When it comes to fighting games,Street Fighteris the golden standard that has stood for over thirty years as one of the most beloved and most-playedfighting gamesin the world. Capcom developed the firstStreet Fightertitle and received growing success with each sequel release to the franchise. The story ofStreet Fighterconstantly continued to grow and introduced a sea of characters that would go on to make their marks on the fighting game genre.Street Fighteris a fighting game that many games that have followed have modeled themselves after and has a legacy that will last for generations to come.
There are over a dozen separate titles that have been released inStreet Fighters' long history. Each game has its shining features, fan-favorite characters, and unique battle systems that make it stand out among its predecessors. While not everyStreet Fightergame is celebrated as the peak fighting game experience, there are many that casual and veteran players consider the best of the best.
Updated by C.M Edwards on June 17, 2025:Street Fighteris a cultural phenomenon that has garnered the attention of hundreds of thousands of gamers all over the world, creating a community of dedicated players and professional competitors. For over three decades, Capcom andStreet Fighterhave released a vast catalog of games that continue to push barriers, as each generation of gamers finds fresh ideas in a classic package. Fighting games are a big part of the gaming community, and allow players to come together like no other genre. With the recent release ofStreet Fighter 6, which just celebrated itsfirst DLC character Rashid,Street Fightergames are more popular than ever, and there is a long list for players to revisit. Here are some of thebest Street Fighter games, Ranked.
11Street Fighter EX
Coming off of the success ofStreet Fighter Alpha 2and the release ofStreet Fighter: The Movie,Street Fighter EXwas a hot release that continued the summer madness to bring the world warriors back to the homes of budding gamers worldwide.
Street Fighter EXhad three successive versions that introduced more characters into the game. It saw most of its success thanks to the return of Akuma and M. Bison.
10Street Fighter
The firstStreet Fighterwasreleased in the late 1980s. Initially released in tabletop and upright Arcade cabinets, the first title inStreet Fighterreceived great success in the worldwide market, having sold over twenty thousand units, which was a milestone for the era.
This would be the first appearance of the world warriors, Ryu and Ken, spawning an entire universe that would push Capcom into the spotlight and begin the game’s journey as a flagship title.
9Street Fighter X Tekken
Street FighterandTekkenare two of the largest fighting games, and make up some of the largest fighting game communities in the world. Fans of both games were overjoyed when both franchises decided to collaborate on an ambitious new project where, for the first time ever,TekkenandStreet Fightercharacterswould meet in battle.Street Fighter x Tekkenwas a two vs. two tag game that would shake up the fighting game genre with fast-paced action.
8Street Fighter EX II Plus
TheStreet Fighter EXgames are considered non-canon and a spin-off of the main line ofStreet Fightertitles. However, the EX serieshas a cult followingand is still highly celebrated for its unique spin on the game’s characters.Street Fighter EX II Plusconsisted of an extensive character roster that was half returningStreet Fightercharacters and half newly created characters specifically for the EX line.
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The game was released for the PlayStation 2 and Arcade cabinets and was well-received by fans of the genre.Street Fighter EX II Pluswas the best-selling fighting game for several months after its release and received positive reviews from several sources.
7Street Fighter 2: The New Challenger
Street Fighter 2rose to the high expectations set by the first game and was released with new modes, new characters, and a high graphics update. Capitalizing on the previous game’s success,Street Fighter 2expanded the world ofStreet Fighterand its characters while also providing an exquisite gameplay experience for the hardware available at the time.
Street Fighter2would be the starting point for what the franchise would quickly grow into as gameplay and character traits would slowly be experimented with and expanded upon.
6Street Fighter 5
Street Fighter 5is the most recent release into theStreet Fighterfranchise and is the most modern take on the game, having been released for previous and current generation consoles.
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Street Fighter 5was released with a starting roster of sixteen that was steadily increased through multiple DLC expansions and collected editions.
Street Fighter 5has had its controversies but was overall well-received due to itsnew unique mechanicsand colorful character designs.
5X-Men Vs. Street Fighter
Capcom is known for some of the best crossovers in fighting game history. SNK, Tatsunoko, and even Namco games have all joined side by side with some of the most well-known Capcom characters, fromStreet FightertoDarkstalkers.
One of the largest crossovers that birthed the beginning of a fighting game legacy wasX-Men vs. Street Fighter.The mutants from the Marvel universe made a big video gamesplash by taking on the world warriors in fierce combat. This game would go on to make theMarvel vs. Capcomfranchise possible.
4Street Fighter Alpha 2
The argument can be made thatStreet Fighter Alpha 2is one of the most vital games inStreet Fighter’s history. With a drastic rebranding stemming from a successful animated film and a unique art style,Street Fighter Alpha 2was a well-received and monumental success thanks to its accessibility, carefully crafted gameplay, and a strong cast of new and returning characters.
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Street Fighter Alpha 2was highly favored for its drastically different visuals from previous games that were also felt in titles likeX-Men Vs. Street Fighter. Receiving high praise,Street Fighter Alpha 2is regarded as a classic in the franchise.
3Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition
Street Fighter 4was the first game in the franchise to be released eight years afterStreet Fighter 3: Third Strike.Third Strikehas a strong argument for being one of the most celebrated fighting games ever. However,Street Fighter 4ushered in a new era of fighting games that saw success and brought multiple generations together, reinvigorated the somewhat slumbering competitive scene, andbreathed life back into the franchise.
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Street Fighter 4saw multiple sequels like most titles in the franchise, but no expansions of the original game were met with such praise as SuperStreet Fighter 4: Arcade Edition. The Arcade Edition of the game introduced fan-favorite characters and new balance changes that took the fighting game community by storm.
2Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6is the most recent addition to theStreet Fighterfranchise and has received enormous praise worldwide from new and returning fans of the genre. Capcom developers have reworked and rebranded the game with a fresh new aesthetic and a fantastic cast filled with classic world warriors and interesting new faces.
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Street Fighter 6brings back the well-crafted gameplay that made the franchise so popular, and wraps it in polish and innovation that is highly welcomed. Just recently,Street Fighter 6concluded its largest tournament to date at Evolution 2023, where over seven thousand players registered to play.
