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Street Fighter is one of the most influential series of all time, with over three decades of games for players to dive into. As a result, it can be a bit overwhelming for new fans to figure out how to play Street Fighter games in order.
The following lists include mainline Street Fighter releases only. Additionally, we won’t list the numerous upgraded versions of these titles separately with the exception of Street Fighter III: Third Strike. Due to its numerous improvements, fans often consider it a standalone title.
All Mainline Street Fighter games in Release order:
- Street Fighter (1987)
- Street Fighter II (1991)
- Street Fighter Alpha (1995)
- Street Fighter Alpha 2 (1996)
- Street Fighter III (1997)
- Street Fighter Alpha 3 (1998)
- Street Fighter III: Third Strike (1999)
- Street Fighter IV (2008)
- Street Fighter V (2016)
- Street Fighter 6 (2023)
As for availability, luckily, most older Street Fighter titles can be played on modern consoles quite easily. The Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection includes every mainline game up to 1999’s Street Fighter III: Third Strike. That collection is available on PC, Xbox One, Switch and PS4.
Street Fighter IV, while initially only available on PS3 and 360, received a later port of its Ultra edition to PS4 and PC. Street Fighter V is available only on PS4 and PC. However, Street Fighter 6, the newest release, is readily available on PS4, PS5, X Box Series X\S and PC.
All Mainline Street Fighter games in Chronological order:
- Street Fighter
- Street Fighter Alpha
- Street Fighter Alpha 2
- Street Fighter Alpha 3
- Street Fighter II
- Street Fighter IV
- Street Fighter V
- Street Fighter III
- Street Fighter III: Third Strike
- Street Fighter 6
So, with the release of Street Fighter 6, the most recent game and furthest point in the storyline are the same for the first time in over 20 years! While there have been a number of retcons over the years, it’s still fun to see decades’ worth of lore translating into a brand-new title.
Is it worth playing every Street Fighter game?
Now that you have some options for playing the Street Fighter games in order, you may wonder if it’s actually worth playing every title in the franchise. That’s a matter of fierce debate! Obviously, Street Fighter 6 is going to have the most active online community. However, some fans still call Street Fighter III: Third Strike the greatest fighting game ever made. I recently sat down to play a few matches with friends and found it just as fun as I did 20 years ago.
You can also stick to arcade modes and unlocking endings, in which case you’d play whichever game has your favorite fighters to play as. Each Street Fighter installment plays differently enough that you can pop into any of them decades later. I would say the only Street Fighter game that actually feels old is the first one, and I still recommend at least playing some of it for the history.
