Button mashing. Epic juggle combos. Crowds roaring as pixelated health bars drain during the final clash. The thrill of fighting games is unmatched in all of gaming. And when it comes to all-time legendary franchises, Street Fighter and Tekken sit atop the throne.
As someone who grew up pumping quarters into arcade cabinets, I‘ve seen firsthand how these series elevated gaming. Street Fighter II and Tekken 3 defined many childhood afternoons for me and friends. And decades later, seeing new games announced gives me the same rush of excitement reliving those memories.
If you‘ve ever been curious about either franchise but too intimidated to try them, allow me to elaborate on why they remain untouchable. This guide will break down their storied histories, mechanics, competitive scenes, and what excites longtime fans like myself about upcoming sequels. Fight on!
Quick Histories – Building Lasting Legacies
Before analyzing what defines their gameplay, let‘s reflect on the creative origins making Street Fighter and Tekken cultural icons.
Street Fighter – Perfected on a Second Chance
Street Fighter traces its lineage to Capcom designer Takashi Nishiyama, who helmed 1984 martial arts game Kung Fu Master. Inspired by 1970s kung fu films, he devised early concepts for a fighting game using pressure sensitive pads.
This coalesced into the original Street Fighter arcade game in 1987. It featured Ryu and Ken in a globetrotting fighting tournament. Unfortunately, clunky controls using bulky pads proved largely unpopular.
But Capcom saw untapped potential and tasked designers Akira Nishitani and Akira Yasuda with reinventing the series. Using classic hand-drawn anime aesthetics, they birthed Street Fighter II in 1991 – the progenitor of combo-driven competitive fighting.
Introducing the genre‘s first eight directional joystick control, SF2 allowed executing special moves via button commands. This birthed the fireball and dragon punch mechanics Ryu and Ken are now famous for. It also established fight convention mainstays – rounds, timers, blocking, projectiles, even bonus stages.
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Street Fighter II‘s character select screen – Credit: Capcom
Successive Super Street Fighter II entries then refined balance and competitive depth further. To this day, its roster and mechanics represent fighting game gospel. All of this primed Street Fighter to become both a multi-billion dollar franchise and center of pop culture.
Tekken – Arcade Dynasty Built By a Rival‘s Alumni
Shortly after SF2‘s explosion, Sega AM2 developer Yu Suzuki spearheaded arcade 3D fighter Virtua Fighter in 1993. It used texture mapped polygon models against 2D backgrounds with differing planes.
At rival company Namco, Virtua Fighter‘s planner Katsuhiro Harada aimed to evolve their format. Harada and his team developed Tekken as an internal tech demo for Namco‘s System 11 boards. It ran seamlessly, prompting execs to approve a full arcade release in 1994.
The original Tekken game had eight fighters with realistic movesets based on actual martial arts. Sidestepping into the screen‘s background layers added new evasive movement options. Tekken distinguished itself further with throwing and HOLD catch systems for counter offense.
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Tekken 2‘s character select screen – Credit: Namco
Much like SF2, Tekken was a landmark arcade title before becoming a PlayStation must-have. Selling over 1 million copies, its sequels saw vast improvements in graphics, animation, and 3D arenas. Extensive home console modes also emerged, like customization and beat-em-up scenarios.
Now on its eighth main installment in 2023, Tekken sits proudly among fighting royalty. Its gameplay innovation has matched Street Fighter‘s longevity through reinventing itself without losing identity. And with over 53.5 million sales, its following keeps growing.
Core Mechanics – What Defines The Gameplay?
Under the flashy character designs lies nuanced mechanics that built fervent fanbases over decades. Let‘s analyze the systems that make Street Fighter and Tekken distinctly satisfying.
Street Fighter – King of 2D Combat Finesse
On the surface, Street Fighter involves two opponents using an array of limb strikes, grabs, and unique moves to drain their enemy‘s health bar best 2-out-of-3 rounds. This creates situations akin to an animated martial arts film.
But veteran players understand tides shift depending on controlling "real estate" on screen. Proficient use of projectiles pressures enemies into disadvantage while creating openings. This makes play feel like an elegant, razor-close waltz in space rather than a slugfest.
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Zoning with projectiles while punishing overextensions is key. Credit: Capcom
Mastery comes from exploiting positional habits or reflexes by baiting and punishing. Reading an adversary even once brings matches to fever pitches. Such intense mind games fused with demanding dexterity solidified Street Fighter‘s prestige.
Subsequent entries then added more systems like Super meters for powered up specials or EX moves. Players manage meters whether spending on stronger attacks or saving for reversals when pressured. Further enriching already profound head games.
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For instance, Street Fighter 6 brings a revolutionary "Modern Control" scheme opening complex moves to all. Specified attack buttons make Dragon Punch motions effortless, which veterans leverage for explosive rushdown pressure:
| Move Title | Old Input | SF6 Input |
| Hadoken | ↓↘→ + Punch | Neutral Punch |
| Shoryuken | →↓↘ + Punch | Forward Punch |
This philosophy of innovation while retaining identity is why Street Fighter persists in popularity. Those seeking demanding reflex challenges need look no further.
Tekken – 3D Brawling Distilled To A Science
Where Street Fighter duels often start at distance, Tekken throws players instantly within striking reach. Without traditional projectiles, aggressive rushdown is the norm as opponents try enforcing mistakes in defense. Sidestep dodges create chances for launchers punishing idled foes too.
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Juggling airborne enemies allows inflicted greater damage. Credit: Bandai Namco
Mastery comes from recognizing every attack‘s properties to punish errors optimally while covering gaps in one‘s own frame data. A single misstep often leads to explosive damage through juggle combos – Tekken‘s signature heart-stopping moments.
New mechanics expanded the skill ceiling further too. "Rage" strengthens characters at critical health levels, bringing tide-turning power boosts. Meanwhile, floors break if combo damage thresholds met, adding new combo routes.
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In-game data lets players analyze frame data. Credit: Bandai Namco
Committed players even leverage the vast move libraries of each fighter. Recent games provide encyclopedia-level references on start-up speeds, damage, and more. This allows dissecting finer gameplay nuances to a science. Such wealth keeps devoted communities unraveling secrets over 25 years later.
While move list lengths intimidate newcomers, robust tutorials accelerate skill building better than any fighter before. Those seeking elbows-out brawls with savage payoffs will get their fill many times over.
Still Going Strong – Buoyant Competitive Scenes
Both Street Fighter and Tekken remain integral parts of the greater fighting game community. Let‘s break down why their pro circuits continue thriving after so long.
Street Fighter – Three Decades of Tournament Prestige
Shortly after the Street Fighter II phenomenon, Japanese arcade meetups set the stage for formalized tournaments in the early 1990s. As enthusiasts networked globally, major events like Battle by the Bay or Tougeki flowered support for pro circuits.
By the mid 90s, hallmark tournament EVO (then known as Battle by the Bay) began in 1996. Expanding from dozens to over 4,000 participants by the early 2000s, it became fighting games‘ de facto world championship.
In 2004, Daigo Umehara‘s legendary full parry comeback against Justin Wong put EVO on the map. The electric crowd reaction to Umehara‘s pixel perfect reflexes gave the scene mainstream attention.
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Daigo Umehara‘s EVO 2004 parry is one of gaming‘s most iconic moments. Credit: EVO
Now with Twitch broadcasts and six-figure prize purses, EVO‘s viewership broke records in 2022. Over 60,000 watched Street Fighter V finals online while 15,000 attended in person – incredible given the scene started as arcade gatherings!
This grassroots foundation turned global phenomenon keeps pro circuits thriving today. Top players like Bonchan or Tokido have become celebrities on par with traditional athletes thanks to devoted organizers and fans.
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Enthusiastic crowds at EVO Japan 2022. Credit EVO
Tekken Still Peak Competitive After 25 Years
Funnily enough, Tekken and Street Fighter shared their indie arcade origins in the 1990s launching pro circuits. Local Tekken Juggernaut tournaments eventually coalesced into international matches by the early 2000s.
However, Bandai Namco‘s support formalizing things as Tekken hit bigger success proved a turning point. Codified rules and structure allowed regional qualifiers producing consistent top talent. This culminated in pay-per-view events like King of Iron Fist or the Tekken Pro Championship.
Sponsorship of individual players at events brought fighters greater mainstream celebration too. For instance, 2019 Tekken 7 EVO champion Arslan Ash signed with Red Bull as the Pakistan scene boomed.
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Arslan Ash‘s aggressive style won Tekken numerous EVO titles. Credit: EVO
Incredibly, Tekken seems bigger than ever in 2023. Record 200,000 viewers tuned into the Tekken World Tour Finals in 2022. A $200,000 prize pool and slick production values display Bandai Namco‘s commitment to the scene at unprecedented levels.
Considering creator Katsuhiro Harada‘s promises to keep supporting Tekken 8 post-launch, competition looks to thrive further still.
The Next Battle Awaits!
For those new to either franchise, their prestige comes from mechanically challenging yet creatively rich gameplay. All while building some of gaming‘s most passionately supported competitive circles.
Street Fighter and Tekken rightfully earned their places as historic ambassadors expanding fighting games globally. Everything from anime cameos to Hollywood movie rights display these series‘ profound cultural impacts.
And with exciting sequels arriving in 2023, their friendly rivalry opens new chapters. Early reception hails SF6 and Tekken 8 as refreshing evolutions urging veterans to adapt. But robust tutorials also provide avenues for scores of new fans to be forged.
So whether you grew up with these legends like myself or aim to just pick them up, there‘s never been a more welcoming time to join their iconic legacies! Their continued developments almost guarantee fighting game excellence for decades more.
Now enough talking – time to perfect my Akuma! See you online!
