Street Fighter is undoubtedly one of the best 2D fighting games, and one of the oldest too. It’s been around for a long time, ever since the Arcade cabinets back in the 80s. In the first Street Fighter game, the player could only have Ryu as a playable character (Unless Ryu loses to Ken, in which case you play as the latter for the remainder of the game), but after the premise of Street Fighter II, there have been numerous playable characters that have gained quite a reputation.
Furthermore, the Street Fighter Animated Series have further provided information about the origins of these characters which increase their level of appeal. Being an avid Street Fighter fan, and haven seen the Animated Series, I have gained enough knowledge to determine which characters are the best. Therefore, here is a list of the top 10 Street Fighter characters.
10. M. Bison
Okay, he’s not the best villain out there, but he’s a good character nonetheless. He lacks the evil radiance that every good villain should have. Despite this, his Psycho Power is quite… powerful. And it is for this reason that he is the leader of Shadaloo and has the capability to conquer the world.
9. Zangief
I shudder at his very name. A large, muscular, naked (save for the underwear and the boots), hairy-chested guy. Or, in other words, a stereotypical Russian. We all love Zangief, but we fear him too. His attacks are incredibly powerful and difficult to block and dodge too. He may not have any projectiles, but compared to his brute strength, projectiles are for wimps.
8. Cammy
Cammy is one of the most popular choices amongst fans. But for what reason? Her moves or her skimpy outfit? Everyone has their own reasons. And whatever they may be, most players can use Cammy proficiently and conquer their enemies if they play carefully. She is without mercy.
7. Guile
Cammy and Guile are similar in a number of ways. The best example of their similarity is that they are both very serious about fighting and have a proper, official cause for it, instead of personal reasons. You can see this striking similarity by watching their intros in Street Fighter IV. That being said, Guile is a very powerful character; both in the animated series and the video games. He may not be very popular but it’s not like he cares either. And does anyone else feel that the shape of his hair is unique?
6. Vega
Many would disagree if I said Vega was a fair fighter. His mask and claws upset the balance of the game as they give him an edge. I personally feel that Vega is overpowered, but ultimately, it’s not easy to master him. Since he’s quite different with his moves, many players fall to their knees before him. In the Animated Series, he almost overpowered Ken before the match ended in a draw when both the fighters became unconscious. His lust for blood is interesting and his mask adds to his enigmatic, yet cool personality.
5. Blanka
This green little fighter is crazy. Literally. Blanka has several advantages. One of his moves prevents you from going near him, but when you decide to use your projectiles, he can swiftly dodge them and counter attack. The only way to beat him is to match his speed… or play against a complete newbie.
4. Chun Li
The first female fighter, making her premise in Street Fighter 2, where she was the only female fighter. When I first played the game, I thought it was not fair for the guys to beat up a single Chinese girl with a cute face. But as it turned out, she was a tough cookie. She may seem all cute and cheery on the outside, but she’s a ruthless fighter when the time comes. Chun Li is a widely recognized character and continues to be considered one of the best and prominent Street Fighter characters.
3. Ryu
Who didn’t see him coming? Ryu has been the face of Street Fighter since the first game. Without him, there would be no Street Fighter and I wouldn’t be writing this opinion piece. He’s a lone warrior, with only one objective: To improve upon his skills and become stronger.
2. Ken
Both Ken and Ryu were trained under the same master, Gouken, and so their moves are identical. But Ken takes the cake here due to his better style. His spinning kick is better and faster, and his Shoryuken is fiery. Not to mention he’s rich and good with the ladies.
1. Akuma
To sum up Akuma, take Ken or Ryu, make them twice as strong and add a touch of evil along with some attitude. Akuma is the upgraded and enhanced version of Ken and Ryu. He is twice as strong and very evil. I personally believe him to be more evil than M. Bison. Ha, Akuma was even selected to be the final boss in Street Fighter x Tekken if the player selects characters from Tekken’s side. The only problem with Akuma is that he can appear to be slow at times. Ultimately, his amazing strength makes up for his weakness and his attacks can easily be chained together to destroy the enemy.
Well, that’s it for my opinion. Who are your favorite Street Fighter characters?
