TOP TEN STREET FIGHTER CHARACTERS
Like with many video gamers who came up in the 80's and 90's, STREET FIGHTER II: THE WORLD WARRIORS was my introduction to fighting games. This particular genre of video games became an obsession and remains one of my favorite, if not the favorite, kind of games to play. I'm no good at them, mind you, at least nowhere in a competitive capacity. I'm a bit more than a normie when it comes to fighting games, but not much.
I've found that there is much more to love about fighting games than just competitive play (although that is perhaps the greatest aspect of them all. Without good gameplay there isn't much reason to play, is there?). Some fighting games have epic storylines (such as Persona 4 Arena, King of Fighters, and Guilty Gear to name a few). Some have rocking music that gets your blood pumping (Guilty Gear being the most standout in that respect). For me it is all of the above, but maybe more important than any other being the characters.
I fell in love with fighting games because of the characters. The concept of individuals devoting everything to training their bodies and honing their skills to nigh perfection, then pitted against each other in combat to test those skills, I find fascinating. A master of Muay Thai against a master of Tae Kwon Do. The greatest boxer in the world versus the greatest Sumo wrestler in the world. Of course these ideas are taken to super hero extremes, and me being a fan of super heroes and comic books, fighting games feel like a natural fit for my sensibilities.
I've found that there is much more to love about fighting games than just competitive play (although that is perhaps the greatest aspect of them all. Without good gameplay there isn't much reason to play, is there?). Some fighting games have epic storylines (such as Persona 4 Arena, King of Fighters, and Guilty Gear to name a few). Some have rocking music that gets your blood pumping (Guilty Gear being the most standout in that respect). For me it is all of the above, but maybe more important than any other being the characters.
I fell in love with fighting games because of the characters. The concept of individuals devoting everything to training their bodies and honing their skills to nigh perfection, then pitted against each other in combat to test those skills, I find fascinating. A master of Muay Thai against a master of Tae Kwon Do. The greatest boxer in the world versus the greatest Sumo wrestler in the world. Of course these ideas are taken to super hero extremes, and me being a fan of super heroes and comic books, fighting games feel like a natural fit for my sensibilities.
And through the medium of video games you the player get to be these amazing characters for a little bit. Yeah, Ryu is sorta the main characters, but really any of these characters could be the protagonist. It all depends on who you, the player, take to. In fighting games there are your "mains," the characters who you are the best with and enjoy playing as. You control the outcome of these characters' stories in a way, and in a way, you shape these characters. Some may look at a character like Zangief as complete trash while another player sees Zangief as the hero of the franchise (and they can destroy anybody they play against as Zangief too!).
Street Fighter is the fighting game franchise I've played the longest and it is, perhaps, the best fighting game franchise in existence (debatable). And while I think Street Fighter has the best balance across all of their characters (meaning nearly every character is well made and capable of being played well), I don't necessarily feel Street Fighter has the best characters. Just like any game, I feel some characters are better than others, some designs are better than others, and some play better than others. What I'm trying to say is that while Street Fighter may be my favorite fighting game series, I don't have as strong of an attachment to the characters as I do other games.
Anyway, after my many years of playing Street Fighter, here are my favorite characters, either in design or gameplay.
Enjoy!
THE BONUSES
Street Fighter is the fighting game franchise I've played the longest and it is, perhaps, the best fighting game franchise in existence (debatable). And while I think Street Fighter has the best balance across all of their characters (meaning nearly every character is well made and capable of being played well), I don't necessarily feel Street Fighter has the best characters. Just like any game, I feel some characters are better than others, some designs are better than others, and some play better than others. What I'm trying to say is that while Street Fighter may be my favorite fighting game series, I don't have as strong of an attachment to the characters as I do other games.
Anyway, after my many years of playing Street Fighter, here are my favorite characters, either in design or gameplay.
Enjoy!
THE BONUSES
#12
ADON
Debut Game: Street Fighter (1987)
I never thought much of Adon until a friend of mine got real good with him. I mean competitively good (something I've never been with anybody in the game on my best day). Watching my buddy kicking ass and taking names with Adon inspired me to give him another try. And I found some really fun moves and a new appreciation for the character. He is the Muay Thai prince who constantly boasts with a reach sometimes beyond his grasp. He first appeared in the original Street Fighter and later returned in the Street Fighter Alpha series where Capcom reinvented him in a big way, giving him an impressive moveset. And Super Street Fighter IV made him even more deadly.
I never thought much of Adon until a friend of mine got real good with him. I mean competitively good (something I've never been with anybody in the game on my best day). Watching my buddy kicking ass and taking names with Adon inspired me to give him another try. And I found some really fun moves and a new appreciation for the character. He is the Muay Thai prince who constantly boasts with a reach sometimes beyond his grasp. He first appeared in the original Street Fighter and later returned in the Street Fighter Alpha series where Capcom reinvented him in a big way, giving him an impressive moveset. And Super Street Fighter IV made him even more deadly.
#11
JULI
Debut Game: Street Fighter Alpha 3 (1998)
A Cammy clone, sure, but right out of the gate Juli was differentiated from Cammy with an array of new special moves. Her base moves and design were clones of Cammy's but within her special moves and super combos lay a unique fighter. Having a solid base moveset is key to a good character, the special moves come in later. I liked her because I could play well with her and her design and story, albeit extensions of Cammy, were cool too. It would be cool if Capcom brought her back with a new design and made her completely her own.
THE TOP TEN
THE TOP TEN
#10
BLANKA
Debut Game: Street Fighter II (1991)
The only reason why I even wanted to play Street Fighter in the first place was because of this guy. When I first saw Street Fighter II in arcades as a child I was intrigued because I had never seen a game like it before. When I saw Blanka, a green feral monster thing, was when I decided I wanted to play. Now, I admit, Blanka is nowhere near my best character (maybe not even in my back up mains), but I still have fun playing as him. Now, Street Fighter has such a weird and archetypal cast of characters, but Blanka was and still is a little far out compared to most of his classmates. And if his story is any indication of what Capcom thinks of him (a joke), I think he continually reappears only because of nostalgia.
The only reason why I even wanted to play Street Fighter in the first place was because of this guy. When I first saw Street Fighter II in arcades as a child I was intrigued because I had never seen a game like it before. When I saw Blanka, a green feral monster thing, was when I decided I wanted to play. Now, I admit, Blanka is nowhere near my best character (maybe not even in my back up mains), but I still have fun playing as him. Now, Street Fighter has such a weird and archetypal cast of characters, but Blanka was and still is a little far out compared to most of his classmates. And if his story is any indication of what Capcom thinks of him (a joke), I think he continually reappears only because of nostalgia.
#9
JURI HAN
Easily my favorite of the new characters added from the Street Fighter IV series, Juri is Street Fighter's first Tae Kwon Do fighter. She has a completely unique fighting style and moveset and is the only character of the new SF4 cast that I could play well with. Her design is interesting and her character personality is twisted and over the top (which I guess is common for Street Fighter characters). All this combines for a fun character and welcome addition to the roster. Her story is intriguing too, a villain to be sure, but a complicated villain with designs of her own.
#8
ROSE
Debut Game: Street Fighter Alpha (1995)
Rose is one cool character and totally unique among the Street Fighter cast. From a design aspect I think she is one of the most interesting and inspired designs among all of Street Fighter, maybe their best. Now, I'll admit that she wasn't the easiest to play with at first, but neither was she maddeningly difficult to grasp. Dedicating enough time playing as her I unlocked her moves and found out she plays as cool as she looks. She became one of my secondary mains in SF Alpha 3. I was stoked to see her return in Super SF4. Added to all of this is her intriguing story and mysterious personality. There isn't an aspect of Rose that I don't like.
Rose is one cool character and totally unique among the Street Fighter cast. From a design aspect I think she is one of the most interesting and inspired designs among all of Street Fighter, maybe their best. Now, I'll admit that she wasn't the easiest to play with at first, but neither was she maddeningly difficult to grasp. Dedicating enough time playing as her I unlocked her moves and found out she plays as cool as she looks. She became one of my secondary mains in SF Alpha 3. I was stoked to see her return in Super SF4. Added to all of this is her intriguing story and mysterious personality. There isn't an aspect of Rose that I don't like.
#7
SAKURA
Debut Game: Street Fighter Alpha 2 (1996)
"Ever wonder what Ryu would look like as a cute school girl?" asked Capcom.
"Please no," we all said.
"You're welcome!"
Sakura has a cute design, a fun personality, and is easy to play as. What's not to love? The ironic thing about Sakura is that she is far more fun and interesting than the character she's riffing (in my opinion). The brilliance of Sakura is what she represents: Us. At least us players back when we were in high school. She's the kid who played and worshiped fighting games only to become one of the fighters herself. That kind of meta connection she has with us players makes her infinitely more relatable than Ryu. Although she's a character we never asked for (c'mon, who wants more clones of Ryu?), Sakura is more than welcome.
#6
SAGAT
Debut Game: Street Fighter (1987)
The original final boss of the Street Fighter franchise, Sagat is a relatively simple design with some brutal scars. I have to admit that I didn't really think much of Sagat until his reinvention in the Alpha series. He went from being a taller, skinnier, stiffer version of Ryu to an imposing powerhouse. I love his Alpha sprite. His Tiger Uppercut became a 7 hit combo with devastating effects. His moveset felt more refined, quicker, and tighter. And his voice grew deeper and scarier than his previous iterations. And then there's his story, a hero's journey complete with his fall from grace at the fists of Ryu, becoming an agent of evil, and his eventual redemption. It's a classic story for sure, but a compelling story nonetheless.
#5
GUY
Debut Game: Final Fight (1989)
Final Fight was an arcade Beat Um' Up game from 1989, but it was originally going to be the sequel to 1987's Street Fighter. It seems only natural that Final Fight and Street Fighter both take place in the same world with characters from both series crossing back and forth between franchises. Guy (and a Final Fight boss named Sodom) was the first to cross over and made his fighting game debut in Street Fighter Alpha in 1996. It was cool seeing a crossover character in Street Fighter and I liked seeing how they integrated his moves from Final Fight into a fighting game moveset. I like Guy's unique moveset and his sleek personality. I have a soft spot for ninjas and I like Guy's retro-modernist ninja design.
#4
AKUMA
Debut Game: Super Street Fighter II Turbo (1994)
To be totally honest I'm not much of a "karate guy" fan. Ryu and Ken are staples of the genre and great characters in their own right. Without them the fighting game genre wouldn't be what it is today and Street Fighter wouldn't be the popular franchise that it is. While I respect Ryu, he is not one of my favorites.
If there is a "shoto clone" that I like it is without a doubt Akuma. When Akuma first appeared he came out of nowhere, defeated M.Bison with one move, and proceeded to kick my ass. His entrance onto the Street Fighter scene was epic and striking. The irony of it all is, while I'm not a fan of Ryu, Akuma is made all the more interesting by his juxtaposition to Ryu. And Ryu's most interesting facet as a character is what Akuma brings to the table. I love Akuma's demonic persona and his brutal personality. My favorite Akuma was in Street Fighter Alpha 3. The tweaks they made to Akuma's moveset in Street Fighter IV made him a far worse character to play with, at least for me.
#3
FEI LONG
Debut Game: Super Street Fighter II ~ The New Challengers (1993)
One of the staple archetypes in fighting games is the "Bruce Lee" riff character. Fei Long was the first and Capcom made no attempt to hide it. He's basically Bruce Lee by another name. And really, in a story about the greatest martial artists in the world, where else would Bruce Lee be? If you couldn't tell I think the world of Bruce Lee and when Fei Long showed up in Street Fighter I couldn't wait to play as him. Fei Long is quick, agile, and full of that patented Bruce Lee personality and style. His iteration in SF Alpha 3 may be my favorite of his, especially his "secret" super combo (which looks so badass). His arrival in Super SF IV was welcomed and well done too. No matter your ability with the character, Fei Long is a wonderful homage to the legendary Bruce Lee.
One of the staple archetypes in fighting games is the "Bruce Lee" riff character. Fei Long was the first and Capcom made no attempt to hide it. He's basically Bruce Lee by another name. And really, in a story about the greatest martial artists in the world, where else would Bruce Lee be? If you couldn't tell I think the world of Bruce Lee and when Fei Long showed up in Street Fighter I couldn't wait to play as him. Fei Long is quick, agile, and full of that patented Bruce Lee personality and style. His iteration in SF Alpha 3 may be my favorite of his, especially his "secret" super combo (which looks so badass). His arrival in Super SF IV was welcomed and well done too. No matter your ability with the character, Fei Long is a wonderful homage to the legendary Bruce Lee.
#2
IBUKI
Like I said earlier, I have a soft spot for ninjas. And for anyone whose been to this blog this shouldn't come as a surprise. I like the Street Fighter III series a lot. They're fantastic and underrated SF games. I remember first seeing SFIII and wondering "who the hell are these people?" when it came to the characters. Street Fighter as a whole, for me personally, doesn't have a whole lot of visually striking character designs. Most of the designs are solid but simple and take some time to grow on you.
But when I saw Ibuki for the first time I knew exactly who I'd be playing as first when I got to play SFIII. Ibuki has one of the coolest character designs in the whole franchise and one of the best looking "traditional" ninja designs in any medium, video game or otherwise. Her personality is the typical bubbly anime girl who gets all serious when it's time to fight. Her fighting style and play is unlike any other character in the series. She's quick but as a result hits lighter than most. And sadly she can't take a punch either. All of this makes her a challenging, but rewarding, character to play as. She's like Chipp Zanuff from Guilty Gear in that respect. Anyway, I love Ibuki and she is one of the characters I look for in every SF game now.
But when I saw Ibuki for the first time I knew exactly who I'd be playing as first when I got to play SFIII. Ibuki has one of the coolest character designs in the whole franchise and one of the best looking "traditional" ninja designs in any medium, video game or otherwise. Her personality is the typical bubbly anime girl who gets all serious when it's time to fight. Her fighting style and play is unlike any other character in the series. She's quick but as a result hits lighter than most. And sadly she can't take a punch either. All of this makes her a challenging, but rewarding, character to play as. She's like Chipp Zanuff from Guilty Gear in that respect. Anyway, I love Ibuki and she is one of the characters I look for in every SF game now.
#1
CAMMY
Debut Game: Super Street Fighter II ~ The New Challengers (1993)
Best Street Fighter character ever. No contest... in... my... opinion. Cammy was the first character that I really took to. As a kid just starting to play fighting games in the 90's, without a mentor or sensei, you got beat up. A lot. In the game, I mean. Not in real life, I got beat up in real life for other things. Anyway, with SUPER STREET FIGHTER II: THE NEW CHALLENGERS I found the characters that would cement my love for the series. With Cammy I found myself actually winning matches and, what's more, actually having fun playing Street Fighter.
Cammy is my number 1. She's my main. She's the one I pick if I want to win (and boy does it sting when I lose as her). Cammy and Ibuki bring out my competitive side when playing. Design-wise she's pretty simple (like most SF character designs). The green stood out to me (like it always does). But more than anything it was her playability. She has a decent reach and her moves are quick and strong. Then she has one of the more interesting stories of the SF cast. Once M.Bison's elite enforcer (and possibly a genetic clone of him?!?) and one of several "Dolls" along with Juli, Juni, DeCapre, and others. And then, after Rose freed her mind from Bison's control, she was recruited by MI6 (British Secret Service).
Anyway, Cammy was the character that made me the Street Fighter fan I am today. She is an essential character I look for in every new installment in the franchise.
And there you have it!
My top ten favorite Street Fighter characters!
Cammy is my number 1. She's my main. She's the one I pick if I want to win (and boy does it sting when I lose as her). Cammy and Ibuki bring out my competitive side when playing. Design-wise she's pretty simple (like most SF character designs). The green stood out to me (like it always does). But more than anything it was her playability. She has a decent reach and her moves are quick and strong. Then she has one of the more interesting stories of the SF cast. Once M.Bison's elite enforcer (and possibly a genetic clone of him?!?) and one of several "Dolls" along with Juli, Juni, DeCapre, and others. And then, after Rose freed her mind from Bison's control, she was recruited by MI6 (British Secret Service).
Anyway, Cammy was the character that made me the Street Fighter fan I am today. She is an essential character I look for in every new installment in the franchise.
And there you have it!
My top ten favorite Street Fighter characters!
For the final word on all things fighting game related be sure to check out
THE FIGHTERS GENERATION
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