The Evolution of Street Fighter

The days of retro gaming are all but a romantic notion of the past. Sure, that may be true in a literal sense. However, there are a set number of franchises that outlive the crash and burn mortality rates of mediocrity. Some are just so entrenched in our psyche and omnipresent throughout the video games industry that they continue their cult-status from one age to the next. None more so, than Street Fighter.

 

Time is not necessarily a winning litmus-test of progress. Of course, with new tech advances come enhanced performance and graphical excellence. But that shouldn’t diminish the achievements of yesteryear. Besides, it has been over 30 years since Street Fighter first unleashed the fury. Despite that fact, it’s still as relevant today as it was back then. Perhaps this longevity is the ultimate testament to an IP that gave birth to a genre.

 

By the time of the late ’80s, Capcom had already established itself as a big-time player in the industry. Quick to capitalize on this military might, was legendary developer Tashi Nishiyama. It was a time when fighting games were without the current stereotypes and pigeon-holes of the present day. “Tashi” foresaw a gap in the market, and in 1987, the first street fighter exploded into being. A true trailblazer of its time.

Street Fighter brought a bunch of innovations to the fore, and its status in pop-culture was no accident. Mainly, this rising popularity was due to the inclusion of a story. Something we take for granted today, but at the time it was ground-breaking. What’s more, each character had a unique tale to tell, all of which would revolve around a core narrative. Inevitably, this led to a whole new level of immersion. Even the villain of the piece, Sagat, in what was an epic end-game boss, had a gripping backstory.

Street Fighter II paved the way for all-new kick-ass move-sets and abilities. Gone were the days of prehistoric kick/punch button-bashing. Now the combat was fleshed out with kill-streaks, combos and of course, super moves — signature traits for separate characters which dealt special damage. Hence, a bold horizon and the dawn of a new age of beat em up. The benchmark firmly set from this stage on, in brutal fashion.

 

Many others would follow on in this vein, later to become giants of the genre. Namely, Mortal Kombat and Killer Instinct. Both of which drew inspiration from the grandaddy of belligerent brawlers.

 

For the first time, players could fight as bosses, while super moves significantly experienced a radical overhaul. Better still, a host of new characters emerged on the stage, and each had an essential part to play in the overriding story arc.

 

After a string of teasers to whet the appetite, fans got gifted the stand-out slobber-knocker Street Fighter Alpha series from 1994 onwards. By far, the most well-received of which was Street Fighter Alpha 3. Blessed with a beautiful anime art style, varied characters, and killer combos, this typified 2D fighting, at its finest.

From then on, Street Fighter would flex its muscle on the world stage, by teaming up with the likes of Xmen and Marvel Super Heroes to produce a few hybrid fighter games. All of which received worldwide acclaim. Thus, contributing to the ubiquitous rebirth of Marvel and DC we see today.

 

Unfortunately, after the success of past glories, Street Fighter III could not deliver on the hype. Partly due to an oversaturated market. Mainly though, this downfall was due to an unfamiliar character roster, despite having re-introduced 2D graphics, with gorgeous sprites and color-soaked pixel art. In truth, it was a far cry from the quality of its brawny predecessors.

 

Just when it looked as though defeat was imminent, Marvel vs. Capcom rocked the world with its bare-knuckle brawl-based brilliance. A game which eclipsed the street cred of “SF III” and went on to become a huge box-office hit.

Many games followed, such as Street Fighter IV in 2008, alongside a handful of iterations between 2010 and 2012. The most recent full release being “SF V” in 2016. By this time, Street Fighter had already made its mark on the industry, and its influence was all-encompassing. New arrivals to the brawler bracket of games blossomed such as Tekken, Soul Calibre and Mortal Kombat which began to mark out their territory in the modern day. All in all, when push comes to shove, Street Fighter is a true renegade of our time and age. Thanks for the memories Capcom.

 

In truth, this is an essential rundown of the Street Fighter evolution, but not an encyclopedic stage-by-stage account. Besides, many games in the series have gone under the radar during Capcom’s thirty-year stint at the helm. With that mind, what are your best “SF” titles? Better still, with which entry did Street Fighter attain the pinnacle of its genre?

 

Please write in with your vote. We welcome your thoughts.