The Street Fighter series seems to be doing well these days and with the release of Akuma, the hype is more than ever. I found Street Fighter 6 a great fighting game, but it seems to be missing a certain charm and I couldn’t figure out why. But then I replayed Street Fighter 3 Third Strike and the answer to my ‘why?’ was answered in mere seconds.
Key Takeaways
Street Fighter 3 Third Strike is the classic experience we all fighting game lovers grew up with, but it isn’t just nostalgia that makes us love this game. The game itself has much to offer.
The Greatest To Ever Exist
Street Fighter 3 Third Strike is not just the best Street Fighter game in the series, but it is also considered the best fighting game of all time. Many big names in the Fighting Game Community(FGC) seem to agree that Street Fighter 3 Third Strike is the best fighting game they have ever played
It has been an anchor for unique systems and mechanics that are even used in modern fighting games. The parry mechanic where you press forward just as the enemy attack or projectile hits creates a skill ceiling that even the hardest fighting games can not provide.
Tekken might be considered the hardest game to learn, but Street Fighter Third Strike’s skill requirement is no joke either. If you ask anyone which fighting game is the most difficult, they will answer Tekken or King of Fighters 13. But when asked about the best play in the history of fighting games, the only answer is the Daigo parry against Justin Wong at the 2004 EVO of Street Fighter 3 Third Strike.
Street Fighter 3 Third Strike creates the potential to make plays that have never been seen before. If I play the game today even after having 2000 hours in it, I will discover something new every day.
Perfect Aesthetic
The gameplay isn’t the reason why the game is still played today and is fun. The art style adds a lot to the game too. Its beautiful anime-style visuals seem to be timeless and still look good. I always find myself impressed with the vibrant and lively stages of the game.
The presentation of effects and the character’s animations still hold up against modern fighting games. The overall soundtrack, in general, sounds great and matches the aesthetic of the game very well.
The character designs are well made too, each representing their archetypes and the country they are from perfectly. For a game this old, they are quite detailed and feels like the developers put great effort into them.
The Feel
Whenever I play the game, I feel like the buttons in this game are more fun. Movement is responsive, every button is meaningful and you just can’t stop.
No matter what character you pick, its movement and combos feel refined. Whenever I try to learn a new character, I just cant let go of them because of the way they handle and how satisfying it is to pull off combos or hard-to-execute moves.
There is this certain feeling of pressing buttons that I do not get when I play other fighting games. The pacing of the game and the fact that most buttons and basic moves of characters are viable make this game fun no matter what character you play and learn.
Even the low-tier characters such as Q feel great when playing them. The game is balanced around making rounds more fun to play rather than favoring the meta-characters or players with the most skill.
It is really difficult to find fighting games today that focus on fun rather than the competitive aspect.
The 3rd Chapter So What’s It Gon’ Be?
Street Fighter 3 Third Strike still has a good amount of players playing and learning the game every day. The fact that Street Fighter Third Strike will be featured in this year’s EVO proves that this game is far from dead and will continue to be the masterpiece that Capcom released in the series.
So just wake up Shoryuken your way to the top or have a session with your friends and experience the best the series has to offer.
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Meet Ayesha, a business student and a Game Guides writer whose passion for gaming knows no bounds. With a keen interest in simulation and RPG genres like Disney Dreamlight Valley, Starfield, and Final Fantasy Series, she’s been sharing her expertise at VeryAli Gaming for a year now, enhancing the gaming experience for players worldwide. Check out what Ayesha likes to play on her Steam.
