Named A-ISM, X-ISM, and V-ISM, these fighting styles greatly influence how a character plays during a match.

Yet, for me, this was a massive part of the game's identity and one of the things I loved about it because of how they affected the gameplay in a variety of ways.

In Alpha 2, all you had to do was choose between an auto or manual mode, and these didn't change a character's mechanics the way Alpha 3's fighting styles did. Gameplayįans of Street Fighter Alpha: Warrior's Dreams and Street Fighter Alpha 2 have complained about the requirement to pick one of three ' Fighting Styles' before a match in Alpha 3. But most importantly, Alpha 3 isn't just a looker she also has substance. Coupled with fluid animations of its own, Alpha 3 included fun interactions between characters, which were a great treat to watch. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, which came out the year after in 1999, definitely had the superior animation, but it was Alpha 3's anime aesthetic that did it for me. It had a charm that the previous games in the series lacked, and the theme mixed in with its vibrant colors was so full of energy. I've got to start with graphics because Alpha 3's art direction took my breath away the moment I first laid eyes on it. So here's why I believe Street Fighter Alpha 3 is the best in the franchise. As a result of all these differences, it's pretty hard to settle on a 'perfect' version of the game, so instead, I'll try to stick to the first console version. However, the game is also afflicted with Capcom's need to release multiple versions of it, ranging from an arcade replica to multiple enhanced console versions and one all-encompassing game for PSP. With so many Street Fighter games out there, you'd think the task of picking the best would be one of the hardest things imaginable, but instead, it was probably one of the easiest things I've ever done.Įven with around twenty games released after it, Street Fighter Alpha 3 still holds the top spot for me. It's no secret that some titles have received a bit too many upgrades (looking at you Street Fighter II), but each new iteration did mix things up quite a bit. Some revolutionized the gameplay, introduced cool new characters, or provided us with some of the best video game music ever made. The Street Fighter franchise has released well over thirty titles between 19, with each game bringing something different to the table.

Street fighter alpha 2 gameplay