When it comes to fighting games, Street Fighter is the golden standard that has stood for over thirty years as one of the most beloved and most-played fighting games in the world. Capcom developed the first Street Fighter title and received growing success with each sequel release to the franchise. The story of Street Fighter constantly continued to grow and introduced a sea of characters that would go on to make their marks on the fighting game genre. Street Fighter is a fighting game that many games that have followed have modeled themselves after and has a legacy that will last for generations to come.
There are over a dozen separate titles that have been released in Street Fighters' long history. Each game has its shining features, fan-favorite characters, and unique battle systems that make it stand out among its predecessors. While not every Street Fighter game is celebrated as the peak fighting game experience, there are many that casual and veteran players consider the best of the best.
Updated by C.M Edwards on August 22, 2023: Street Fighter is a cultural phenomenon that has garnered the attention of hundreds of thousands of gamers all over the world, creating a community of dedicated players and professional competitors. For over three decades, Capcom and Street Fighter have released a vast catalog of games that continue to push barriers, as each generation of gamers finds fresh ideas in a classic package. Fighting games are a big part of the gaming community, and allow players to come together like no other genre. With the recent release of Street Fighter 6, which just celebrated its first DLC character Rashid, Street Fighter games are more popular than ever, and there is a long list for players to revisit. Here are some of the best Street Fighter games, Ranked.
11 Street Fighter EX
Coming off of the success of Street Fighter Alpha 2 and the release of Street Fighter: The Movie, Street Fighter EX was a hot release that continued the summer madness to bring the world warriors back to the homes of budding gamers worldwide.
Street Fighter EX had three successive versions that introduced more characters into the game. It saw most of its success thanks to the return of Akuma and M. Bison.
10 Street Fighter
The first Street Fighter was released in the late 1980s. Initially released in tabletop and upright Arcade cabinets, the first title in Street Fighter received great success in the worldwide market, having sold over twenty thousand units, which was a milestone for the era.
This would be the first appearance of the world warriors, Ryu and Ken, spawning an entire universe that would push Capcom into the spotlight and begin the game's journey as a flagship title.
9 Street Fighter X Tekken
Street Fighter and Tekken are two of the largest fighting games, and make up some of the largest fighting game communities in the world. Fans of both games were overjoyed when both franchises decided to collaborate on an ambitious new project where, for the first time ever, Tekken and Street Fighter characters would meet in battle. Street Fighter x Tekken was a two vs. Two tag game that would shake up the fighting game genre with fast-paced action.
8 Street Fighter EX II Plus
The Street Fighter EX games are considered non-canon and a spin-off of the main line of Street Fighter titles. However, the EX series has a cult following and is still highly celebrated for its unique spin on the game's characters. Street Fighter EX II Plus consisted of an extensive character roster that was half returning Street Fighter characters and half newly created characters specifically for the EX line.
The game was released for the PlayStation 2 and Arcade cabinets and was well-received by fans of the genre. Street Fighter EX II Plus was the best-selling fighting game for several months after its release and received positive reviews from several sources.
7 Street Fighter 2: The New Challenger
Street Fighter 2 rose to the high expectations set by the first game and was released with new modes, new characters, and a high graphics update. Capitalizing on the previous game's success, Street Fighter 2 expanded the world of Street Fighter and its characters while also providing an exquisite gameplay experience for the hardware available at the time.
Street Fighter 2 would be the starting point for what the franchise would quickly grow into as gameplay and character traits would slowly be experimented with and expanded upon.
6 Street Fighter 5
Street Fighter 5 is the most recent release into the Street Fighter franchise and is the most modern take on the game, having been released for previous and current generation consoles.
Street Fighter 5 was released with a starting roster of sixteen that was steadily increased through multiple DLC expansions and collected editions.
Street Fighter 5 has had its controversies but was overall well-received due to its new unique mechanics and colorful character designs.
5 X-Men Vs. Street Fighter
Capcom is known for some of the best crossovers in fighting game history. SNK, Tatsunoko, and even Namco games have all joined side by side with some of the most well-known Capcom characters, from Street Fighter to Darkstalkers.
One of the largest crossovers that birthed the beginning of a fighting game legacy was X-Men vs. Street Fighter. The mutants from the Marvel universe made a big video game splash by taking on the world warriors in fierce combat. This game would go on to make the Marvel vs. Capcom franchise possible.
4 Street Fighter Alpha 2
The argument can be made that Street Fighter Alpha 2 is one of the most vital games in Street Fighter's history. With a drastic rebranding stemming from a successful animated film and a unique art style, Street Fighter Alpha 2 was a well-received and monumental success thanks to its accessibility, carefully crafted gameplay, and a strong cast of new and returning characters.
Street Fighter Alpha 2 was highly favored for its drastically different visuals from previous games that were also felt in titles like X-Men Vs. Street Fighter. Receiving high praise, Street Fighter Alpha 2 is regarded as a classic in the franchise.
3 Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition
Street Fighter 4 was the first game in the franchise to be released eight years after Street Fighter 3: Third Strike. Third Strike has a strong argument for being one of the most celebrated fighting games ever. However, Street Fighter 4 ushered in a new era of fighting games that saw success and brought multiple generations together, reinvigorated the somewhat slumbering competitive scene, and breathed life back into the franchise.
Street Fighter 4 saw multiple sequels like most titles in the franchise, but no expansions of the original game were met with such praise as Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition. The Arcade Edition of the game introduced fan-favorite characters and new balance changes that took the fighting game community by storm.
2 Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 is the most recent addition to the Street Fighter franchise and has received enormous praise worldwide from new and returning fans of the genre. Capcom developers have reworked and rebranded the game with a fresh new aesthetic and a fantastic cast filled with classic world warriors and interesting new faces.
Street Fighter 6 brings back the well-crafted gameplay that made the franchise so popular, and wraps it in polish and innovation that is highly welcomed. Just recently, Street Fighter 6 concluded its largest tournament to date at Evolution 2023, where over seven thousand players registered to play.