My five favorite Street Fighter characters of all time

Street Fighter is one of the oldest and most successful fighting franchises ever. It’s as old as I am, and it’s managed to remain relevant to fans of all generations of the game. In fact, it was the first fighting game I ever owned, and one of the reasons I loved it so much was the colorful cast of characters. Whether it was Dhalsim’s weird stretching abilities, Blanka’s electrifying moves, or Chun Li’s fast-flying kicks, each character is memorable in their own right.

Street Fighter 6 continues the tradition of introducing funky new fighters, but next week fans of the series will see the return of the turbulent wind fighter Rashid, who was first introduced in Street Fighter V. What better moment than to name my favorite Street Fighter characters of all time? Here are five of my favorite characters from over the years.

1. Ken Masters

Let me start by saying that you won’t find Ryu on this list, and it’s not because Ryu isn’t a great character, but in the rivalry of Ken vs. Ryu, I was team Ken all the way. Although they have similar styles, I always liked Ken’s flashy appearance and cocky attitude. Swagger means a lot to me! And as a kid, winning battles with Ken was easier because he was the faster character. Combined with a list of cool moves like his Shoryuken, this guy is just an all-around fun character.

2. Chun-Li

Chun-Li isn’t just the first female character in the series and one of the most iconic characters in any fighting game, but she’s also the character that made me rethink a woman’s place in a fighting game. Seven-year-old me firmly believed this character was a joke because, well...she’s a girl! Imagine my surprise when I started kicking ass—literally—because of her superfast kicks. But it was more than her combat that made her cool to me. I liked Chun-Li’s stage with the little bicycles riding around, and learning her biography made me surprise my mom by asking her what an Interpol officer is.

3. Vega

Vega is a badass ninja with a mask, claws, and tattoos! Alright, maybe he's not really a ninja, but with how speedy he is and the fact that he can even climb on the background cage in some versions, he may as well be. Vega was easily the character I would emulate the most by putting on a random face mask and grabbing some plastic forks from the kitchen counter, which of course, I’d get in trouble for. But even looking back now, the fun I had cosplaying as Vega was worth it. But the best thing about Vega was his stage theme. You’re missing out if you’ve never heard someone play it in the Spanish fingerstyle tradition.

4. Cammy

Alright, I’ll come out and say that I had the biggest crush on Cammy when I was younger. She was my nineties video game girlfriend, and with that outfit, she’s wearing, can you blame me? But looks aside, the Killer Bee could whip some ass. Her offense is fast, and at close range, it’s easy to wail on your opponent, especially if they’re in a corner. With how fast she is, it’s hard for anyone to escape!

5. M. Bison

The prototypical evil mastermind who’s hell-bent on global domination definitely needs an appearance on this list. What’s not to like? Sure, he’s evil, but look at that cool outfit and lightning powers! It wasn't until I was a teen that I learned of the naming controversy involving Mike Tyson; apparently M. Bison is Vega in Japan! Well, whatever you want to call him, every series needs a big bad, and M. Bison was definitely one of the reasons Street Fighter is the goliath franchise it is today.

Street Fighter has great characters from all over the world and, in its own way, may have even been responsible for creating an early love of world travel in my life. It’s great to see this franchise still going strong and making characters that are just as memorable. If you want more Street Fighter, don’t forget to check out my review on Street Fighter 6 here.

💬 Who is your favorite Street Fighter character? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.