Approximate Release Date: July 1, 1992
Genre: Fighting
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior seems simple and basic to modern eyes, but it’s easy to forget how influential and revolutionary it would be to the fighting game genre.
All you need to do is look at Pit-Fighter to see the state of fighting games before Street Fighter II came around. This is a rare game that so utterly dominated its genre that there are clear pre- and post-release epochs, as noticeable and as distinct in retrospect as when our calendars changed from 1 BC to 1 AD. Is there a modern fighting game that doesn’t include a Ryu-type basic character or quarter-circle-punch as a special move?
Even if you have no interest in fighting games, take a moment to appreciate how rare that is. Only a handful of titles have ever had that kind of singular influence, so Street Fighter II joining the company of games like Super Mario Bros., Tetris, Ultima, and Pac-Man is a major accomplishment. Needless to say, this is a great game.
But because every fighting game after Street Fighter II has aped so much of what made it unique, it seems really basic today. There are only eight characters to play as, and even though all of them are iconic and have different strengths and weaknesses, that’s not a lot of variety. There are only two modes, too: arcade and versus. The versus mode is self-explanatory, with each player picking a different character and then proceeding to pummel each other. Arcade is a quick jaunt through the seven fighters you didn’t choose and then four boss battles. There’s not a lot to do here, and even less if you’re a solo player.
Luckily, the actual fighting part of the game was, and still is, exquisite. I’m not traditionally a fighting game expert or anything, but the appeal of Street Fighter II is how it’s an easy-to-play-hard-to-master type of competitive game. There are no super moves which require memorizing a dozen button inputs to pull off, which means anyone can pick up the game and quickly learn their favorite character’s moves.
It wouldn’t be long until Capcom released more refined editions of Street Fighter II for arcades and home consoles. These versions of Street Fighter II would build from the base game and eventually let opponents choose the same characters, speed up the fighting, add new fighters to play as, and unlock the boss characters for versus play in addition to under-the-hood tweaks and balance fixes.
That’s what makes recommending Street Fighter II: The World Warrior such a tricky proposition. It’s an incredible game, and it’s a ton of fun to play today. But the updated editions of the game – specifically Street Fighter II Turbo and Super Street Fighter II for the Super Nintendo – obsolete this original version. They’re better games in every way.
But those games didn’t exist in 1992, and maybe it’s worth playing the original to appreciate the genius.
For more information about the history of Street Fighter II, be sure to check out Polygon’s incredible oral history of the game. It’s very much worth reading and really puts into perspective how it changed Capcom and video games in general.
Tomorrow: Is there a game that would be more of a change of pace from this one than Mario Paint?
Plus, the SNES got this game about a year before the Genesis version came out. Suck on that, Sega!
I’ve never played the Genesis version. I wonder how it would play with the 3-button controller.
I loved it on the Genesis, but they may be because I didn’t know any better 😉
Did you have to do something weird like press start to toggle the three buttons between punches and kicks? I seem to recall a fighting game doing that.
You’re exactly right – isn’t funny how it my little brain at the time I saw that as a skill, where if you had the SNES version you saw that as ridiculous?
Not well. I think my cousin bought a 6-button controller just for SFII: Champion Edition
Was the 6-button controller ever packed in with the Genesis?
Hmmm… not sure. I suppose I’ll find out in due time.
The amount of nostalgia I have for this series on Super NES is ridiculous. I actually bought all three iterations when they released on the Wii U’s Virtual Console during a sale. While most people will see the superficial differences, I’ve played each enough that I can appreciate the nuances and differences between them.
The original still remains my favorite, as it’s the game I got with my Super NES.
Street Fighter II is hands down my most played fighting game, so I also have a ton of nostalgia for it. I love how simple it is!
I skipped that sale because I was in the process of moving at the time 🙁
Really enjoyed the post – it took me back to a time when I remember saying (probably out loud): “As long as I get SF2 I’ll never need another game.”
“…anyone can pick up the game and quickly learn their favorite character’s moves pretty quickly.” This line made me think of why I haven’t followed my former favorite franchise with each new iteration; with each numeral they add I know it will take more time to actually be able to compete.
What do you think? I have you played SFIV at all? if you did, what did you think?
I did play some Street Fighter IV. I liked it more than Street Fighter III, but for my old-man tastes there’s just too much going on. I don’t want to memorize lists of moves to be competent.
Completely agree
Would you ever review SNES Bootlegs?
I might do something with that idea in the future. Have any in mind? Did Street Fighter 2 have weird rainbow versions for the SNES like there were for the arcade one?
There’s a SNES Street Fighter 2 Bootleg that allows mid-air combos like Rainbow Edition. But if you want a SNES Bootleg I recommend Pokémon Stadium on the SNES. It’s “Fun”
One of the most important games of all time. You undersold it a bit.