Street Fighter II
Encyclopedia
is a competitive fighting game
originally released for the arcades
in . It is the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter
released in and was Capcom's fourteenth title that ran on the CP System arcade hardware. Street Fighter II improved upon the many concepts introduced in the first game, including the use of command-based special moves and a six-button configuration, while offering players a selection of multiple playable character
s, each with their own unique fighting style.
The success of Street Fighter II is credited for starting the fighting game boom during the 1990s which inspired other game developers to produce their own fighting game franchises, popularizing the genre. Its success led to a sub-series of updated versions (see below), each offering additional features and characters over previous versions, as well as several home versions. In 1993, sales of Street Fighter II exceeded $1.5 billion in revenue and the Super NES
port was Capcoms best-selling consumer game of all time as of .
After every third match in the single player mode, the player will participate in a "Bonus stage
minigame
" for additional points. The bonus games includes (in order) a car-breaking event similar to another bonus round featured in Final Fight
; a barrel breaking bonus game where the barrels are dropped off from a conveyor belt above the player; and a drum-breaking bonus game where drums are flammable and piled over each other. The bonus games were removed from the arcade version of Super Street Fighter II Turbo (although they are featured in the Game Boy Advance version).
Like in the original, the game's controls uses a configuration of an eight-directional joystick and six attack buttons. The player uses the joystick to jump, crouch and move the character towards or away from the opponent, as well as to guard the character from an opponent's attacks. There are three punch buttons and three kick buttons of differing strength and speed (Light, Medium and Heavy). The player can perform a variety of basic moves in any position, including grabbing/throwing attacks, which were not featured in the original Street Fighter. Like in the original, the player can perform special moves by inputting a combination of directional and button-based commands.
Street Fighter II differs from its predecessor due to the selection of multiple playable characters
, each with their distinct fighting styles and special moves. Unintentionally, a "bug" in the game's code enabled the player to "cancel" during the animation of some moves by performing another move, allowing for a combination of several basic and special moves. The "combo" system all fighting games would subsequently use as standard was, in fact, entirely accidental. Both of these features would be expanded upon in subsequent installments.
-controlled boss opponents, known as the "Four Grand Masters".
Playable characters
Computer-only bosses
Balrog was designed as a pastiche
of real-life boxer Mike Tyson
and was originally named M. Bison (short for "Mike Bison") in the Japanese versions, while Vega and M. Bison were originally named Balrog and Vega respectively. When the game was localized for the overseas market, the names of the bosses were rotated because the name and resemblance could have led to a likeness infringement lawsuit
.
, released for the arcades in , which allowed players to control the four Grand Masters and same character matches. This was followed by Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting
during the same year, which increased the playing speed and gave some of the characters new special moves. Super Street Fighter II
was released in , which marked the change to the more advanced CP System II, allowing for fully revamped graphics and music, while introducing four new characters. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
was released in and was the last of the Street Fighter II releases for the arcades, which introduced powered-up special moves called Super Combos and added a new hidden character.
All five Street Fighter II games have ported to various platforms, both in individual releases and in compilations. There has also been exclusive home versions such as Hyper Street Fighter II
(which was retroactively ported to the arcade) and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
.
on June 10, 1992 in Japan, which was followed by a North American and European release on August of the same year. It was the first 16-Megabit cartridge for the SNES. Many aspects from the arcade versions changed or simplified in order to fit into the smaller memory capacity. This version features a secret code that allows both players to control the same character in a match, which wasn't allowed in the original arcade version. The second player uses the same alternated color palette introduced in Street Fighter II: Champion Edition
. The Four Grand Masters are still non-playable, but they used their Champion Edition color palette if the code is entered.
Other changes are as followed:
released versions of Street Fighter II for various home computer formats, particularly IBM PC
, Atari ST
, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64
and ZX Spectrum
. All five versions were developed by Creative Materials.
. It features 18 built in games (including Alex Kidd, Alien Storm, Altered Beast, Arrow Beast, Arrow Flash, Bonanza Bros, Columns, Crack Down, Decap Attack, Ecco, ESWAT, Fatal Labyrinth
Flicky, Golden Axe 2, Shadow Dancer, Streets of Rage 1, Streets of Rage 2, Sonic Spinball) and an SD card for further expansion.
for the PlayStation
and Sega Saturn
, which was released in North America and Europe under the title of Street Fighter Collection 2. All three games were also included in Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1
for the PlayStation 2
and Xbox
, as well as Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded for the PlayStation Portable
.
, Street Fighter III
, Pocket Fighter
, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
and Capcoms Vs. series (which combined Capcoms characters with properties from other companies such as Marvel, SNK and Tatsunoko). Capcom released Street Fighter IV
for the arcades in July , followed by the release for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles in February 2009 and for Microsoft Windows in July 2009.
In the following year, Street Fighter II Dash was also awarded Best Game of 1992 in the Sixth Annual Grand Prize, as published in the February 1993 issue of Gamest, winning once again in the category of Best Action Game. Dash placed No. 3 in Best VGM, No. 6 in Best Graphics, No. 5 in Best Direction. The Street Fighter II Image Album was the No. 1 Best Album in the same issue, with the Drama CD version of Street Fighter II tied for No. 7 with the soundtrack for Star Blade. The List of Best Characters was not dominated by Street Fighter II characters this time, with the only character at the Top Ten being Chun-Li at No. 3.
In the February 1994 issue of Gamest, both Street Fighter II Dash Turbo (Hyper Fighting) and Super Street Fighter II, were nominated for Best Game of 1993, but neither won (the first place was given to Samurai Spirits
). Super ranked third place, with Turbo at No. 6. In the category of Best Fighting Games, Super ranked third place again, while Turbo placed fifth. Super also won third place in the categories of Best Graphics and Best VGM. Cammy, who was introduced in Super, placed fifth place in the list of Best Characters of 1993, with Dee Jay and T. Hawk at 36 and 37.
In the January 30, 1995 issue of Gamest, Super Street Fighter II X (known as Super Turbo internationally) placed fourth place in the award for Best Game of 1994 and Best Fighting Game, but did not rank in any of the other awards.
The SNES version of Street Fighter II was also very well received, named by Electronic Gaming Monthly
as the Game of the Year
for 1992. EGM awarded the follow-up title Street Fighter II Turbo with Best Super NES Game in the year after.
The Mega Drive version of Street Fighter II received 10/10 for both graphics and addiction from Mega
, who described it as "a candidate for best game ever and without a doubt the best beat-'em-up of all time". MegaTech
scored it 95%, and commented "the greatest coin-op hits the Megadrive in perfect form". Guinness World Records
awarded Street Fighter II three world records in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008
. These records are "First Fighting Game to Use Combos", "Most Cloned Fighting Game", and "Biggest-Selling Coin-Operated Fighting Game."
160,000 ($1300) for each cabinet, amounting to ¥22.4 billion ($182 million) revenue generated from cabinet sales of Champion Edition in Japan, which in 2009 is equivalent to ¥24.6 billion (over $300 million). The sales for the arcade versions of Street Fighter II in the Western world
were similarly successful. The numerous home versions of the Street Fighter II are listed among Capcoms Platinum-class titles (games which have sold more than 1 million units worldwide). As of December 31, , the SNES version of the original Street Fighter II is still the companys best-selling game, having sold more than 6.3 million units. The SNES versions of Street Fighter II Turbo and Super Street Fighter II also sold 4.1 million and 2 million, respectively, followed by the Genesis version of Street Fighter II′: Special Champion Edition with 1.65 million sales. In 1993, sales of Street Fighter II exceeded $1.5 billion in revenue, equivalent to $2.32 billion in 2011.
Arcade versions
Home versions
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
originally released for the arcades
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
in . It is the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter
Street Fighter (video game)
is a 1987 arcade game developed by Capcom. It is the first competitive fighting game produced by the company and the inaugural game in the Street Fighter series...
released in and was Capcom's fourteenth title that ran on the CP System arcade hardware. Street Fighter II improved upon the many concepts introduced in the first game, including the use of command-based special moves and a six-button configuration, while offering players a selection of multiple playable character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s, each with their own unique fighting style.
The success of Street Fighter II is credited for starting the fighting game boom during the 1990s which inspired other game developers to produce their own fighting game franchises, popularizing the genre. Its success led to a sub-series of updated versions (see below), each offering additional features and characters over previous versions, as well as several home versions. In 1993, sales of Street Fighter II exceeded $1.5 billion in revenue and the Super NES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
port was Capcoms best-selling consumer game of all time as of .
Game System
Street Fighter II follows several of the conventions and rules already established by its original 1987 predecessor. The player engages opponents in one-on-one close quarter combat in a series of best-two-out-of-three matches. The objective of each round is to deplete the opponent's vitality before the timer runs out. If both opponents knock each other out at the same time or the timer runs out with both fighters having an equal amount of vitality left, then a "double KO" or "draw game" is declared and additional rounds will be played until sudden death. In the first Street Fighter II, a match could last up to ten rounds if there was no clear winner; this was reduced to four rounds in Champion Edition and onward. If there is no clear winner by the end of the final round, then either the computer-controlled opponent will win by default in a single-player match or both fighters will lose in a 2-player match.After every third match in the single player mode, the player will participate in a "Bonus stage
Bonus stage
A bonus stage is a special level within a video game designed to reward the player or players, and typically allows the player to collect extra points or power-ups. Often a bonus stage will have no enemies or hazards, or may contain them but the player character is invulnerable to attack from them...
minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
" for additional points. The bonus games includes (in order) a car-breaking event similar to another bonus round featured in Final Fight
Final Fight
is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up game originally released by Capcom as a coin-operated video game in . It was the seventh game released by Capcom for their CP System arcade game hardware...
; a barrel breaking bonus game where the barrels are dropped off from a conveyor belt above the player; and a drum-breaking bonus game where drums are flammable and piled over each other. The bonus games were removed from the arcade version of Super Street Fighter II Turbo (although they are featured in the Game Boy Advance version).
Like in the original, the game's controls uses a configuration of an eight-directional joystick and six attack buttons. The player uses the joystick to jump, crouch and move the character towards or away from the opponent, as well as to guard the character from an opponent's attacks. There are three punch buttons and three kick buttons of differing strength and speed (Light, Medium and Heavy). The player can perform a variety of basic moves in any position, including grabbing/throwing attacks, which were not featured in the original Street Fighter. Like in the original, the player can perform special moves by inputting a combination of directional and button-based commands.
Street Fighter II differs from its predecessor due to the selection of multiple playable characters
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
, each with their distinct fighting styles and special moves. Unintentionally, a "bug" in the game's code enabled the player to "cancel" during the animation of some moves by performing another move, allowing for a combination of several basic and special moves. The "combo" system all fighting games would subsequently use as standard was, in fact, entirely accidental. Both of these features would be expanded upon in subsequent installments.
Characters
The original Street Fighter II features a roster of eight playable characters that could be selected by the player. The roster initially included Ryu and Ken—the two main characters from the original Street Fighter game—plus six new characters from different nationalities. In the single-player tournament, the player faces off against the other seven main characters, before proceeding to the final opponents, which are four non-selectable CPUCentral processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
-controlled boss opponents, known as the "Four Grand Masters".
Playable characters
- RyuRyu (Street Fighter)is a video game player character created by Capcom, the main protagonist of the Street Fighter series. Having premiered in the first Street Fighter in 1987, Ryu appears as the lead character from the game along with his best friend Ken Masters participating in the Street Fighter tournament...
, a JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese martial artist seeking to become a "true warrior." - Ken, Ryu's former training partner and rival, from the United States.
- E. HondaEdmond Honda, more commonly known as E. Honda, is a video game character created by Capcom for the Street Fighter series of fighting games. Introduced in Street Fighter II as part of the starting lineup, he has appeared in Street Fighter Alpha 3, Street Fighter IV, and the Capcom vs. SNK series, as well as...
, a sumoSumois a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler from Japan. - Chun-LiChun-Liis a video game character produced by Capcom. First introduced in Street Fighter II, she has since appeared as a player character in nearly all subsequent games....
, a female martial artist and policewoman from China seeking to avenge her missing father. - BlankaBlankais a video game character from the Street Fighter series of fighting games. Blanka is depicted as a feral savage, with green skin and long orange hair, resembling a monster more than a human...
, a beast-like man from BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
who was raised in the jungle. - ZangiefZangiefis a fictional character in the Street Fighter series of video games. Created by Akira Yasuda for Capcom, Zangief first appeared in Street Fighter II, later appearing in other games, media, and promotions related to the Street Fighter franchise...
, a pro wrestlerProfessional wrestlingProfessional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
from USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. - GuileGuile (Street Fighter)is a fictional character in Capcom's Street Fighter series of fighting games.-Street Fighter series:Guile made his first appearance in Street Fighter II as one of the eight selectable characters featured in the first release of the game...
, a former special forcesUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
operative from the United States, seeking to defeat the manM. BisonM. Bison, known in Japan as Vega, is a video game character created by Capcom. First introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, he is a recurring character in the Street Fighter series of fighting games, acting as the final boss and primary antagonist of the Street Fighter II and Street...
who killed his best friend. - DhalsimDhalsim, is a video game character from the Street Fighter series of fighting games.Dhalsim made his debut in the original Street Fighter II as one of the games original eight main characters. In his backstory, Dhalsim is characterized as a pacifist who goes against his beliefs by entering the World...
, a yogaYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
master from IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Computer-only bosses
- BalrogBalrog (Street Fighter)Balrog is a character from the Street Fighter fighting game series.Balrog is depicted as an African American boxer wearing blue trunks with white trim and a torn white shirt under a blue tank top. He wears red boxing gloves and boxing shoes...
(M. Bison in the Japanese version), an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boxerBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, designed with a similar appearance to Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
. - VegaVega (Street Fighter)Vega is a fictional character from the Street Fighter fighting game series. Vega is a masked, claw-wielding warrior from Spain who uses a personal fighting style combining Japanese Ninjutsu and Bullfighting, earning him the nickname the "Spanish Ninja".Vega first appears in the original Street...
(Balrog in the Japanese version), a SpanishSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
cage fighter who uses a unique style of ninjutsuNinjutsuor may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
. - SagatSagat (Street Fighter)is a boss character from the early editions of Capcom's Street Fighter fighting game series. He was later turned into a regular, playable character. Sagat is depicted as a well-renowned Muay Thai expert fighter known for his incredible power. He is often called the "Emperor of Muay Thai" in his...
, a one-eyed Muay ThaiMuay ThaiMuay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
master and the final boss in the original Street Fighter, who was scarred by Ryu in the end of the previous tournament. - M. BisonM. BisonM. Bison, known in Japan as Vega, is a video game character created by Capcom. First introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, he is a recurring character in the Street Fighter series of fighting games, acting as the final boss and primary antagonist of the Street Fighter II and Street...
(Vega in Japan), the leader of the criminal organization Shadaloo, who uses a mysterious power known as "Psycho Power", and the final boss of the game.
Balrog was designed as a pastiche
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
of real-life boxer Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
and was originally named M. Bison (short for "Mike Bison") in the Japanese versions, while Vega and M. Bison were originally named Balrog and Vega respectively. When the game was localized for the overseas market, the names of the bosses were rotated because the name and resemblance could have led to a likeness infringement lawsuit
Personality rights
"Personality rights" is a common or casual reference to the proper term of art "Right of Publicity". The Right of Publicity can be defined simply as the right of an individual to control the commercial use of his or her name, image, likeness or other unequivocal aspects of one's identity...
.
Updated versions
Street Fighter II was followed by a series of updated versions, each refining the play mechanics, graphics, character roster and other aspects of the game. The first was Street Fighter II: Champion EditionStreet Fighter II: Champion Edition
Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, released in Japan as , is a competitive fighting game released for the arcades by Capcom in . It was the first of several updated versions of the original Street Fighter II...
, released for the arcades in , which allowed players to control the four Grand Masters and same character matches. This was followed by Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting
Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting
Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting, released in Japan as , is a competitive fighting game released for the arcades by Capcom in . It is the third game in the Street Fighter II sub-series of Street Fighter games following Street Fighter II: Champion Edition...
during the same year, which increased the playing speed and gave some of the characters new special moves. Super Street Fighter II
Super Street Fighter II
is a head-to-head fighting game produced by Capcom originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1993. It is the fourth game in the Street Fighter II sub-series of Street Fighter games, following Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting...
was released in , which marked the change to the more advanced CP System II, allowing for fully revamped graphics and music, while introducing four new characters. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Super Street Fighter II Turbo, released in Japan as , is a competitive fighting game released for the arcades by Capcom in . It is the fifth arcade installment in the Street Fighter II sub-series of Street Fighter games, following Super Street Fighter II...
was released in and was the last of the Street Fighter II releases for the arcades, which introduced powered-up special moves called Super Combos and added a new hidden character.
All five Street Fighter II games have ported to various platforms, both in individual releases and in compilations. There has also been exclusive home versions such as Hyper Street Fighter II
Hyper Street Fighter II
is a competitive fighting game by Capcom that was originally released for the PlayStation 2 in in Japan and in in North America and Asia. Released to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Street Fighter series, Hyper Street Fighter II is a modified port of Super Street Fighter II Turbo in which...
(which was retroactively ported to the arcade) and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is a two dimensional fighting game released using the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Arcade download services...
.
Super NES
Street Fighter II was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
on June 10, 1992 in Japan, which was followed by a North American and European release on August of the same year. It was the first 16-Megabit cartridge for the SNES. Many aspects from the arcade versions changed or simplified in order to fit into the smaller memory capacity. This version features a secret code that allows both players to control the same character in a match, which wasn't allowed in the original arcade version. The second player uses the same alternated color palette introduced in Street Fighter II: Champion Edition
Street Fighter II: Champion Edition
Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, released in Japan as , is a competitive fighting game released for the arcades by Capcom in . It was the first of several updated versions of the original Street Fighter II...
. The Four Grand Masters are still non-playable, but they used their Champion Edition color palette if the code is entered.
Other changes are as followed:
- The attract sequence which featured two generic fighters fighting was removed (it was missing in Street Fighter II Turbo, but it was restored for the Genesis version Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition).
- Some of the voices when the character perform certain techniques or special moves were removed.
- The volume of a character's voice when they perform a special move differs depending on the strength level. The higher the strength level, the more high-pitched the character's voice becomes.
- The bonus stage in which the player must destroyed a pile of flammable oil drums was replaced by one in which the player must destroy a pile of bricks (this same bonus stage was also in the subsequent SNES versions, as well as both Genesis installments). The barrel breaking bonus stage is also removed (it was restored for the two subsequent SNES versions, as well as both Genesis installments) and as a result, the bonus stages are now set after every four matches (rather than every three).
- The tunes of the soundtrack were not only arranged, the music that plays when a character is losing a match is arranged differently from the arcade version, since it simply plays the same music is played but with the tempo raised (the later SNES and Genesis installments also featured similar changes).
- Some techniques were deleted, such as Chun-Li's close standing medium punch.
- The walking animation of the characters when they're retreating from an opponent is the same when they're advancing, only played in reversed (the other SNES and Genesis versions also featured this change).
- The palm tree in the foreground in Sagat's stage was removed (it was removed in Champion Edition).
- The voiced countdown during the continue screen, as well as the reading of each country's name, were removed. Moreover, the font used during the continue screen is different as well.
- The visuals and script in some of the endings are a bit different from the arcade version.
- A peculiar sound effect is played when the game is paused.
- The upper and lower portions of the screen are covered in black bars, shortening the vertical length of the game screen (the PC Engine and Genesis ports also added these black bars). This was done to compensate for the reduced size of the character sprites and make the change less noticeable to players.
U.S. Gold versions
U.S. GoldU.S. Gold
U.S. Gold was a British video game publisher and developer from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, producing numerous titles on a variety of 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit platforms.-History:...
released versions of Street Fighter II for various home computer formats, particularly IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
, Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
. All five versions were developed by Creative Materials.
Game Boy
The Game Boy version of Street Fighter II was released on August 11, 1995 in Japan and on September 1995 internationally. It is missing three of the original characters (E. Honda, Dhalsim and Vega), although the remaining nine are all playable. The graphics, character portraits, and backgrounds are based on Super Street Fighter II, although some moves (such as Blanka's Amazon River Run) from Super Street Fighter II Turbo are included as well. Since the Game Boy only features two buttons, the strength of a player's punches and kicks are determined by how long the player hold either button. Same character matches are allowed, but because of the game's lack of color, distinguishing between two characters is not possible even on a Super Game Boy.Handheld Console
The handheld console version of Street Fighter II was released on September 26, 2011 in Europe by Blaze EuropeBlaze Europe
Blaze Europe is a developer and distributor of accessories and software for video game consoles, handheld media devices and personal computers.The company is based in Doncaster and was founded by Jason Cooper....
. It features 18 built in games (including Alex Kidd, Alien Storm, Altered Beast, Arrow Beast, Arrow Flash, Bonanza Bros, Columns, Crack Down, Decap Attack, Ecco, ESWAT, Fatal Labyrinth
Flicky, Golden Axe 2, Shadow Dancer, Streets of Rage 1, Streets of Rage 2, Sonic Spinball) and an SD card for further expansion.
Other releases
The original Street Fighter II was included along with Champion Edition and Hyper Fighting in the compilation Capcom Generation 5Capcom Generations
is a series of five video game compilations released by Capcom in 1998 for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in Japan and Europe/Australia. Each volume contains three or four games from a particular series or game genre and were ported directly from their original arcade versions...
for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, which was released in North America and Europe under the title of Street Fighter Collection 2. All three games were also included in Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1
Capcom Classics Collection
Capcom Classics Collection is a compilation of arcade games released by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on September 27, 2005. It was developed by Digital Eclipse Software . A second volume, Capcom Classics Collection Vol...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, as well as Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
.
Sequels
The Street Fighter II games were followed by several sub-series of Street Fighter games and spinoffs which includes Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter EXStreet Fighter EX
Street Fighter EX is a head-to-head fighting game with 3D graphics, originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for the Sony ZN hardware in . It is a spin-off of the Street Fighter series co-produced by Capcom with Arika and was the first game in the series to feature polygon graphics...
, Street Fighter III
Street Fighter III
is a fighting game in Capcom's Street Fighter series, originally released as coin-operated arcade game in . Street Fighter III was produced for the CD-ROM-based CP System III hardware, which allowed for more elaborate 2D graphics than the CPS II-based Street Fighter Alpha games , while revamping...
, Pocket Fighter
Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix
Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, released in Japan as , is a fighting game released by Capcom in September 1997 for the CPS II arcade system. It was ported to the PlayStation , Sega Saturn, and WonderSwan, as well as PlayStation 2 as part of the Street Fighter Alpha Anthology.The game uses the same...
, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, released in Japan as and commonly referred to as Puzzle Fighter, is a one or two player puzzle game first released in the spring of 1996 by Capcom on the CPS II arcade system...
and Capcoms Vs. series (which combined Capcoms characters with properties from other companies such as Marvel, SNK and Tatsunoko). Capcom released Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter IV
is a fighting game produced by Capcom. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom since . The coin-operated arcade game was released in Japan on July 18, 2008, with North American arcades importing the machines by August...
for the arcades in July , followed by the release for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles in February 2009 and for Microsoft Windows in July 2009.
Related media
- Street Fighter II was listed at number 2 in Play magazine's Top 10 games with the best music
- The characters from the Street Fighter II video game became part of the G.I. Joe: A Real American HeroG.I. Joe: A Real American HeroG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
line up in 1993, as Hasbro bought the toy rights to the characters.
- Street Fighter II was adapted into two different film adaptationsFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
in 1994, Street Fighter II: The Animated MovieStreet Fighter II: The Animated MovieStreet Fighter II: The Animated Movie, known as in Japan and Australia, is a 1994 Japanese animated film adaptation of the Street Fighter II fighting games written by Kenichi Imai, directed by Gisaburō Sugii and animated by Group TAC. The film, originally released in Japan on August 8, 1994, has...
(a Japanese anime film produced by Group TACGroup TACGroup TAC was a Japanese animation and computer graphics studio located in Shibuya, Tokyo, and founded in 1968. They have worked on movies, videos, TV shows, and commercials, and have contributed to all stages of the process, including planning, production, sound effects, and so on...
) and an American produced live-action film, simply titled Street FighterStreet Fighter (film)Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na...
. Starring Jean Claude Van Damme as Guile, Kylie MinogueKylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
as Cammy and Raúl JuliáRaúl JuliáRaúl Rafael Juliá y Arcelay was a Puerto Rican actor.Born in San Juan, he gained interest in acting while still in school. Upon completing his studies, Juliá decided to pursue a career in acting. After performing in the local scene for some time, he was convinced by entertainment personality Orson...
as M. Bison, the live-action film incorporated the main cast of the video game and wrapped them into an action adventure. Director Steven E. de SouzaSteven E. de SouzaSteven E. de Souza is an American producer, director and screenwriter. He is among a handful of screenwriters whose films have earned over two billion dollars at the worldwide box office.-Life and career:...
's take on the premise: "I especially loved films like The Longest Day, The Great Escape and The Guns of Navarone. What made those films great wasn't the random violence. It was the clear-cut struggle between forces of good and evil, leading to an ultimate showdown."
- There was also a U.S. Street FighterStreet Fighter (TV series)Street Fighter is an American animated series produced by InVision Entertainment based on the Street Fighter live action movie, which was in turn based on the Street Fighter video game franchise. The series aired as part of the USA Network's Cartoon Express and Action Extreme Team lineups...
cartoon, which followed a combined Van Damme movie and game series plot, and an unrelated anime titled Street Fighter II VStreet Fighter II V, is an anime series based on the fighting game Street Fighter II. Directed by Gisaburo Sugii , the series first aired in Japan in 1995, from April 10 to November 27, on YTV...
, mostly thought as being a prequel to the event in the original game (like the Street Fighter Alpha series), featuring younger characters; a similar approach drove the script of the movie Legend of Chun Li.
Critical reception
In the February 1992 issue of Gamest magazine in Japan, it was revealed that due to low stock the games were selling for 7 times the cost (15000 yen in Japan (about $119.19 and £65 at the time)). The original arcade version of Street Fighter II was awarded Best Game of 1991 in their Fifth Annual Grand Prize, which also won in the genre of Best Action Game (the award for fighting games was not established yet). Street Fighter II also placed No. 1 in Best VGM, Best Direction, and Best Album, and was second place in Best Graphics. All the characters, with the exception of M. Bison (the character known internationally as Balrog), were featured in the list of Best Characters of 1991, with Chun-Li at No. 1, Ryu at No. 3, Guile at No. 4, Dhalsim at No. 5, Zangief at No. 6, Edmond Honda at No. 8, Ken and Blanka sharing the No. 9 spot, Vega (M. Bison outside Japan) at No. 13, Balrog (Vega outside Japan) at No. 16, and Sagat at No. 22.In the following year, Street Fighter II Dash was also awarded Best Game of 1992 in the Sixth Annual Grand Prize, as published in the February 1993 issue of Gamest, winning once again in the category of Best Action Game. Dash placed No. 3 in Best VGM, No. 6 in Best Graphics, No. 5 in Best Direction. The Street Fighter II Image Album was the No. 1 Best Album in the same issue, with the Drama CD version of Street Fighter II tied for No. 7 with the soundtrack for Star Blade. The List of Best Characters was not dominated by Street Fighter II characters this time, with the only character at the Top Ten being Chun-Li at No. 3.
In the February 1994 issue of Gamest, both Street Fighter II Dash Turbo (Hyper Fighting) and Super Street Fighter II, were nominated for Best Game of 1993, but neither won (the first place was given to Samurai Spirits
Samurai Shodown
Samurai Shodown, known as in Japan, is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for their Neo Geo arcade and home platform. In contrast to other fighting games at the time which were set in modern times and focused primarily on hand-to-hand combat, Samurai Shodown is set in feudal-era Japan ...
). Super ranked third place, with Turbo at No. 6. In the category of Best Fighting Games, Super ranked third place again, while Turbo placed fifth. Super also won third place in the categories of Best Graphics and Best VGM. Cammy, who was introduced in Super, placed fifth place in the list of Best Characters of 1993, with Dee Jay and T. Hawk at 36 and 37.
In the January 30, 1995 issue of Gamest, Super Street Fighter II X (known as Super Turbo internationally) placed fourth place in the award for Best Game of 1994 and Best Fighting Game, but did not rank in any of the other awards.
The SNES version of Street Fighter II was also very well received, named by Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
as the Game of the Year
Game of the Year
Game of the Year is a title awarded by various magazines, websites, and shows to a deserving game. Many are only for PC or console video games...
for 1992. EGM awarded the follow-up title Street Fighter II Turbo with Best Super NES Game in the year after.
The Mega Drive version of Street Fighter II received 10/10 for both graphics and addiction from Mega
Mega (magazine)
MEGA, subtitled '100% pure Mega Drive' was a monthly magazine, published in the United Kingdom, aimed at users of the Sega Mega Drive and its additions, the Mega CD and 32X. During its time, as one of the main Mega Drive publications, Mega covered the golden age of the Sega Mega Drive; from 1992 to...
, who described it as "a candidate for best game ever and without a doubt the best beat-'em-up of all time". MegaTech
MegaTech
MegaTech was a publication from EMAP aimed specifically at the Sega Mega Drive gaming market. The launch editorial consisted of a small team including Paul Glancey and Mark Patterson ....
scored it 95%, and commented "the greatest coin-op hits the Megadrive in perfect form". Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
awarded Street Fighter II three world records in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition is a Guinness World Records book dedicated to video games. The first edition was released in February 2008 in association with the video games world records' tracking organization Twin Galaxies. The second edition was released in 2009...
. These records are "First Fighting Game to Use Combos", "Most Cloned Fighting Game", and "Biggest-Selling Coin-Operated Fighting Game."
Commercial reception
The original version of Street Fighter II sold more than 60,000 video game arcade cabinets, followed by Street Fighter II': Champion Edition selling 140,000 cabinets in Japan alone, where it cost ¥¥
¥ is a currency sign used by the Japanese yen and the Chinese yuan currencies. The symbol resembles a Latin letter Y with a double stroke. The base unit of both currencies shared the same Chinese character pronounced yuán in Mandarin Chinese and en in Standard Japanese...
160,000 ($1300) for each cabinet, amounting to ¥22.4 billion ($182 million) revenue generated from cabinet sales of Champion Edition in Japan, which in 2009 is equivalent to ¥24.6 billion (over $300 million). The sales for the arcade versions of Street Fighter II in the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
were similarly successful. The numerous home versions of the Street Fighter II are listed among Capcoms Platinum-class titles (games which have sold more than 1 million units worldwide). As of December 31, , the SNES version of the original Street Fighter II is still the companys best-selling game, having sold more than 6.3 million units. The SNES versions of Street Fighter II Turbo and Super Street Fighter II also sold 4.1 million and 2 million, respectively, followed by the Genesis version of Street Fighter II′: Special Champion Edition with 1.65 million sales. In 1993, sales of Street Fighter II exceeded $1.5 billion in revenue, equivalent to $2.32 billion in 2011.
Arcade versions
- Street Fighter II: 60,000+ arcade cabinets
- Street Fighter II': Champion Edition: 140,000+ arcade cabinets
Home versions
| Game | Platform | Sales (million) |
|---|---|---|
| The World Warrior | Super NES | 6.3 |
| Special Champion Edition | Mega Drive | 1.65 |
| Turbo | Super NES | 4.1 |
| New Challengers | Super NES | 2 |
| HD Remix | PS3/Xbox 360 | 0.25* |
- The game broke both first-day and first-week sales for a download-only title.