Nothing beats the feeling of standing in front of a lighted arcade machine and watching the flashing INSERT COIN message on the screen under the title of your favorite 90’s video game. Among the many classics, one must definitely mention the quintessential fighting game Street Fighter. Even more exciting than the title screen is the electronic soundtrack that opens up the 2D battlefield playing out with your chosen character and his rival. Before you know it, “FIGHT!” flashes at the top and the real action begins. Both fighters begin to pull out their sets of special moves, and the air is filled with quick howls of victory when landing a punch or grunts of agony when he receives one. As a light-eyed boy in this dingy arcade, everything else in the world is disappearing and the only thing that matters is beating your opponent.
Street Fighter was originally released in 1987 by Japanese game publisher Capcom, creator of many multi-million dollar franchises such as Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and Mega Man. The first version of Street Fighter was actually a side scrolling game where the main player controls Ryu as he competes in a global martial arts tournament, while a second player controls Ken Masters. The two battle through their opponents using a variety of martial arts moves. The release of Street Fighter II: The World Warrior in 1991 introduced the turn-based player versus player combat formula. Players could choose from a roster of fighters with unique fighting styles from around the world, wielded with more skill and complexity than before using a directional pad and hotkeys for special attacks.
Street Fighter’s legacy lives on for generations later, setting the stage for countless games like Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Killer Instinct, and Darkstalkers. Since making a name for itself in the arcades of our youth, the game has been released on multiple gaming platforms accessible through video game consoles and PC. The latest game in the series, Street Fighter 6, is slated for release in 2023. It’s clear that the pioneer of fighting games will never go out of style – and neither will those tattoos featuring all the colorful fighters from the series. Choose your fighter! And may the best fighter win.
ryu
CHUN-LI
AKUMA
M.BISON
KEN MASTER
ZANGIEF
E.HONDA
SAGAT
LIST
DHALSIM
CAMMY
LOGO