Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 45 Street Fighter Games & Spin-Offs

X-Men vs. Street Fighter (PlayStation)

#45

“I'm an old-school Street fighter purist. You all know that. These 30 hit super combos, aerial raves, super jumps and screen-clearing special moves are a real turnoff sometimes. I can tolerate the arcade X-Men vs. Street Fighter. The PlayStation one I can't. It's slow and has terrible animation. Worse, the best feature of the original, team play, is out. This game shouldn't be on the PlayStation. You should modify your Saturn and import the Japanese version.” (4.6 out of 10)

Capcom Fighting Evolution
(PlayStation 2)

#44

“Old-school, jaggy-ass art, blurry 2D backgrounds chock-full of meaningless cameo appearances by castaway Capcom characters, mundane, unbalanced gameplay? Yeahhhh. A painfully small selection of characters only add another reason to avoid Capcom's latest, and far from greatest, 2D fighter. Capcom vs. SNK did the multiple-character fighting thing way better than this, and Guilty Gear looks way better on every level.” (4.8 out of 10)

SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom (Xbox)

#43

“This game might have flown in, say 1993, against competition like Power Instinct and the original Fatal Fury, but when online Guilty Gear costs all of 20 bucks, forget it. Chaos suffers from imbalanced fighters, hit-detection issues, and other basic gameplay screwups, while some character art looks a solid decade behind the curve. SNK should bow its collective head and beg for fan forgiveness.” (5 out of 10)

Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Super NES)

#42

“Let's face it, there are just certain games that shouldn't be made on the 16-bitters. Sure, they tried pretty hard and came relatively close, but overall SFA2 on the Super NES is more of a chore than anything else. The graphics were good, but the poor control pretty much negated that. Speaking of poor control, I think back to Super Street Fighter II and remember how well that played compared to this one. Oh well, maybe next time.” (5.25 out of 10)

Marvel. vs. Capcom 2 (Xbox)

#41

“It may be a little dated, but I still can't hate: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 showed me a lot of good times back in the day, and I have to say, I had fun playing it again on Xbox. Granted, I'm pretty sure 90% of anyone who wants to play it already has it on another console, but this game wrote the book on spastic 2D fighting and has yet to be topped in that regard. Lack of an online option is pretty weak, but frankly, would it have worked? It's soooo fast.” (6.3 out of 10)

Street Fighter EX3 (PlayStation 2)

#40

“Street Fighter EX3 was nas-tay when it first came out in Japan – it should have been called Slowdown Fighter EX3. But, to Capcom's credit, they made Arika scrub the slowness right outta there. Now what you have is a shiny new Street Fighter, with all kinds of flashy bells and whistles that don't amount to a hill of beans. It's frustrating that Capcom just churned out a gratuitously 3D Street Fighter game that doesn't take advantage of the third dimension. With games like Tekken Tag and Dead or Alive 2 around, this is for die-hard fans alone.” (6.5 out of 10)

Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super
Heroes (PlayStation)

#39

“You know what we're going to say – it's the same thing we've said for the previous two versus games. Not being able to tag your partner in non-crossover mode play is disappointing, period. It's even more annoying here, because you can't have a partner AND a third special hero in the normal game. On the plus side, the animation is impressive for a PS sprite-based fighter. Super cancels, as always, are a cool feature, though we would've preferred if they were an option, you can turn on or off. If you can't get the Dreamcast version, this isn't a bad alternative.“ (6.5 out of 10)

Street Fighter: The Movie (Saturn)

#38

“I don't like this game for two reasons: The control is poor, particularly when charge moves are concerned; and the two-frame animation needs to go. Other than that, it's digitized Street Fighter. No, it's not a translation of the arcade game of the same name. No juffling combos, or anything like that. The FMV cinemas are really clear, and the story mode is a really cool idea that should be used more often. If not for the control (a major point), Street Fighter: The Movie would have rated higher.” (6.6 out of 10)

Super Street Fighter II Turbo Revival
(Game Boy Advance)

#37

“This is the first fighter I have ever felt truly comfortable playing on a portable. Super Street Fighter II Turbo Revival is far from perfect, but still an awesome game to play against a friend. Hardcore Street Fighter fans will be instantly annoyed having to use a light tap on the buttons to accommodate two of their six striking moves – it's too hard to pull off reliably. A couple mild graphical ticks popped up here and there, so a rental may be in order if that's a concern for you.” (6.7 out of 10)

Super Street Fighter II (Genesis)

#36

“Another year, another Street Fighter. I've heard this song before! Hopefully it will be the last time. The four new characters are a great addition, but are they enough reason to go buy the game? Yes, there are new modes for the other fighters, but there aren't enough to make it any different. Although the graphics are a good match to the arcade, the sound really takes a dive. It's better to turn down the volume.” (6.75 out of 10)

Street Fighter EX 2 Plus (PlayStation)

#35

“It's Street Fighter ... in 3D ... again. Which could be considered a good thing (if you love Street Fighter and don't ever want to see it change) or a bad thing (if you like Street Fighter, but want it to change), depending on your preferences. If you merely liked EX, then it would be best to pass or wait for EX3 on PS2. If you didn't like the first EX at all, then the sequel isn't going to change your mind.” (6.8 out of 10)

Super Street Fighter II (Super NES)

#34

“I'm getting a little tired of having to buy a new Street Fighter game every year. Sure, this game has four new characters and a nifty tournament mode, but why get this one, when you can wait a year for the next one? Super SFII plays the same as before, but the voices are horrible and the graphics need a few touch-ups. Capcom needs to totally redo this game to get my interest back. It's just more of the same.” (7 out of 10)

Street Fighter Alpha 3
(Game Boy Advance)

#33

“It's seriously time to release some proprietary hardware for these portable Street Fighter games. Here I've got my favorite Street Fighter title of all time with new characters, impressive graphics and animation for a handheld, and all three “-isms” faithfully reproduced, but also a control scheme that makes me wish I'd never been cursed with human digits. I actually taped my hands to the GBA at one point, leaving my fingers slightly freer to enter the necessary access codes that call up a medium punch. Anyone expecting to reliably pull off a 20-hitter with Adon: Forget it.” (7 out of 10)

Street Fighter II (Game Boy)

#32

"The repetitive nature of tennis wears thin on the Game Boyu Color. The small digital pad and the constant back-and-forth pressure does a number on the ol' thumbs. Yeah, it's a pathetic complaint, but that's the only thing wrong with this game. You won't find a better tennis game for the Game Boy Color." (7.25 out of 10)

Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max (PSP)

#31

“Street Fighter Alpha 3 is an excellent reminder of why 2D fighters are still just as relevant today as they were a decade ago. Unfortunately, you probably won't be able to experience any of that brilliance on your PSP – at least not in the way it was intended. As anyone who's played DarkStalkers on the handheld can attest to, the PSP's stock D-pad simply isn't up to the task of a 2D fighting game with all its traditional “fireball” and “dragon punch” motions. It's a more frantic and less balanced affair than you might expect from the series, but it's the best fighter on the PSP by a mile.” (7.3 out of 10)

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo (Saturn)

#30

“Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo just screams for attention, whether it's cute character animations or vibrant, colored gems. This is to distract you from the fact that this is an average puzzle game. The whole game is a race to build the biggest gem, then break it and drop a screen full of counter gems on your opponent. This death blow is nearly impossible to counter. Yeah. Also, the characters are horribly unbalanced for some strange reason.” (7.4 out of 10)

Pocket Fighter (PlayStation)

#29

“Pocket Fighter isn't exactly the most in-depth fighting game Capcom's ever made, but it really does have a lot more to it than just cutesy graphics and hilarious animations. The gameplay is fast-paced and fun, and the guard crushes and special combos add a lot of the game's appeal. The edit fighter mode does nothing for me at all, but it doesn't take away anything from the game, so what the heck. Capcom fans will eat this up.” (7.4 out of 10)

Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight
(NES)

#28

“This game is for skilled players, because of the complexity of the moves. Capcom's designers have created their answer to Ninja Gaiden, complete with intermissions. Street Fighter 2010 contains all the familiar elements of a good action game, but the techniques that are used are overly complicated and detract from the game.” (7.5 out of 10)

Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (PlayStation)

#27

“While I wasn't crazy about the Vs. fighting thing, it's starting to grow on me. Capcom is starting to nail 2D fighters on the PS, and the action is almost perfect. Big characters like the Hulk and Blackheart don't play as well as the smaller guys, but it's acceptable. The cross over mode finally allows true vs. action, like the arcade. The ending collection and hidden artwork are nice incentives for beating the game repeatedly.” (7.5 out of 10)

Street Fighter III: Third Strike
(Dreamcast)

#26

“The appeal behind Street Fighter III: Third Strike can be summed up in two words: Chun Li. Yes, it's cheap the way Capcom released this title separate from the last Street Fighter III package. But, on the other hand, Third Strike is much more than just a series of small upgrades, like the ones that differentiated Second Impact from the original game. I've spent too much time with Marvel vs. Capcom 2 lately though, so Street Fighter III feels a bit slow and deliberate for my tastes, but it's still damn beautiful to look at.” (7.8 out of 10)

Street Fighter Collection 2 (PlayStation)

#25

“I've stated before that I think the two Street Fighter collections could have been arranged a little better. Regardless, this is one excellent compilations. Hyper Fighting is one of the best SFs ever (if not, THE best), and the original, which is still fantastic in its own right, is included. These are games that everyone should have in their software libraries. They are as much a piece of video game history as Pac-Man or Pong.” (7.9 out of 10)

Marvel vs. Capcom (Dreamcast)

#24

“Sure, Capcom's fighting games looked great on PlayStation and Saturn. Marvel vs. Capcom on Dreamcast isn't just great looking, but arcade-perfect. Richly animated characters and stages enhance the tried-and-true Capcom fighting engine. You could get lost in the extremely fast pace that some two-player matches will go at, and four-player cross battles are even more fun. Hopefully this one won't get lost in the DC launch shuffle.” (7.9 out of 10)

SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash
(Neo Geo Pocket Color)

#23

“It may rip off ideas left and right from Magic: The Gathering and especially Pokemon, but Cardfighters' Clash still comes across as a novel experience. Although it's not as addicting or cutesy (thank god) or easy to get into as Pokemon, this thing packs deep gameplay that'll keep you glued to your handheld for weeks. The card game's rules are simple; the real strategy comes when you organize your deck and wield your special cards.” (8 out of 10)

Super Street Fighter II Turbo (3DO)

#22

“Don't be skeptical. This is definitely a great rendition of the latest Street Fighter game. The current 3DO controller makes it harder to play, but if use the Super NES adaptor, it plays great. The graphics and sounds are excellent reproductions of the arcade and it even goes as far as to include Akuma. If you haven't already gotten your fill of Street Fighter or need the newest version, this is easily just as good as any console rendition.” (8 out of 10)

Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO (Xbox)

#21

“First off, forget about the Easy Operation crap – using the analog stick to execute special moves is a crutch that should be reserved for Special Olympics participants. Luckily, you can exclude the EO players from online matches you host. And that's a good thing, since playing on Xbox Live is the real draw here. Yeah, it's the same over-the-top brawlfest that PS2, GameCube and even Dreamcast fans have been playing for a while now, but delivering dragon punches to friends, enemies and strangers is vicious fun.” (8 out of 10)

Street Fighter III: Double Impact
(Dreamcast)

#20

“I know a lot of people didn't like Street Fighter III in the arcade, but I could never quite figure out why. Some lame characters, yes, but overall this is a damn solid 2D fighter. The gameplay is familiar and comfortable, but with the graphics and a couple new feature to make it interesting. And a nod to Capcom for packaging both games in one – honestly, though, they are too similar to warrant purchase separately. Normally I'd say buy, but with 3rd Strike coming so soon, you might want to just rent.” (8 out of 10)

Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the
Millennium 2001 (PlayStation 2)

#19

“Capcom vs. SNK 2 is an improvement on one of the better 2D fighters in recent times, but it's still not balanced enough to be taken seriously. They've tweaked the overall roster, but there are still too many characters with wack-ass priorities pulling off too many devastating combos. Plus, the sharp 3D graphics make these old 2D characters look that much worse. If you recognize Capcom vs. SNK 2 for what it is – a fun, nostalgic 2D free-for-all – you'll dig the action, and maybe all the inside jokes, too.” (8.2 out of 10)

Street Fighter II: Special Champion
Edition (Genesis)

#18

“It's about time that Street Fighter 2 came out for the Genesis. All the problems that seemed to plague the first version of SF2 CE were hammered out – like the black bar and such. Now, this version looks and plays just like the Super NES version minus a few colors. The group battle mode is a neat touch, but doesn't save it from an 8. Though the graphics are there, the soundtrack and voice are horrible. It really is that bad!” (8.25 out of 10)

Street Fighter Collection (PlayStation)

#17

“I could find very little wrong with this awesome compilation, except in Capcom's choice of games (I think Hyper Fighting should've taken the place of Super SF2). If you have Alpha 2, I would find it hard to recommend this package to you. Very little new is added, and Super SF2 Turbo alone is not worth the bucks. But if you don't own an SF game yet, then this is an absolute must-buy. See why SF is the best fighting games series around.” (8.5 out of 10)

Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha
(PlayStation)

#16

“I still think Street Fighter III should have gone this route, but with better polygonal counts, shading and texture mapping. For a new SF game, SF EX Plus does more for 3D fighting games than any other title. For one thing, it retains nearly all the combos you've used in the 2D series. The game plays very solidly, and I feel right at home. Everything runs at a very high frame rate, just like the arcade. Overall, it's a great translation.” (8.5 out of 10)

Street Fighter: Anniversary Collection (PlayStation 2 & Xbox)

#15

“The underrated Street Fighter III came out past the series' prime, on dying platforms, which means relatively few people got to experience its greatness. But is it worth getting today? I suspect most people have moved on to flashier titles or the third-dimension. But old-schoolers will appreciate this fantastic compilation. SF3 alone is worth owning, and you get all the SF2 variations to boot. Why is Capcom always chintzy with these collections, though? Where's SF Alpha 3 or EX2?” (8.5 out of 10)

Capcom vs. SNK (Dreamcast)

#14

“I love Capcom. That said, I also love SNK, so this game was a dream come true. And, aside from a few small nicks, I couldn't be happier. Say what you want about 2D being dead, as long as companies like Capcom can keep pumping out titles that look this good, hand-drawn games will never fully go away. My only real problem is the game play feels a little slow for my tastes (I still have Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on the brain), but aside from that, excellent.” (8.5 out of 10)

Super Puzzle Fighter II
(Game Boy Advance)

#13

“Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo may be old, but it's still one of the best puzzle games ever made. Thankfully, this handheld incarnation delivers a stunningly accurate port. All the combo-forming gem-smashing gameplay is here, along with all the unlockable secrets. It even supports the GBA Link Cable. Too cool. The only things I could find wrong occurred during large combos when some slight slowdowns and sound drop out reared their glitchy heads.” (8.5 out of 10)

Street Fighter Collection (Saturn)

#12

“Let's face it, if you're a fan of Street Fighter (like I am), you owe it to yourself to get SF Collection. Personally, I'd rather have had SF2 CE and SF2 Turbo than both Super SF2 AND Super SF2T, but still, I'm not gonna complain. Both games are excellent ports, and the new Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold is an awesome update for Alpha 2 fans. Not only are there a ton of classic characters hidden within, but Cammy is too!” (8.6 out of 10)

SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium (Neo Geo Pocket Color)

#11

“Hey, I'm as ready as the next guy to summarily dismiss handheld fighting games, but to say SNK vs. Capcom really surprised and impressed me is an understatement. Not only does the game go beyond your expectations about what should be packed in the cart, it plays well too. Try this cart out, it's much better than you'd ever expect.” (8.75 out of 10)

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Dreamcast)

#10

“Although I've have never been a big fan of the series for some very basic reasons that don't change in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, I must say that this is by far my favorite of Capcom's “versus” games. So what makes this one better? The new controls scheme works great – especially for the more casual fighting game fan like myself – and the graphics, animation and characters are top notch. If you like your fighting fast and furious, with big number combos and screen-filling mayhem, look no further.” (8.8 out of 10)

Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PlayStation)

#9

“Capcom saves the best for last? Street Fighter Alpha is probably the best SF game to come along in a long time, and as far as PlayStation incarnations go, it's definitely the one to go with. As for the gameplay, well ... it's the old faithful, isn't it? It's always worked. If I have any problems, it's with the damn load times, which really slow down the pace.” (8.9 out of 10)

Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (PC Engine)

#8

“I really didn't know what to expect from the PC Engine version, but I've gotta tell you that this game is incredible! Every aspect, from the perfect gameplay, excellent voices and colorful graphics, making Street Fighter II Champion Edition a winner. The added cost of the six-button controller seems negligible because the game is just so good. Seems the PC Engine is back from the dead!” (9 out of 10)

Street Fighter II Turbo Champion Edition (Arcade)

#7

“With its enhanced game play, new moves and improved animation, Capcom's Street Fighter II Turbo Championship Edition is tops in our book. The best thing about this game though, is the simple fact that many new strategies must now be learned and used because of the new goodies thrown in by Capcom. All of this aside, SFII Turbo CE is a great game. So, why not a 10? Well, since Turbo is just an upgrade and not a brand-new game, we couldn't see giving it a 10 (although we'd like to).” (9 out of 10)

Street Fighter Alpha 3 (Dreamcast)

#6

“Street Fighter Alpha 3 on the Dreamcast has been long overdue. It looks like we'll never get to experience the Dream Passport modes that were in the Japanese version, because Capcom has decided to remove internet support for the U.S. release. However, Capcom's late release has suddenly renewed our love of SFA3. Know this: The DC version has perfect animation, super quick load times, and all the modes from the PlayStation version.” (9 out of 10)

Street Fighter Alpha (PlayStation)

#5

“I'm really surprised that this game translated so well to the home system. The graphics look near identical to the coin-op version, though the warriors seem a bit smaller. The refined gameplay of Street Fighter reminded me of the good old days. Sure, Alpha might only be a 2D fighting game, but it has enough solid gameplay to keep my interest over long periods of time. Now, if only something could be done about the load times. Nonetheless, this translation is hot.” (9.1 out of 10)

Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Saturn)

#4

“I suppose we should be pretty angry with Capcom for its habitual rehashing of Street Fighter II. But darn it, Capcom puts out some kick-butt rehash. Street Fighter Alpha 2 is the best 2D fighting game you can get for a console. Scratch that. It's my favorite fighting game, period (sorry Tekken 2). This is a perfect port of the coin-op, with all the backgrounds, perfect control and the new custom combo system intact. The load time's still a pain, though.” (9.1 out of 10)

Street Fighter II (Super NES)

#3

“Games just can't get any better. Never since Pac-Man has there been an arcade game that was this popular. The home version is just as good. The moves are perfect, the graphics outstanding and the audio exceptional. Get one of the new 6-button sticks and you'll swear you're playing the arcade version.” (9.5 out of 10)

Street Fighter II Turbo (Super NES)

#2

“I didn't think the first Street Fighter II could be topped, but what a surprise this one is! The first improvement is the incredible speed and new attacks that can be accomplished. Don't think that the combos for the old one will work, because the computer isn't stupid anymore. The best fighting game just got better.” (9.5 out of 10)

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360)

#1

“Some games stand the test of time, Street Fighter II drags time into a back alley and beats it senseless. Fourteen years on, Super Street Fighter II Turbo – the pinnacle of the SF2 series, and of fighting games, period – still gets serious play among genre geeks. That's a long time to dismantle a game and analyze its merits and flaws the way only a community of frame-counting fanatics can. HD Remix is the product of that nearly decade and a half long dissection, and Street Fighter is still the world champion of fighting games.” (A+ out of A+)