35 Years Ago, Capcom Released One of the Best Fighting Games Ever Made
Capcom released a fighting game 35 years ago that became a massive hit and is now considered to be one of the genre's best of all time. Street Fighter II is still celebrated decades later for introducing unforgettable characters, featuring competitive gameplay, and helping to define the powerhouse franchise.
‘Street Fighter II’ Was Released in Arcades on March 7, 1991
Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
The official website for Street Fighter has a page dedicated to the franchise's history. It reveals that Street Fighter II was originally released in Japan's arcades on March 7, 1991. It also states that the game would later come to Nintendo's Super NES in Japan on June 10, 1992, and the Game Boy on August 11, 1995. As the website details, the game has been such a big hit with players that it has been rereleased several times, including the following examples:
- Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (1991)
- Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (1992)
- Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting (1992)
- Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (1993)
- Super Street Fighter II Turbo (1994)
- Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition (2003)
- Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (2008)
- Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers (2017)
The original arcade release of Street Fighter II introduced six new playable characters: Chun-Li, Dhalsim, E. Honda, Blanka, Guile, and Zangief. They have become major figures in the beloved series. The anniversary of the game's original release comes as the franchise's fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming 2026 Street Fighter movie.
Why 'Street Fighter II' Is One of the Greatest Fighting Games Ever
Since 1991, there have been many fantastic fighting games that were fun to play and technical marvels. Yet, Street Fighter II has stood the test of time and continues to be celebrated 35 years after its initial release. There are many reasons why Street Fighter II continues to be so compelling, including that it featured a roster of characters that players still love. It also featured deep mechanics, including combos and special moves, which make it feel endlessly playable. The game also deserves immense credit for its music and visuals that have aged like fine wine.
Those factors and others are why Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) ranked it as its number one pick on their list of the 1000 Best Games Ever. The website Juicy Game Reviews also published an article detailing why Street Fighter II is one of the most iconic video games of all time. Those are only two of the many times that the game has been celebrated by fans, critics, and industry figures. That is why it seems virtually certain that the game will continue to be celebrated in another 35 years.