9 Hardest Street Fighter Games Ranked

Summary

Street Fighter games balance risk and rewards differently, catering to varying skill levels & offering unique fun.
Character count: 95
Street Fighter III’s parry system is extremely risky but offers benefits through counterattacks, making moves punishable.
Character count: 104
Street Fighter V rewards hit-confirm reactions and utilizes the V-Gauge for accessing stronger skills, changing gameplay dynamics.
Character count: 117

The Street Fighter series has left a significant mark on the fighting game industry, standing out as one of the most influential and successful franchises. Each new installment offers unique experiences by continuously refining its gameplay mechanics. Certain modifications may make the gameplay more challenging, while others help alleviate tension during matches.

In Street Fighter, striking the right balance between risk and reward is crucial. Some games offer rewards more readily due to their features, while others only become rewarding after extensive practice and mastery of key mechanics. Regardless of the degree of difficulty, whether technical or knowledge-based, each game offers a distinct level of enjoyment.

9. Street Fighter II

The Beginning

Street Fighter II is the pivotal game that significantly boosted the franchise’s popularity. Unlike other games in the series, it doesn’t have a universal mechanic for supers or special cancels, instead relying on “footstools” or close-range attacks. This makes the game easy to pick up but hard to master due to its straightforward playstyle. Just like its predecessor, it encourages players when they jump onto opponents, but this can leave them vulnerable to counterattacks by anti-air moves.

Over time, this game has undergone numerous updates, offering a wider array of tailored choices and diverse gaming experiences. For example, you can adjust the game speed or select from various costume colors. The most recent edition also provides options to switch between different fighter versions, allowing you to play with the original move set in its classic form or the updated version featuring a super meter for added power.

8. Street Fighter VI

Drive To Play

Street Fighter VI attracts a wide range of gamers. The game offers traditional control options for series veterans and streamlined controls with easy-to-use motion inputs for beginners, although this simplification may reduce the damage output and limit certain moves. However, it compensates by boosting overall damage compared to its predecessor, thus requiring fewer match interactions to win. This enhancement is showcased primarily through its main system, Drive Gauge.

The Drive Gauge is a crucial tool for players, offering them the flexibility to attack aggressively using dash cancels and EX specials or defend with guard. Mastering Drive techniques enhances offensive opportunities, but overuse can lead to burnout, a vulnerable state. Engaging in combat during burnout carries significant risk as it benefits the opponent by providing additional plus frames and chip damage application. It’s crucial that the user avoids entering the burnout state unintentionally, unless absolutely necessary to end the match.

7. Street Fighter EX

EX Play

Street Fighter EX introduces the characters from the Street Fighter series into a 3D setting where they encounter the EX faction. Characters like Skullomania and Garuda, known for their expressive and ominous personas, are part of the original cast. The game retains the classic 2D fighter mechanics but allows players to move within a 3D plane, similar to Tekken. The updated 3D graphics enhance the gaming experience, making it more appealing to both new and veteran players.

The Street Fighter EX collection primarily focuses on Super Combos and Cancels, which expand the possibilities of combo sequences and aggressive control. These features favor the user while reducing the danger of lag from special moves. While the characters from Street Fighter proceed in their separate series, the rest of the roster embarks on a new, independently created series called Fighting EX Layer.

6. Street Fighter: The Movie

Revamped Roots

Released: August 23, 1995

Platforms: Sega Saturn, Playstation

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment

Street Fighter: The Movie is modeled as a dramatic adaptation of Street Fighter II. Compared to the arcade version, the home console edition is more evenly balanced and limiting because it lacks unique special moves, slammaster, defensive counterattacks, among others. These elements were omitted to enhance balance and slow down gameplay, although some of the digitalized move hitboxes may appear awkward.

In Street Fighter, the Super Meter isn’t a foreign concept, but Street Fighter: The Movie introduces an enhancement. Instead of using the full Super Meter for a single super combo, fighters can now partially utilize the meter bar for the brand-new EX special moves. Furthermore, when you fill the meter to its maximum, it grants you temporary access to unlimited enhanced attacks as a reward.

5. Street Fighter Alpha

Street Fighter Anime

Street Fighter Alpha is inviting with its attractive art design and gameplay that leans neutral, making it easy for players of all skill levels. The controls are user-friendly, offering a manual mode for seasoned fighters and an auto mode for beginners. The auto mode automatically blocks a limited number of attacks and triggers super combos at the end of combos for easier execution. Moreover, it features chain combos to facilitate smoother conversion of combos.

In the third installment, the game enhances the series’ user-friendliness by incorporating the unique Ism system. This system alters each character’s play style, affecting their stats and super meter, resulting in three distinct variations for every fighter – akin to the multiple versions seen in Capcom vs SNK 2: Millennium 2001. The A-Ism offers a more balanced experience, while X-Ism and V-Ism offer greater rewards but also increased risks.

4. Street Fighter V

Triggered Aggression

In simpler terms, Street Fighter V is easy to grasp due to its gameplay mechanics. It encourages players by reacting swiftly to hits and positioning correctly (known as footsies). The standard gameplay often demands several exchanges before a player clinches the match, leaving room for both players to stage a comeback. However, the game’s universal mechanic, V-Gauge, can significantly alter this balance when introduced.

In simpler terms, having a V-Gauge allows a fighter to perform specific moves and temporarily boost their abilities. Filling up the V-Gauge enables the activation of V-Trigger, which unveils unique mechanics tailored for each character. For instance, it could make Ryu’s Hadouken more powerful or introduce a new move like Luke’s Rock Smasher. These benefits are generally advantageous, but misuse can squander the advantage, requiring the user to rebuild the meter. Some V-Triggers might also limit the fighter’s options, such as trapping Necalli in his Eruption of Power form, restricting his defensive V-Gauge abilities.

3. Street Fighter III

Hard Parry

In Street Fighter III, the high-risk maneuvers offer numerous advantages. This game centers around its intricate parry system, a defensive technique that presents an opportunity for retaliation upon successful execution. The active window for this move is minute, spanning only a few frames, yet it can transform any attack into a punishable offense.

In its latest version, Parry can potentially protect a player by minimizing chip damage. With just a single pixel of health left, blocking an attack becomes largely irrelevant because even if guarded, a fighter could still succumb to an assault. Essentially, Parry lessens the impact of both ground and airborne attacks, but it’s a high-risk maneuver as it requires players to advance toward their opponents instead of retreating to defend.

2. Street Fighter IV

Focusing Advantage

As a gamer, I can tell you that jumping into Street Fighter IV was like diving headfirst into a battleground teeming with characters, each one unique and tailored to their own specific system. In this latest iteration, every fighter became my canvas, offering endless possibilities for customization through costumes, Ultra Combos, and distinct fighter versions. The gameplay took things up a notch, pushing the pace with faster animations that demanded quicker reflexes and precise input moves. Combinations had to be executed down to the one-frame link to maintain the flow of combat. One of the fresh additions to the repertoire is the Focus Attack – a methodical, armored technique that leaves opponents temporarily stunned.

The Focus Attack works optimally when anticipating an incoming physical strike from your adversary, offering you a bonus for a combo. Fully charging this move makes it impossible to block, but remember, it can only counter one attack. This could potentially put you in danger when facing multiple strikes, as it might end up benefiting your opponent instead.

1. Street Fighter

Miraculous Origins

Street Fighter” was a tough yet promising video game, boasting a solid foundation for future success. Its fundamental design serves to assess a player’s footsie skills and rhythm maintenance.

The difficulty in mastering the game lies primarily in managing Ryu’s unique moves, particularly his Shoryuken and Hadouken. These signature techniques often respond unpredictably because of the game’s outdated input recognition system. Performing an input for one special move might trigger a different one instead, exposing Ryu to potential counterattacks. This inconsistency can significantly impact the gameplay, especially when confronting opponents who inflict heavy damage with their jumping attacks or link combos on head hits.

2025-01-12 18:36