This Legendary Fighter Came Along 35 Years Ago Any Completely Changed the Game

by

Capcom’s original Street Fighter game came out in 1987, but it wasn’t an instant hit. Although it was an important step forward for fighting games, it didn’t become popular until later installments. The first game did introduce special moves and other features that would become staples of the series, but it was the 1991 sequel, Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, that really revolutionized the genre. Street Fighter II transformed fighting games, taking a relatively simple concept and building a strong foundation for everything that followed.

Saying Street Fighter II changed fighting games doesn’t quite capture its impact – it completely revolutionized the genre. Every fighting game that came after it, including series like Soulcalibur, Mortal Kombat, Marvel vs. Capcom, and Injustice, exists because of the original arcade game Capcom released in the early 1990s. And the story doesn’t end with that first arcade machine; Capcom continued to improve and refine the game over the years, turning it into one of the most significant and beloved video games of all time.

Street Fighter II Is the Archetype of All Modern Fighting Games

When considering the history of fighting games, Street Fighter II is arguably the most influential. It was the best-selling game of the early arcade era, with over 200,000 arcade cabinets sold globally in its various versions. The game generated an estimated $12 billion or more in revenue and was released on virtually every gaming platform available at the time. Street Fighter II became Capcom’s biggest money-maker – essentially the Fortnite of the 1990s, and it continued to be profitable for many years after.

Man, this game totally blew up! It became a huge thing, spawning movies and all sorts of other stuff – there’s even an old, kinda goofy movie from ’94, but a new one’s coming out in October 2026. What really set it apart from other fighting games at the time was how deep the gameplay was. You could pull off crazy combos, and the six-button control scheme let you do a ton of different moves. Plus, learning those special commands felt so rewarding! If you got good, you could really own the arcades, and it didn’t take long before people started holding tournaments just for Street Fighter II. And Capcom kept tweaking and improving it over the years, releasing a bunch of different versions – it was awesome!

The popularity of Street Fighter II began with the huge success of Champion Edition in 1992. This was followed by numerous updated versions like Hyper Fighting, The New Challengers, and Turbo, which were later remastered for modern consoles and devices. Street Fighter II Turbo became a favorite among competitive players. With so many versions – including unofficial copies – every fan has a preferred iteration of the game. But the original, maintained by Capcom, remains the best, and the franchise has thrived for over three decades. 2026 marked the 35th anniversary of Street Fighter II.

It’s Unlikely Any Franchise Will Dethrone Street Fighter II’s Legacy

Upon its release in the West, Street Fighter II quickly became the most popular fighting game and remained dominant for years. While other great fighting games like Tekken and Mortal Kombat emerged, they all had to compete with Street Fighter II‘s established success. The game demonstrated how innovative and exciting multiplayer fighting games could be, attracting a massive player base with its challenging but engaging gameplay. Its impact is still felt today, and the Street Fighter series continues to be enjoyed by both longtime fans and new players.

Which version of Street Fighter II do you like best? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/the-best-fighting-games-from-each-console-generation/embed/#

Read More

2026-02-20 18:15