Fighters Who Have Never Been Playable In 3D Street Fighter Games

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Fighters Who Have Never Been Playable In 3D Street Fighter Games

Key Takeaways

  • Sodom from the Alpha series hasn’t been a playable fighter since then but is mentioned in
    Street Fighter 6
    .
  • Sean Matsuda, from
    Street Fighter 3
    , hasn’t been playable since
    Third Strike
    , but his sister Laura is a fighter in
    Street Fighter 5.
  • Eagle, introduced in
    Street Fighter
    , had a limited appearance in the
    Alpha
    series and has yet to return in 3D versions.

As a seasoned player and aficionado of the Street Fighter universe, I’ve witnessed the evolution of characters that span decades, from 2D to 3D, and everything in between. However, there are certain characters who, despite their intriguing backstories and unique abilities, have remained confined to specific eras, like Necro and Juli & Juni.

Over time, the popular Street Fighter series has undergone several transformations across different versions. Similar to other long-standing franchises, one significant shift (particularly noticeable visually) was the move from 2D to 3D graphics. Starting with Street Fighter 4 and its subsequent updates, there has been a consistent focus on incorporating characters from earlier versions of the series into this modern format.

Often, discussions veer towards the time period of Street Fighter 2, and it’s common to see characters from different games added for variety. However, there are several characters who were playable during the 2D era that have yet to be included as playable fighters in the 3D versions. For a character to be on this list, they must have been playable in a 2D game format before (this means many non-playable enemies from the original Street Fighter do not qualify.)

5 Sodom

Street Fighter Alpha Series

Fighters Who Have Never Been Playable In 3D Street Fighter Games

This former mobster holds a deep affection for Japan, often associated with the American admirer of Japanese culture. Previously, he was a member of the Mad Gear Gang and a leader in the video game, Final Fight. Much like other characters within the beat-em-up genre, he made an appearance in the Street Fighter Alpha series, being one of the initial characters from the series to do so, alongside Guy. His character serves as a critique on individuals who idealize and sexualize Japanese culture excessively, as he demonstrates extensive knowledge on certain topics, going so far as to mimic Japanese mannerisms; however, his command of the language remains unsteady, whether spoken or written.

In contrast to most other characters, Sodom has not been seen in combat since the Alpha period ended. However, in Street Fighter 6, E. Honda, a frequent fighter and Japanese sumo wrestler, brings up Sodom during conversation. E. Honda mentions that Sodom is his friend and regular patron at his restaurant. Additionally, Sodom operates a clothing store called Kiss Ache Away, with Gomorrah handling the shop’s front desk.

4 Sean Matsuda

Street Fighter 3 Series

Fighters Who Have Never Been Playable In 3D Street Fighter Games

Sean Matsuda is a follower and admirer of Ken Masters, who shares a similar fighting technique. Born in Brazil with roots traced back to the country, Sean’s paternal lineage can be traced to Japan, which explains his surname. Unlike Dan Hibiki, another Shotokan fighter, while Sean isn’t particularly weak, he hasn’t quite reached Ken’s level. Interestingly, Sean frequently criticizes Dan and dislikes being likened to him. In the different Street Fighter 3 games, this is evident in his character endings.

Although Sean has not been playable since Third Strike, his older sister Laura was one of the first playable characters in Street Fighter 5. Her fighting style varies greatly from Sean’s, deriving from her family’s variation of Jiu-Jitsu. Sean consistently makes appearances and references and was shown to have won a martial arts tournament in Laura’s ending in the Street Fighter 3 route of Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition, which director Takayuki Nakayama confirmed was canon via social media. Ironically, Sean’s limited appearances are likely due to his similarities to other fighters. Dan, the traditional “weak shoot,” is notably a fan favorite, as are many others who echo the same style.

3 Eagle

Street Fighter And Street Fighter Zero 3 Upper (GBA)

Fighters Who Have Never Been Playable In 3D Street Fighter Games

In the world of Street Fighter, an Englishman known as Eagle was portrayed as a foe, sharing this label with another character called Birdie. While Eagle’s combat style was labeled Bojustu, his frequent use of two sticks in attacks suggests a resemblance to the Filipino martial art of Eskrima, although these sticks can be combined into a single Bo staff. Later, in Capcom vs SNK 2, Eagle earned a playable role and exhibited mannerisms reminiscent of Freddie Mercury. In the Japanese version of the game, his character was given traits that hinted at homosexuality.

Birdie has been among the past antagonists seen in the Alpha series, joined by other combatants from that time period. Eagle was introduced specifically for some portable versions of Alpha 3, where he competes with Guile initially, then assists him in overpowering Bison later on.

Although the 3D era of Street Fighter introduced a few playable characters to the series implied or confirmed to be LGBTQ+ (such as Poison, Juri, and Marisa), Eagle himself has yet to return. A likely reason behind his lack of further appearances may be that Street Fighter Zero 3 Upper is his only playable appearance in the Street Fighter series to date. Except for Yun (who was already playable in the Street Fighter 3 era), none of the characters added to the portable versions of Alpha 3 have appeared in 3D, nor any other 2D game in the Street Fighter series.

2 Necro

Street Fighter 3 Series

Fighters Who Have Never Been Playable In 3D Street Fighter Games

In the comic book series “Third Strike,” there’s a character named Necro, originally called Illia, who hails from Russia. This man was subjected to experiments by Gill’s organization, which can be referred to as either the Secret Society or the Illuminati. Necro possesses electrical powers and the unique ability to elongate his body physically. He is frequently seen with his girlfriend, Effie, as they evade the relentless pursuit of another experiment called Twelve.

In Street Fighter 5, not much is known about Necro, but it’s been established that his transformative experiments took place around this period, and he may have interacted with Rashid then, possibly even now. However, it remains mysterious why Necro hasn’t appeared as a playable character outside the Street Fighter 3 era, given that he has been present in each game within the series, unlike other 2D-exclusive characters such as Remy, Q, and Twelve.

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1 Juli & Juni

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Fighters Who Have Never Been Playable In 3D Street Fighter Games

The Dolls were young women who had been brainwashed and compelled to act as assassins and bodyguards for M. Bison. Among these was Cammy, a recurring character in the series and a female clone of Bison, who had previously belonged to this group. Other members were actually abducted by Shadaloo and forced into their service.

In the game Alpha 3, we encounter two characters named Juli and Juni, who served as simultaneous sub-bosses challenging the player. Juli was once the lover of Thunder Hawk before her brainwashing, later becoming his wife after regaining consciousness. Juni, on the other hand, was previously rescued by Cammy and was under the protection of Delta Red, the same Special Operations Unit that Cammy is part of. While neither Juli nor Juni can be played again in subsequent games, another doll named Decapre has been made playable in Ultra Street Fighter 4. Post the supposed demise of Bison in Street Fighter 5, all surviving dolls since then have been confirmed to regain their autonomy.

It’s puzzling why their gameplay options are restricted given the latest update. This could be due to the presence of a well-known character who shares a similar play style and has a stronger storyline continuity. For instance, Cammy, another former doll, is significantly more favored by players.

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2024-10-12 03:39