fighter 1
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Fighting Systems Released August 30, 1987 ESRB m Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine unity Franchise Street FighterWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALThe first Street Fighter game is not memorable compared to its pivotal sequel. We can understand why. Although the game introduced several signature mechanics, like the famous six-button control scheme, its wonky gameplay stands out to modern-day gamers.
Street Fighter 1's shortcomings are abundant. The movement feels clunky, special move inputs are too rigid, and the difficulty curve spikes quickly. Still, SF1 was one-of-a-kind for its time. And its commercial success paved the way for Street Fighter 2, which changed video games forever.
20 Street Fighter 2: The World Warriors
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Fighting Systems 10.0/10 Released March 7, 1991 ESRB m Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine Kart Fighter Engine Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Street FighterWHERE TO PLAY
PHYSICALStreet Fighter 2: The World Warriors is one of the most culturally impactful video games ever. It's partly responsible for the arcade boom of the early 90s. Plus, it changed VS Fighting games forever by introducing multiple playable characters and attack combos.
Still, vanilla Street Fighter 2 had several improvements ahead of it before the title reached its ultimate form. So, compared to the rest of Street Fighter's catalog, this game falls lower in our rankings.
19 Street Fighter 2': Champion Edition
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Fighting Systems 10.0/10 Released March 7, 1991 ESRB m Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine Kart Fighter Engine Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Street FighterWHERE TO PLAY
PHYSICALThe original Street Fighter 2 had a playable roster of eight characters. But the arcade ladder concluded with four bosses: Vega, Balrog, Sagat, and M. Bison. These four masters became playable in the updated Street Fighter 2': Champion Edition.
Another significant improvement Champion Edition made was the addition of mirror matches. Now, you and a friend could fight each other as the same character, albeit with different colored costumes.
18 Super Street Fighter 2: The New Challengers
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Fighting Systems Released September 14, 1993 Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Street FighterWHERE TO PLAY
PHYSICALSuper Street Fighter 2 was a significant step forward for the series in some ways and a step back in others. The game's strong points were enhanced graphics, a new scoring system, and four new characters.
The update fell short in one impactful area: speed. SuperSF2 decreased the new battle pace introduced in Hyper Fighting. This was a disappointing choice to many fans who became accustomed to Hyper Fighting's unpredictable and spontaneous gameplay.
17 Street Fighter 2': Hyper Fighting
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Action Systems Released August 2, 2006 ESRB T // Violence Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Franchise Street FighterWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALCompetition inspires innovation, even if that competition is illegal. For instance, a bootlegged version of SF2, unofficially titled Rainbow Edition, gained popularity with fans due mainly to its faster match speeds.
Capcom picked up on this trend and debuted Street Fighter 2': Hyper Fighting to pick up the pace of battle. The result was a more dynamic and intuitive game that fans still regard as one of the best versions of SF2.
16 Street Fighter 5
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Like Follow FollowedStreet Fighter V
Fighting Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 75/100 Critics Rec: 48% Released February 16, 2016 ESRB m Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine Unreal Engine 4 Multiplayer Online MultiplayerWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONStreet Fighter 5 is a fighting game from Capcom that features a roster of 45 characters, from the iconic Ken and Ryu to new additions such as Menat and Necalli. It adds the V-Gauge system, allowing for powerful offensive and defensive techniques to be used.
Franchise Street Fighter Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 4 Platforms That Support Crossplay PC, PS4 & PS5 PS Plus Availability Extra & Premium OpenCritic Rating Strong Powered by Expand CollapseCapcom fumbled the ball with Street Fighter in the years following SF4's launch. The DLC scandal behind Street Fighter X Tekken was one significant failure. Street Fighter 5's sparse debut further compounded the company's stingy reputation.
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PostsAs a fighting game, SF5 is solid. The new V system added unique variations to the game's playable roster. Unfortunately, a small starting roster, bare-bones story mode, and a lack of essential single-player content (arcade mode was a noticeable absence) left fans severely underwhelmed.
15 Ultra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers
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Fighting Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 66/100 Critics Rec: 18% Released May 26, 2017 ESRB T For Teen: Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Multiplayer Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer Franchise Street FighterWHERE TO PLAY
PHYSICALUltra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers is a brilliant and confusing entry in the Street Fighter 2 sub-series. The game offers fantastic quality-of-life updates, including remastered HD graphics (ported from Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo: HD Remix), a beginner-friendly touch-control scheme, and three new characters.
Yet, the game also has a handful of quirks, most prominently its exclusivity on Nintendo Switch. Capcom tried to capitalize on Ultra SF2's Switch exclusive status with several new modes, the least successful being The Way Of The Hado, a shoddy JoyCon action minigame.
14 Street Fighter Alpha
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Like Follow FollowedStreet Fighter Alpha
Fighting Systems Released June 22, 1995 ESRB T for Teen - Animated Violence Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Street Fighter PC Release Date March 12, 1998WHERE TO PLAY
PHYSICALBetween Street Fighter 2 and 3, Capcom revisited the World Warriors' past in Street Fighter Alpha. This series explores events between Street Fighter 1 and 2. It also integrates Final Fight into the Street Fighter universe.
The Alpha series significantly impacted Street Fighter's tone and art style for many years. Alpha 1's most apparent gameplay change was its three-tiered super combo meter, which expanded upon the system introduced in SSF2T.
13 Street Fighter 3: New Generation
Street Fighter 3: New Generation
Fighting Action Released February 4, 1997 ESRB t Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine CPS III Franchise Street Fighter Platform(s) Arcade Powered by Expand CollapseStreet Fighter 3 was a divisive sub-series in Street Fighter history. When the first edition, Street Fighter 3: New Generation, launched, fans were disappointed by the lack of returning characters, and critics felt Street Fighter 3 should have made the jump to 3D graphics.
In hindsight, it's clear how revolutionary Street Fighter 3 was for its time. The sprite work is some of the most gorgeous in gaming history. Plus, several important mechanics debuted in this title, including parries, dashes, super jumps, and recoveries.
12 Street Fighter 3: 2nd Impact
While the original SF3 laid the new series' foundation, Street Fighter 3: 2nd Impact added several vital components that led the way to Third Strike. EX Moves allowed you to perform enhanced special moves in exchange for Super Art meter. Plus, you could use Tech Throws to escape opponent throws.
2nd Impact also made broader improvements that any Street Fighter 2 fan would love. Akuma joined the roster as a hidden character. Plus, bonus stages returned in arcade mode, including the challenging "Parry The Ball" minigame. 2nd Impact is also responsible for introducing Hugo and Urien into the series.
