Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection Retrospective Series – Street Fighter III

TL;DR

Street Fighter III, with its gorgeous animation and unique roster, found its place in the series and introduced new mechanics like parrying and EX moves.

Transcript

After ruling arcades and home consoles for six years, Street Fighter II was finally ready for a successor. Given how popular and successful the series had been since 1991, expectations were understandably through the roof for Street Fighter III and when it arrived people didn't entirely know what to think. However, over time the Street Fighter III ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎮 Street Fighter III's animation set a new standard for 2D sprite-based video game animation, still admired today.
• 🆕 The unique roster of Street Fighter III introduced fresh characters with distinctive abilities.
• 😑 The game added complex mechanics like parrying and EX moves, which required skill and strategy to master.
• 🎮 The introduction of Guard Parrys in Street Fighter III: Third Strike further elevated the game's technical gameplay.
• 🥺 Despite initial doubts, Street Fighter III gained a dedicated fan base, leading to memorable tournament moments and a lasting legacy.
• 👶 Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact introduced new characters and gameplay features, further expanding the series.
• 🪚 Street Fighter III: Third Strike is considered one of the most technical entries in the Street Fighter series, attracting dedicated players.

Questions & Answers

Q: What made Street Fighter III stand out in the series?

Street Fighter III stood out with its beautifully animated sprites, a brand new roster of fighters, and the introduction of the parry mechanic that allowed players to deflect attacks without taking damage.

Q: Did any characters from Street Fighter III appear in later games?

Yes, characters like Dudley, Elena, Ibuki, Yun, and Yang made their debut in Street Fighter III and later appeared in games like Street Fighter IV and V.

Q: What were the unique mechanics introduced in Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact?

Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact introduced two new playable characters, Urien and Hugo, along with the EX special move mechanic, which allowed players to perform powered-up versions of existing special moves.

Q: How did Street Fighter III: Third Strike refine the series' control scheme?

Street Fighter III: Third Strike introduced guard parrys, refined throw inputs, and eliminated accidental throws, making the game more focused on precise timing and technical gameplay.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Street Fighter III introduced lavishly animated sprites that set a benchmark for 2D sprite-based video game animation.

• The roster of Street Fighter III featured Ryu and Ken along with brand new fighters, each entering the third World Warrior tournament for their own reasons.

• The game offered Super Arts, parrying mechanics, forward and backward dashes, and universal overhead attacks to add complexity to character matchups.