Ranking EVERY Street Fighter game.

Today we're doing a tier list ranking of EVERY GAME in the Street Fighter series. Starting at sf2: the world warrior and ending at SF5 champion edition, which games will come out on top? And which ones should you avoid playing altogether? Combined with some classic match gameplay footage, I hope you enjoy the video!
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0:00 intro
1:30 sf2: world warrior
2:19 sf2: champion edition
3:07 sf2: turbo hyper fighting
4:01 super sf2: new challengers
4:53 super sf2: turbo
6:33 street fighter alpha
7:30 sf alpha 2
8:49 sf3: new generation
9:51 sf3: 2nd impact
11:44 sf alpha 3
13:41 sf3: third strike
15:26 Street Fighter 4
16:55 super SF4
18:33 ssf4: arcade edition
19:54 ssf4: AE 2012
20:37 ultra sf4
22:10 Street Fighter 5
23:59 Street Fighter 5: Champion Edition

[@fireball6283]

Haven't watched but I disagree.

[@leeentertainmentchannel247]

The tier list he got in the thumbnail is already a fail

[@thefrankiepalmeri]

😅

[@itloaf]

@@leeentertainmentchannel247 thumbnails are bait tho

[@leeentertainmentchannel247]

@@itloaf true it got me to watch lol

[@pinkphilmingo6032]

Next level

[@chrisb8698]

I love how Street Fighter 1 doesn't ever seem to exist in this space/time dimension.

[@djhero0071]

Neither does Ultra Street Fighter 2

[@seanelydon]

Or The Movie

[@ys3sl]

or EX

[@melonnationxp2]

It’s overhated

[@MalikEmmanuel]

Let’s be honest, Street Fight begins with World Warrior

[@GuiItyUniverse]

Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers was my introduction to Street Fighter. My mom who bought the game for me passed away when I was only 14. But little did she know she influenced many parts of my life with that one purchase. Always an S tier to me.

[@Shin-iv6yc]

Oohh poor guy. I hope you are having good memories to your mom.

[@lsadin2457]

Same Childhoodmemories 2000s...

[@eddiestilll]

3rd strike is sucha timeless classic for sf fans. the game has aged so damn well in every aspect. the sprites, the chars, the incredibly exciting execution heavy gameplay, and the amazing jazzy OSTs :)

[@migovas1483]

Game is amazing, I just don't like the OST, probably I am on the minority doesn't not like the tracks of 3rd Strike.😅..

[@BackOff_xd]

​@@migovas1483i am ok with it, like, it has great songs and a GOAT menu/intro theme, but the rest of the soundtrack is just "meh" or "ok", tbh id say that 2nd Impacts OST is better to me in general because it good to great in general to me.

[@migovas1483]

@@BackOff_xd Agree, menu is great, but Cannot say the same of the rest of the tracks( third Strike), worst when is the type of music I dislike the most, and that type was used just because was 'trending' at the time... is like 70's p*rn tracks, you know how they sound, and they are stuck on that time forever for the same reason.

[@BackOff_xd]

@@migovas1483 xddddd, this is the weirdest description ever for this and i love it.

[@TheGaara802]

Street fighter 3 is what happens when you listen to the hardcore fan and it bombed because of it.

[@BknMoonStudios]

The difference between the first versions of SF2, SF3 and SF5 compared to their latest versions is absolutely crazy. Perfect examples of how developers grow alongside their games.

[@youngrizziepoppin9225]

Just imagine SF6 with all the crazy updates in like 4 years

[@christoferprestipino7433]

Solid list, I personally have A3 with super turbo and third strike

[@Hollowdarling]

I would say SF5 is the exception to dev's growing along their games. SF2 and SF3 were never bad to begin with(with SF2 only in hindsight do ppl realize it was bad by design), they just evolved and got better. SF5 however was just awful all around from the get go, and it never grew, every update brought along the same problems. When it finally got better with the last two updates, they didn't grow, their hand was just forced and things changed as a result, and for that I'm grateful. The community put their money where there mouths were.

[@numa2k147]

@@Hollowdarling I agree with you on SF2 but SF3 and SF5 were bad at launch. Unbalanced or other issues. SF4 was a money grab.

[@Hollowdarling]

@@numa2k147 How was vanilla SF3 bad? If it's only balance, that was an issue with almost every fg pre-patch era. So it's not fair to call it bad based on that. The game was just simple. I never met anyone or read anywhere at the time the game was released that it was bad and only it comparison to DI and 3S is it bad, but without that comparison the game is just decent, not bad just decent, the only common criticism vanilla 3 had was the underwhelming cast but the game wasn't bad by design. SF4 was not a money grab, how so? I really hope it isn't because of all the paid updates, an issue that was common across all SFs until SF5 changed that, so that would also be unfair to single out SF4 for that. If that's your issue than SF series as a whole (with 5 being the only exception) would have to be a money grab to you.

[@thelightseeker94]

SF4 is S tier for reviving the entire fighting game genre.

[@freelanceryuu]

3 Did that.

[@soulzor]

@@freelanceryuu nobody liked sf3 when it came ou lol

[@MisterTwit]

That would mean SF2 is SS tier for starting the entire fighting game genre

[@stevesteve0521]

@@freelanceryuu lol 3 killed the franchise it didn’t revive it, only hardcores played third strike nobody else cared

[@louthelabmonster]

@@freelanceryuu lmao sf3 nearly killed the franchise and for good reason it's not an actual street fighter game. Sf4 saved fighting games

[@greenchillify]

Just want to say that if you're a fan of the EX series, then give Fighting Layer EX a try. It has all of the new characters from the EX games, but none of the street fighter characters. It has its own mechanics and is a surprisingly refreshing take on the genre. It was made by the same people who did the EX series.

[@PassionWagonYT]

*Fighting EX Layer Also heavily recommend Fighting Layer.

[@Darkgunbladeknight]

But it has the best "street fighter" or all time: Terry Bogard xD

[@anthonypimentel7218]

@Dante Leonhart Wow is he really in that game? Was thinking of buying it but definitely will if my man Terry's there!

[@PassionWagonYT]

@@anthonypimentel7218 Yes, he really is in that game. And fits it well too. He's dlc.

[@Darkgunbladeknight]

@@anthonypimentel7218 dlc

[@mattwilliams7454]

SF2 turbo was the first fighting game I put a real amount of time into, learning moves and combos. It will always have a nostalgic part in my heart.

[@aaronc6997]

Alpha 3 is my favorite. I hate how most SF games make you choose 1 super, where you can just have access to all of them with A-ism. The World Tour mode was also surprisingly fun, as were some of the co-op challenges (like you & a friend going up against 4 Dans at once). The game also introduced so many new mechanics that have been adopted in a lot of later games. It was seriously slept on when it came out, though. The EX series is surprisingly fun (it plays better than it looks). Definitely worth a look.

[@Samtagri]

I think the EX games were the first 3D fighting game that played like if it was 2D. It Pioneers the way for sf4 and later games. Totally agree with you on sfa3

[@pandsanthi9072]

@@Samtagri I think Toshinden was the first 3D that played like a 2D, but EX made it better

[@lounasty69]

Facts!

[@sigurdtheblue]

Yeah, the one super limitation is kind of dumb. I think, Akuma could cheat and use 3 or 4 supers in 3rd Strike and I am guessing Raging Demon has always been an extra super.

[@CMCAdvanced]

I dunno, most games that have more than one super let you use them all

[@braydenlynch4655]

One thing to keep in mind with the SF2 games is that CE is actually the overall most played worldwide due to most regions that aren’t JP/US not getting anything beyond it. Game is super cool at a high level despite (or in some ways because of) the slower speed.

[@Sakurazukamori2424]

High level CE is horrendous, it literally just Bison vs Bison or Bison vs Guile since Guile is only real counterpick to Bison. Bison's TOD or unblockable psycho crusher ruins the game, I love CE, but Hyper Fighting is far better version of the CPS1 SF2s

[@tuneman7688]

@@Sakurazukamori2424 To Brayden's point in many parts of Asia outside of Japan and South America CE is basically the definitive CPS1 SF that gets played. That holds true even now online with FC Hyper Fighting is basically dead while CE has a solid community still playing. But I agree, I think Hyper Fighting is a far better game than CE with the speed and balance changes. CE by modern standards is really slow to play and Bison is totally game breaking.

[@Sakurazukamori2424]

@@tuneman7688 Ya I can agree with that. HF was far more of an American experience. Like I love CE, but ya it is just hard to avoid Bison or Guile, Bison just ruins it, otherwise the game becomes great

[@stevesteve0521]

@@Sakurazukamori2424 throw in Dhalsim there as well and that’s the only three characters I see people play at a high competitive level

[@leechrec]

brilliant game and the character designs were awesome

[@josafatmora6078]

I played Street Fighter 1 so many hours back in 80s that I consider that game so importante in video games history, you can't exclude it

[@CinePhil101]

He says to not bother with SF1 and SF2! How dare he?! How can you love Street Fighter and can't even be bothered to try its beginning... These are literally pieces of gaming history imo.

[@ebiceric1050]

@@CinePhil101 Yes! The second game is a blast even on its most restricted version. And the first game is a experience which while flawed, is a charming fun game.

[@Emerald3ME]

USF4 imo should be up there with Third Strike. Roster is fantastic. Really expressive. Focus Attack allowed for some really awesome creative combos.

[@Fightfrostyth]

Is USF4 a good game I think if i should buy it

[@ZinthYneX]

@@Fightfrostyth Of the SF games I've played, I'd say USF4 is one of the best. Easily up there with 3S and ST. The only reason I'd recommend you get 5 instead is because 4 has a much less active player-base, but in terms of raw gameplay, I personally prefer 4.

[@d444sk]

@@Fightfrostyth It's one of the best SF games to date, and there's still ppl on. Be careful about playing online though there on console the community is mostly SF4 vets

[@d444sk]

@@Fightfrostyth i agree with dude's comment above me, if you're newer to fighting games get 5. It's easier gameplay-wise and there's a much more active player base.

[@mmakeyboardwarrior4646]

@@Fightfrostyth it is THE best street fighter game to me, my friends and I still play it til this day. We hate SF5

[@ZzigZaG00NIN]

I love the second impact backgrounds. If they ever make a super sf3 I hope the add all the stages from the games

[@CMCAdvanced]

There really needs to be a crowd sourced Mugen project at this point

[@jreschke5]

I like the fight ending screens better too

[@Lancelotxxx]

and the widescreen support!

[@abrahamfigz6585]

The ONE game capcom could have recycled some stages like for USFIV taking stages from Tekken vs SF

[@RushStudios101]

second impact also had a way better UI than third strike. 3s UI is just so boring, 2i has a lot of style

[@jamesd4991]

One minor correction: Super SF2: The New Challengers was an upgrade of SF2 to CPS2 and had all redone sprites and music on the board. It does not reuse the old sprites its really obvious if you see them side by side that everything has been redone.

[@CMCAdvanced]

If you look at them side by side. If you asked anyone they'd say they were the same. If you told them they were redone they'd probably think it was a waste of time, initially. I'm sure there were reasons, but there's a reason why people made fun of the version increments in SF2. That was a lot of words for what essentially is me saying NERRRRRRRRD

[@muddlewait8844]

The first Super was really disappointing when it came out. Slower, with a feeble weenie announcer voice, and no more Fierce SMACK sound from the CPS1.

[@Digitalbooty]

I'm pretty sure you're wrong about that. If I remember correctly, most of the sprites and backgrounds were the same from the CPS1 games, but there were new moves and animations in the cps2 games that required new assets. When you compare these new moves (ie Honda's command grab) to the rest of their in game sprites, there is a stark difference in style. These were mostly the only new sprites used as the rest were the same as the CPS1.

[@Judgment]

​@@muddlewait8844 Agreed. And by 1993, after 2 years of Street Fighter II and multiple upgrades, people were starting to look for alternatives to the franchise. Samurai Shodown got a little love, but many got their wish with the release of Mortal Kombat II, which made its debut weeks later. And as much as we love SSF2T, it really didn't get a lot of play time during its initial launch. Games like MKII and Killer Instinct pretty much dominated the scene those years, and you can say that Super Street Fighter II's mundane arcade run hurt Turbo as well.

[@Hollowdarling]

@@CMCAdvanced lmaooooo that end of your comment, unexpected and totally hilarious. Nice to see some lighthearted roasting. :)

[@darrnellnott07]

SF EX is Def worth checking out! It's weird. It feels loose with so many things that chain. It is ugly looking tho is fluid. The variations and takes on classic characters are interesting. EX3 even has a tag option. Also, the music is incredible!!

[@thebest12700]

i love all the ex games. the early days of 3D games was a fun time for me.

[@chelmrtz]

I’m so happy to find my EX people ❤

[@DannyGaendon]

EX has a special place in my heart

[@DontLookBackPewDie]

Ex series are TOP TIER good lord I love em.

[@zubairkhalid6962]

Plus, if you are playing it on an emulator then u can use add-ons to enhance its graphics. 😉

[@LostChildOfTime]

Alpha 1 doesn’t have 10 characters, it actually has 13. Akuma, Bison and Dan are selectable by a code and this was Dan’s debut game. I think it’s noteworthy that Alpha ushered in a new art style character art style that held up seriously well over time. It was the first Street Fighter game that started to make good use of the CPS-2 hardware, both visually and audibly.

[@stevesteve0521]

This dude is a casual and he doesn’t even try to hide it. His rankings is exactly how I would’ve expected it to go, these dudes think that because they grind out one or two games on fightcade that they are all of a sudden experts of knowledge for an entire series

[@leifa888]

Good point, the alpha era sprites were reused to death in most of the many crossovers in that time period

[@drodrig1]

​@@stevesteve0521 he never said that he was the supreme authority on this matter, he just wanted to share his opinion.

[@stevesteve0521]

@@drodrig1 so what’s the problem then?

[@SoulBre4ker]

@@stevesteve0521 As @Danilo Rodriguez said, jmcrofts never said that he was some kind of all-knowing sage on the games. Additionally, your borderline baseless accusation of jmcrofts being a "casual" for not knowing about secret characters doesn't really negate the other points that he had about the game and its respective systems, all you're doing is coming off as a jerk who likes to put himself higher than others rather than some who's actually contributing to the conversation. I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just telling you how it is, but to summarize, "That's a nice argument senator, but why don't you back it up with a source?"

[@Varshun]

Cant take this list seriously you missed both versions of SF the movie the game

[@inkwarsandroid3963]

EX is pretty good if you enjoy some 90s 3D Polygon graphics, and some of the best soundtracks ever in SF series! I liked the mechanics of super canceling into another super, I mained Doctrine Dark & Darun Mister ~~~ used to have best of 10 series against my friend, and that was in 2013!

[@BknMoonStudios]

The EX games would be much more beloved and vindicated if there was an easy way to play them online with rollback. (Or play them online at all.) Also, it's unfortunate that the jump from PS1 to PS2 screwed over Arika big time. Street Fighter EX3 has the best gameplay in the series, yet is also *_ugly as sin._*

[@inkwarsandroid3963]

don't forget the latest installment - Fighting EX Layer!!! that is an awesome game and looks great! It has no SF characters, only Arika originals

[@_Jay_Maker_]

Regarding the animation differences between SI and 3S, I'd say that the much darker shading palette has a lot to do with that. Characters pop out more and generally have a thicker outline to perceive than in 3S, making them easier to track, particularly in them standing out harder against the backgrounds which _also_ pop out more despite being comparatively darker. They're both excellent looking games, but I prefer SI's overall palette to 3, despite loving the gameplay of 3S way more.

[@PoiPoi5189]

Very solid list JM and yeah it would be fun to see you revisit EX at some point. I know there’s like licensing issues or something but it would be cool if Capcom released all three in a collection that ran at 60fps and had maybe tighter controls if that was possible

[@poncho828]

Ex series is so underrated.

[@Sonicfan5150]

I just wanna say jmcrofts has been KILLING it with the content lately.

[@kenterminateddq5311]

Although I don't agree with his opinion, jmcroft's content is pretty good, thus far.

[@koki84ji7]

It's no rooflomonger

[@nonliquidprince]

I think your tier list is pretty good and it does make sense

[@connorhoward2332]

You are killing it, man. Thanks for making just the sickest content. I swear you are the Sean Evans of fighting games.

[@beroberoberoberobero852]

MAAAAAAAN!!! YOU HAVE TO PLAY EX SERIES!!!! I've seen a few people like Smug and Jwongg do combo trials for this games, it would be so cool if you could find a way to play some matches online with some other player or content creator like that. I played a lot EX alpha on ps1 back when i was a kid, it was even a bit popular at arcades in my city, lol!

[@ultimateman55]

As someone who was in 4th grade when SF2 WW hit arcades and as a lifelong SF fan, I have to say I largely agree with this list. ST and 3rd Strike really belong on their own tier for sure. I myself can never decide between Alpha 2 and 3. Sometimes I wish Alpha 2 didn't have custom combos...And SF2 HF is still a blast to play today. I was also glad to see you put SFVAE in seriously good, as there's no denying the game has a ton of content to offer nowadays and it has a thriving competitive community. At the same time you cannot deny that vanilla SFV isn't even worth trying. It really was a glorified beta test at best.

[@riggel8804]

Do you still play HF online? I try try to play on fightcade but no body is on there. I been thinking about getting switch hooked up or a arcade 1up so I can play people.

[@chillpill1649]

I agree, im young and new to the series so ill admit my bias, but the definitive version of SFV is an all time goat imo! Such a fun game, the grind to get to plat and beating up on my friends are some of the best memories I have with fighting games and games in general.

[@ultimateman55]

@@riggel8804 I don't play on Fightcade too often. Honestly, most days I'll just play on my Raspberry Pi-modded Arcade1Up cabinet and see if I can beat the game on 1 credit. I do play SFV online, though.

[@ultimateman55]

@@chillpill1649 Nice man! Yeah, getting to Plat is a nice accomplishment, especially if you're relatively new to the series. Who do you main?

[@riggel8804]

@@ultimateman55That's cool. I got into SF2ST by working on a 1cc. Good times. I heard there are people playing HF online on the Arcade 1ups but I've never looked into it. Can't see myself buying one.

[@flo4470]

My favourites are SF2 Champion Edition and Hyper Fighting , they're great for any beginner and have a great audio overall . The new Challengers was a downgrade on the audio side , the new characters didn't really appeal to me but i didn't have the game cartridge back then , to be honest . You forgot to mention " Street Fighter The Movie " which would probably go under " Don't Bother " . Maybe the history would look different if that game had been a success .

[@zhanluwang]

Your videos are awesome! I accidentally watched your technique videos and felt finding a treasure! Then I subscribed immediately. Could you make tutorials about how to do trials for SF4/SSF4? There are a bunch of videos on youtube but none of them explained how to do combos. These achievements are what I really want to get but couldn't. Tutorials will be very helpful.

[@3serio]

I remember going up to my dad’s house and playing my older step bro in CE (I’d get a round off him 1/150 times a long as he wasn’t playing a shoto). Then one time, he said i could have it. I was hyped! I took it back home and had to play like a caveman because I had a hand me down Genesis with the 3-button controller where you had to press the start button to switch from punches to kicks. Anyway, that summer, after all the training i did, I went back, thinking i was going to show my progress…Then i realized why he gave CE to me…He upgraded to the cracked out SSF2T. Speed, all the characters , supers!!! I couldn’t do anything.

[@WantSomeWhiskey818]

The redemption arc of SFV is lowkey inspiring. I get its not perfect and still has issues but its genuinely really fun these days, especially when you look back at its launch. ST for me is like a weird grandpa that fought in the war. He worked hard, he’s strong, without him nothing you have now would exist. But damn if he doesnt say wildly unfun things at Christmas dinner.

[@Hollowdarling]

Incoming huge obnoxious wall-text. Genuine question, how was the turn around inspiring to you? Also gonna preface this with two things, I want to have respectful discussion and two, I love current SF5 but I absolutely hated it for alot longer than I loved it. The reason for the question is because I don't see how SF5 could be in anyway inspiring. If you mean how much love and passion they put into trying to fix it and tuned it around, I wouldn't say I disagree, I would confidently say you're wrong. If you mean something else, than I still want to share this information regardless as I think it's important for others to know the real history about what happened with SF5. They never really tried to fix it, the fixes ppl saw weren't actual fixes but just them trying to cater to esports and spectators since SF5 had a horrible decline in media views(YT and twitch) and was losing it's prestige at Evo and other tournaments. So bad that it cost SF the coveted number 1 spot at Evo that only went further down in yrs after. I know it might seem mean and extra to point this out but a lot of ppl aren't fully aware of this til this day. The community which I was apart(i filled every survey on both twitter and their official site about feedback to address the games problems) and that feedback went almost completely ignored every single time, that it cost a huge chunk of the playerbase both professional and non-tourney playerbase to give up and walk away. I left SF5 for almost 4 yrs before coming back. Now back to the part about feedback, the community literally had the problems and solutions all figured out almost since day 1 of SF5s release, and boy did we hammer Capcom to do something. And with every survey and new update our feedback was almost for nothing. And it left alot of us feeling like the whole "give us feedback" was smoke and mirrors just to quiet us down while they focused on what they thought was more important with esports and spectators at the cost of y'know the ppl who actual play the game and make up the playerbase. Abigail is my go to example, he was such a robbery character that spectators absolutely loved to see, Abigail comebacks were frequently extremely hype to spectators because they loved the blow ups and upsets and that brought in tons of views and tons of players to tournaments who could cheese their way to top 24 or 16. So what did they do? They buffed him when he didn't need any buffing to an already broken character just to keep those views up. Than when we got fed up and we made our voices louder than ever, and we decided to stop playing the game altogether and even the pro scene was being more vocal and discontent than usual it wasn't til than he got nerfed. But than Abigail was played less in tournaments and/or had poorer results in placings, views went down. So what did Capcom do? They buffed him again and ppl went apeshit, at this point a bunch of us started to realize what was going on, Capcom was blatantly catering to spectators(money). I use Abi because he was imo the biggest offender of this agenda but other characters had similar treatments too. Things finally, truly finally turned around when we all(the unhappy playerbase) clearly saw coming that Capcom and blind loyalists apparently thought was either a bluff or wasn't gonna happen, we left the game and the scene in huge numbers. Their reputation in tournaments was hurt, Capcom the king of the fgc finally lost its prestige to things like DBFZ and Tekken. Evo was the final nail. And because of its loss of prestige, in return they lost a lot of spectators too, it wasn't the coolest kid on the block anymore so ppl who weren't actually passionate about the game stopped watching. And that's when Capcom finally decided to do something, not out of passion or care but because they had no choice. They were losing money and were gonna possibly lose a big source of income with its esports division had SF lost its relevance. Capcom gave the old team behind SF5 the boot and brought in a new team/different team. And thats when SF5 turned around, and like some freaking wizardry alot of our complaints just started to be addressed, stuff was magically fixed. Things that Capcom ignored for yrs and yrs, solutions figured out long ago were implemented. Alot of blind SF5 loyalists accused us of not really knowing anything, "you're not game developers" "it's not that easy" etc. Turns out though the community was right all along and the current state of SF5 not only proves that but justifies our claims, you don't need to compete in tournaments to educate yourself and than learn how to direct a fg. This is why SF5 is anything but inspiring, the opposite it should be the least inspiring, it should be a cautionary tale to other fg devs on how not to handle their product and their community. Now to leave this on a positive note. There is something inspiring to be had, and it isn't Capcom or SF5, it's the different team that Capcom gave responsibility to that deserve all the credit, they should inspire. Whether that's because they gave someone like Woshige a bigger influence or someone else on the team i'm not sure of. I do know however as soon as Onos influence and community handling was given the boot and they gave that role to Woshige, Nakayama and Matsumoto, things changed and I don't think that's a coincidence. Lastly I have to say this because I know ppl will be upset. I am aware of Onos impact and importance to the SF franchise ive been playing SF since SF1 and actually owned a copy and was actually there to physically buy SF2 around its release. I am eternally grateful to him for reviving not only SF with part 4 but reviving the fgc as a whole, he not only saved SF but he indirectly also gave fgs like Tekken, MVC, KOF, Guilty and so many others an opportunity to finally shine as well within the fgcs mainstream presence, something long overdue. But he also became the worst thing to happen to the franchise too, and I know some ppl would disagree, but this goes as far back as SFXT, we just didn't see it then but has become apparent now.

[@thejunkmanlives]

ST doesnt mess around. it tests you at a fundamental level, which means if your solid in st your going to be solid in every over sf game.

[@WantSomeWhiskey818]

@@Hollowdarling Idk I just used the word inspiring because it felt right, it aint that serious lol I just think the game is good now

[@WantSomeWhiskey818]

@@thejunkmanlives I can understand that and I absolutely LOVE watching Super Turbo, but the way throws work and reversal window and the existence of Claw. Idk, I get its a classic and I fully understand why people stick to it to this very day but its one of the few fighting games that seriously gets me tilted.

[@Hollowdarling]

@@WantSomeWhiskey818 haha I didnt really give thought to how serious you meant it, just enjoy the discussion and also bringing awareness to things. :) But it really is good now.

[@kidgruesome407]

i love this channel. great enthusiasm.

[@GBPocket]

Dope list! We need for you to try all of the SF games! Even the console exclusive versions such as the EX series, Hyper SF2, Ultra SF2 as well!

[@jwill7998]

SF2 HDR SF2 The Movie (Arcade and PS1)

[@antiseize11]

Alpha 3 Max

[@xlxlxlxl123]

No mention of HD remix? I found it to be a pretty decent change of pace from Super Turbo's balance.

[@RedRamDRA]

3rd strike is my favorite. Artstyle will never get old! I may also be addicted to a few of the songs in the game.

[@T0R0RIKI]

Sf4 "age" is hands down the most beautiful era for this title. The game was spectacular and thrilling. Sf5 and 6 seem to have "cold" vibes to me.

[@mmakeyboardwarrior4646]

@Cesar Skill gap was too big for you

[@MrMonsterKen]

@Cesar Me neither, it didn't age well, SF3 was way better. 5 is a great improvement and 6 is just outstanding.

[@solitaryshadow3978]

I just got EX 3 on PS2!! lol Honestly it's an alright Street Fighter game with interesting and unique mechanics to the game itself. Definitely worth a try. Takes some times getting used to but one play through arcade is all it takes

[@tsama]

You gotta play more of the Street Fighter EX series. It's an awesome game with super cancels, custom combos, guard breaks, and lv.3 supers.

[@GDPanda69]

Alpha 3 on PS1 had Soul Calibur-levels of content in it. Game was my JAM back in the day!

[@tuneman7688]

Yes, has to be said the PS1 version had an RPG like mode to it where you could unlock characters and perks in fight. Definitely one of the best single player experiences in any fighting game

[@nelsonmercadojr2749]

Yea it was so packed with content. It’s definitely my favorite street fighter ever

[@stevesteve0521]

Psp version has even more content added than the ps1, Saturn and Dreamcast version had

[@sharkyslegoandotherstuff]

ive barely touched the street fighter series and I'm quite a mk fan so this video was very helpful for what games to play jumping into the series

[@Groovingonem]

Started playing SFII in 1991. During the SF3 era I was playing varsity sports and didn’t really pick up Street fighter again until Vanilla SF4. I’ve never played the 3 series 😢

[@troydansnbaiq9691]

Go back n play , trust me

[@InfestedJester]

EX3 is super underrated. Even to this day a lot of people are unaware of how ahead of it's time it was, especially with it's tagging mechanics and just frame momentaries. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4mvk2hpab6fd8U

[@pkthe2ndhokage188]

Just got to the end of the video.. rankings feel right. Good job. I want to see where CVS2 is in all this.

[@lyrand6408]

Very good list! It's subjective of course but for me, let's say Top 3 would be: SFV Arcade (yes I really just love it right now), SSF2 Turbo (still play it to this day) and Alpha 2 (mostly for nostalgic reasons, I had it on SNES). My 'story' / relationship with any of the SF3 games is nearly non-existent. I didn't really pay much attention when SF3s were coming out, I was somewhere else in my life at the time. I did, however, play Third Strike recently (with a compilation of SF games on Steam) and I'm _just starting_ to sort of 'get it'. But I'm still extremely trash at it. Side note, I'm old enough to have played the World Warrior arcade version back then. And if I'm not mistaken I think I even saw that one prior to ever seeing even the first Mortal Kombat. I must say, however, that during the 90s I actually preferred the ' VS ' games (Vs SNK, Vs Marvel) and the X-Men fighting games over most of the SF games (but I did play SF characters in those VS games of course). Nowadays though, it's the other way around; having played so much of the VS games I'm back to the 'old roots' ones like Super SF2 Turbo and it's very fun. In the end I think that this franchise of fighting games really does have offerings for everyone. Everyone got their favorite SF game and that's amazing, regardless of which one it may be.

[@nezumi16]

Hyper Fighting was my first fighting game and this also ended up being a really fun look back at the games throughout the years. I skipped SFV because of the launch, but I'm pretty excited to get into SF6 when it drops.

[@Thalanox]

What have you been playing in the meantime? I've never thought about it, but collecting opinions of people who play every SF game _except_ one particular release could be very interesting. What kinds of things do you generally like about fighting games as a genre and hobby, and which of these were more strongly expressed in the other fighting games you were spending your time on instead of that particular SF game?

[@nezumi16]

@@Thalanox I love the train of thought in collecting ideas. Played some DB Fighterz and Fantasy Strike. It worked out pretty well to skip SF5 because the way life went I just didn't have as much time for gaming. One of the things that I really enjoy about good fighters (and I think all the SF games do a good job of) is how much personality and design they're able to pack into a relatively small space. An RPG, by comparison has dozens of hours to explore characters whereas fighting games have a tiny fraction of the time. More mechanically, I just enjoy games where you can grind out session after session and get a new experience (see also, Hades and Vampire Suvivors). I'm not a naturally competitive person, funny enough, but between good character design and expressive mechanics, it's like each match there's a little story being told collaboratively between two players.

[@BiriBiri925]

@@Thalanox When SF5 came out, I didn't like it. Absolutely. And... I stopped playing fighting games. I tried to play some other games like Guilty Gear or DoA, heck, even MK. But none of these games could hold my attention. SF6 looks promising, I'm waiting for this game.

[@stevesteve0521]

5 champion edition is arguably the best and most complete street fighter game out there it’s a shame people scoff at street fighter 5 because of capcoms dumb launch decision. I personally believe the 5s are better games than the 4s

[@1908fcim]

It was my first fighting game too as I was given the SNES port as a kid and grew up with it and MK2. Still two of my favourite fighting games

[@ojsmallz]

I would absolutely love a video covering the EX games, especially EX3. That was my first ever Street Fighter game and to this day is one of my favorite fighting games of all time. There are so many things that game does that no other Street Fighter game has even attempted. It's not a perfect game by any means, but I think it has a lot of charm, and it holds a special place in my heart. Also PLEASE CAPCOM PUT SKULLOMANIA IN SF6.

[@cd31000]

I would love to see the EX characters return, it's a shame that Capcom won't acknowledge the series though because they were made by at the time ex-capcom employees, the characters from EX just felt more enjoyable than many of the main series roster.

[@swiftkck]

Dude I love your videos. I had ex plus alpha 2 on the PlayStation one. This was an incredible experience for me as a child. Please make a video about this game. It may be my favourite after ssf 2 turbo

[@gamma105]

Loved super back in the days at the local arcade. A week after the release, this guy told me the Zangief glitch where you can double suplex unsuspected projectile throwers across the screen. People were pissed for a good 2 weeks 😂

[@similaritiesendhere]

Alpha 3 and its various versions really shine outside of the competitive scene, if that makes sense. For casual VS and single player content, it has never really been matched.

[@stevesteve0521]

Agreed, the Saturn, psp port and hyper street fighter alpha on the anthology collection are pretty much must play versions of it

[@Ragtime4]

Was disappointed that Hyper SFII: The anniversary edition was excluded. It did get a CPS2 arcade release, and was widely available on PS2. It got some run in the mid 2000s at evo events

[@RevengerPhoenix]

And also skipped HD Remix and Ultra 2.

[@stevesteve0521]

It was excluded because this guy knows the bare minimum of street fighter outside of some google searches and playing third strike on fightcade

[@elnoel1220]

@@stevesteve0521 would you mind posting a link to your KZbin channel so I can watch a more in depth SF video by a real subject matter expert?

[@stevesteve0521]

@@elnoel1220 so I need to have a KZbin channel to be considered an expert in a subject? Shows the type of standards you have for things

[@andresfermin866]

Fighting games noob here. This has been incredibly useful. Subscription earned!

[@jouagu2019]

When you were going by release order, I was expecting Ultra Street Fighter II to break my sense of time with its release date. I am actually surprised about you questioning SFA3 being too low on the list. Since you do competitive play, it makes sense that SFA2 is higher. My experience with it is on the PSP, where it has the most characters (adding Ingrid), as well as variable battle, which lets you tag in and out with another character. The content for that game as a casual is amazing and definitely worth your money. You should totally check out the EX games. Again, casually, I enjoyed the heck ouf of EX3. Being able to slowly gather allies was such a fun mechanic, and it really did have a 3D appeal to it. I feel like you should cover all of the fighting games Arika did, too, so Fighting Layer and Fighting EX Layer can share in on the spotlight. It's an interesting progression seeing that spin-off series go in that direction. I suppose if you wanted to stick to this video's title, you could put a tier list for the games that also explicitly have "Street Fighter" in them, just for fun. Throw in Street Fighter 2010 and Street Fighter X Mega Man in there for some laughs, maybe. They got "Street Fighter" in the title after all lol

[@georgiosgiannoukas3319]

Super SF4 and Alpha 3 are my favorites by a lot. SSF4 added so much to an already awesome game. Ultra 2, 10 new characters, tons of balance changes, tons of new stages. It just feels like the most balanced and fun version of SF4 imo. Alpha 3 had the best roster, I LOVED the overall style and presentation of that game, the isms were such an interesting mechanic and depending on which version of it you played it was jam packed with content. I really wish they'd make a "definitive" version with all of the extra characters and modes that were in later versions and add that cool Hyper Street Fighter Alpha mode that was in the Anthology version. Maybe some day

[@celeschan90]

Slight correction on Alpha 1. It actually has 13 characters. Akuma, Bison and Dan are hidden, and you can access them on the character select screen by inputting a code.

[@66ixty9ine]

The Japanese version (Street Fighter Zero) actually has 14. Haggar is in game, and with a certain move, you can swap to Cody

[@Hollowdarling]

@@66ixty9ine I looked everywhere and could not see that this was true. Can you direct me to a source? Edit: Nevermind, I found it. Jeez it's not just the Japanese version it has to be the arcade version of the Japanese version lol,that's crazy thanks for sharing! Edit: Nevermind the nevermind lmao, was reading and watching SFZ and it turns out it's fake. Haggar was never playable in Street fighter Zero, just some bs that got spread.

[@66ixty9ine]

@@Hollowdarling oh nevermind then, sorry lol

[@Hollowdarling]

@@66ixty9ine Dont be, I was easily fooled too lmao, cant blame you. Looked so legit and Capcom do be doing some weird stuff with Japanese only versions back then.

[@foyo5497]

@@Hollowdarling I was about to say. I played SFA1 extensively in cades and on Playstation, so I thought BS when I read Haggar was in the game.

[@Filsantos86]

I’m not into the competitive fighting games scene, but your videos are really good!

[@skylerstritzel]

I always loved playing the anniversary edition.Street fighter 2 Guile verses super Ryu. Just awesome.

[@kamarrawlings6285]

Totally disagree on this list

[@smurfyeah3744]

Odd that even though Panda is gone, there's been way more Tier list videos than ever.

[@nogoodchad4473]

looks like a pretty good list to me. i think if i recognize the nostalgia i have for 4 and A2 i would probably have a similar list

[@ellamayo9045]

I honestly really respect when people acknowledge the actual quality of games like vanilla SF2 rather than judging them based off how revolutionary they were for their time. Like, it’s one thing for a classic title to still hold up today, and be respected on those grounds, but a game being lauded as the best ever based on what it was rather than what it is is just weird to me.

[@kirobz]

Alpha 3 is the GOAT!!!

[@GEEKFREAK01]

3rd Strike & USF4 are my two favorite Street fighter games. SF5 i had mixed feelings about, but have a soft spot for it now that it's improved more than ever before. Let's hope SF6 brings the hype for the next gen of fighting games

[@realtec4632]

Ultra and zero 3 MAX(plus) were always my favorite. I'm surprised you didnt mention the Sagat era of SF4.. he was the GOAT, THE GOOOAAT!

[@alexcleland4411]

I have very fond memories of playing Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha as a kid, got me into Street Fighter as a whole.

[@jacksmith4460]

great game, I loved EX+ Alpha too

[@greatheightsu]

3rd strike is one of the most beautifully animated sprite games to this day. Deserves it's GOAT status.

[@LoudButtons]

I know people love Third Strike and I think the game can be pretty fun but it's probably a mid tier for me. Just not a fan of "Hit confirm super and guess-parry: The Game" I know there's more to it than that but it just feels like that when I play, not my first choice of SF game. I prefer Alpha 2/3 and SF4.

[@Krubbe]

on a tier-list you're the GOAT, jmcrofts

[@roux19120]

Vanilla Sf4 holds a very special place in my heart the broken charachters make this game just fun and i love playing every charachter in that game wish it was still loved .

[@LordRaptor]

The Alpha games and Super Turbo/New Challengers are timeless, still incredibly fun to this day. personally, I'm not a huge fan of the rest of the games, I think Super & Vanilla SF4 were fun (the other extensions just have way too many characters imo), 3rd Strike and Second Impact are great games, but require a lot of work, never really got into SFV.

[@pandsanthi9072]

I would put Alpha 2 as a goat. The Alpha series was so good and well designed they used those sprites for a lot other games. They bascially gave Capcom a goldmine to explore. But about the older games, to me it is hard to evaluate this games looking back. I had so many good times with the world Warrior I cant put it that low. But I understand, the game just aged...

[@dammitvictor798]

Now I am suddenly, violently craving the gameplay and design of _Third Strike_ with the roster of USFIV.

[@marcelo20xxxx]

One thing to add for Street Fighter II CE is that the game has a really accessible Single Player mode for being an Arcade game, their sequels, specially Super Street Fighter II Turbo have ridiculous AI. I tend to play more often than not this version from time to time as I can 1CC the game no problem with all the characters...

[@MrTD714]

First and its definitely sf4

[@itloaf]

I'm sure crofts will agree lol

[@ShinyGBZ]

This may be a hot take, but I seriously think that Hyper Fighting is the most balanced version of street fighter 2. Sure there's defined top tiers like Sagat and Ryu here, but compared to the stranglehold some other top tiers have over their games like WW Guile, ST Vega and O. Sagat, I feel like Hyper Fighting has the least gap in character viability. I've gotten my ass whooped by Dictator players just as often as I have Ryu mains in HF!

[@sowhodecidedthat3924]

Great list. For me for GOAT I'd also add Street Fighter 2: Turbo/Hyper Fighting there - probably on the right.

[@gargervon8697]

Hyper Fighting is my favorite SF2 game.

[@darrielwlters]

facts

[@subterraneanretrogames556]

Perfect list

[@bobacrow79]

Awwwww, New Generation is such a fun game for nostalgia. :) So is World Warrior, but maybe you needed to be around in those haydays for those games. I was 13 when World Warrior came out and all I ever wanted to do -- AT ALL -- was to go to my bowling alley and play that first Street Fighter II. When New Generation came out, my friends and I were beyond excited.

[@Xelae93]

I love the EX games. They're weird, and a bit clunky in some areas, but there's just so much fun to be had. The trial mode in those games are also really good, and pretty challenging at times.

[@bradleylovej]

My cousin and I were fascinated with making Cracker Jack hit people with his bat. We couldn't believe 1) a SF character had a bat and 2) his name was Cracker Jack

[@j.s.2094]

In SF2, you can pick the same character, there was a trick when the CAPCOM logo was popping up at the beginning, you would press all the buttons in the SNES, one after the other, not at the same time, I don't remember the order but you would press one by one all of the 6 buttons and then you would be able to choose the same character as your friend but then the one who chose the same character the second, would have a darker uniform.

[@jmcrofts]

this was only added in the console version

[@stilmaho]

Funny thing about World Warrior is that the hardware at the time couldn't handle two Zangiefs. That is the sole reason why the game doesn't allow mirror match

[@seansmith7906]

Played it before, but really fell in love with Alpha Warrior's Dreams. I haven't felt the same love since.

[@bigshorty4855]

Good list, I'm actually impressed. 👌

[@GIFgaming]

Thx for the very Good Tier List! You forgot "Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers" for Nintendo Switch. What do you think about this Title? Is it the best Version from "SF 2"?

[@PhobiaXxX]

Sf4 2012 was the version with the hard to block setups because of the proximity blocking. Cammy was very strong, and people were complaining alot.

[@ThatGuyCalledSteeve]

I'm curious to see where you think SF6 will stand in this tier list based on all that we've seen and what you've played so far in the beta, obviously the final game will be a bit different with balancing and the new characters but we still have quite a bit to go off with the feel of the game and the mechanics to be able to have an idea

[@AfroSamurai215]

In the dumpster, that's where.

[@Edwinschuur]

In SF 2 on SNES you could use a cheatcode that you entered at bootscreen so you both could pick the same character. Down, R, Up, L, Y, B

[@BrianJones-wk8cx]

Maybe you’ve talked about it elsewhere, if so apologies, but where would you place Ultra Street Fighter II on Switch?

[@winedano]

Also worth mentioning is that SFIV started the “costume shop” where you could buy outfits for your characters to give them a fresh look

[@RandomAsFunk]

I’d like to see you tier every game that has street fighters in it hahah, only one I’m curious is what would be better 3rd strike or marvel 2

[@kiralofgrobbulus346]

I'd like to think it will be different with SF6, but your tier list shows a history of the first iteration of each new Street Fighter as "don't bother". This leads me to believe that SF6 will have major issues at launch and may not be "worth playing" until it has had some updates.

[@CDCrest]

Looks like we were wrong lol...SF6 is amazing

[@pierre-claudemeriot6562]

I literally came here to see how you ranked the ex games compared to the others. I've only really played a lot sf II, II turbo and ex plus alpha

[@FourFour2theFloor]

Stopped playing sf after alpha 2 so this list was great to catch up on with the series

[@therealdevcat]

I recently bought and played the Street Fighter Alpha collection on PS2 and fully agree with you about putting 2 over 3.

[@stevesteve0521]

That collection has a good amount of unlockables if you have someone else to play against then hyper street fighter alpha is an absolute blast

[@globalistgamer6418]

Pretty much a perfect list, I think. Unfortunately, it seems like trends that Capcom feel like they have to follow (e.g. focusing on accessibility over skill ceiling, heavily catering to SF2 nostalgia, using muddy 3D models instead of sprites) make it unlikely that they can ever top 3rd Strike. However, from what I've seen of 6's mechanics, it seems like it at least has a great chance to end up the best line since 3.

[@rorixthebladewingify]

I see @james4991made a correction so I won't bring that issue up, my other small gripe with this video is you missed a couple of titles. I can understand Gem Fighters and other similar titles but how could you overlook the other two iterations of SF2? HD remix is Amazing!!!! Also, who doesn't Love Violent Ken's Official inclusion in a SF title? Mad love for Ultra SF2 on switch. Other than that, great job and been loving your content lately, including that Modok showcase. *Chef Kiss* Beautiful

[@H00kieD00kie]

solid list

[@Dave_the_Dave]

I always loved Alpha 3. Just the look, the graphics, the big roster (for its time), the different -isms. Super cool game.

[@AspynDotZip]

Vanilla sfiv was the game that got me into sf even though usfiv was out because none of the mfs at Gamestop told me that version was obselete, but it made me hype for sfv which i sadly bought at launch. Honestly if my intro to the game hadn't been so shit I'd probably still play this series now, but here's to hoping sf6's launch lives up to the hype the beta caused

[@cinemamadness6920]

Ex Plus Alpha is my favorite. That soundtrack is one of the best if any fighting game, and the fights are so fun

[@GoldGuard]

The fact that the tier list completely skips the first game is very odd.

[@The_Gamers_Gamer]

It's honestly disrespectful how people disregard that which is the basis for all that came after it. How there would literally be no Street Fighter sans it. Instead of looking at it thru a contemporary prism, they should appreciate and contextualize it for what it WAS AT IT'S TIME. I'm not old enough to know but it's not hard to find and ask someone that does. I've heard from them how special it was. Again if it wasn't the series would have never gotten this far cause it would have been dead on arrival.

[@GuyWithAnAmazingHat]

SFEX is my favourite series out of all SFs. It's the only fighting game series where I play and complete every single character's trial modes and know how to play them at least at a basic level.