Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Battlefield 6
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2025
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Neo Geo Mini arcade machine with Mai on screen in backdrop.
Retro The Neo Geo Mini is one of my favorite tiny arcade machines, and it's keeping my Friday night fighting game sessions alive
Official product image of a display of three amiibo cards layed out over a pink GamesRadar+ background.
Toys & Collectibles I'm gonna need to invest in a bigger ring binder as the new wave of Street Fighter 6 amiibo cards have landed
Street Fighter 6
Action Movies This shadow is the first 'look' we have of WWE champion Cody Rhodes as Guile in the Street Fighter movie and, yes, the haircut is on point
Street Fighter II arcade game character select screen
Action Movies Street Fighter movie delays release date as it invites everyone to choose their fighter with retro character select cast announcement
A screenshot of a fight during Street Fighter 6 (Switch 2 edition), one of the best Switch 2 games to play.
Action Movies First look at Chun-Li in the Street Fighter movie makes me think this is going to be pretty good, actually
C. Viper in Street Fighter 6
Fighting Games A "genre-defining visual novel" for Super Nintendo in Japan is making a comeback as a Street Fighter 6 bonus, and I hope we've got a Fire Emblem in Super Smash Bros situation on our hands
50 Cent as Kanan in Power
Action Movies Street Fighter movie's Balrog gets an exciting first look, as 50 Cent unveils his game-perfect haircut in new training video
Tekken 8 screenshot
Fighting Games The 25 best fighting games you can play right now
DreamMix TV World Fighters box art
Fighting Games Bandai Namco trademark could hint at a new crossover fighting game that shares a name with a forgotten Smash Bros-like featuring Bomberman, Metal Gear's Solid Snake, and Optimus Prime
Noah Centineo as Owen in The Recruit
Action Movies Netflix star is unrecognizable in first look at Ken Masters in live-action Street Fighter movie
Street Fighter 6 screenshot
Movies Street Fighter movie release date speculation, cast, plot, and everything else we know about the upcoming video game movie
Spider-Man, Storm, Ghost Rider, and Iron Man team up in Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls
Fighting Games Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls makes some wild changes from the tag fighting games that have come before, teasing a single health bar per team and 3 assist options for every character
Jason Momoa as Ka'iana in Chief of War
Action Movies Jason Momoa promises, "There's no one better to play Blanka" in Street Fighter than Jason Momoa
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero
Fighting Games "It's not over yet": As the Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero roster reaches 208 characters, Bandai Namco teases that "the next DLC is already in the pipeline" with details to come in January
virtua fighter screenshot showing a closeup of a man being kicked in the face
Fighting Games "How have we seen more footage for Kingdom Hearts 4": Sega claims coveted worst show award at Tokyo Game Show with a Virtua Fighter talk that "could've been an email"
  1. Games
  2. Fighting
  3. Street Fighter 5

A visual history of Street Fighter 2's world warriors

Features
By Lucas Sullivan, Maxwell McGee published 12 June 2015

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Nearly 30 years in the business, still wearing the same clothes

Nearly 30 years in the business, still wearing the same clothes

It's astounding just how much Street Fighter 2 got right. The controls are tight, the graphics are crisp (even now, provided you appreciate pixels), and the music is interminably catchy. But perhaps its biggest triumph is its roster, which started out at a mere eight fighters. For a fighting game to thrive, players need to feel truly invested in their chosen character, establishing the kind of deep connection that can carry across multiple games and even decades. SF2 put forth the kind of designs that are still iconic and appealing almost 30 years later.

Take a trip with us down memory lane as we examine how the original World Warriors stayed the same, even as game platforms and graphics were changing. Be sure to maximize each image (by clicking the little 'expand' icon in the upper right) for the full effect, because it's incredible to see these subtle evolutions up close. With Street Fighter 5 on the horizon, let's take a look back at the legendary fighters who got us here.

Special thanks to The Fighters Generation for the sprites and Slateman for the backgrounds.

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
Ryu

Ryu

Ryu is a paradox, given that he's a nondescript leading man who's somehow unforgettable. It's got to be his plain-yet-immediately-recognizable outfit, which (like the design of so many national flags) consists of only three bold colors. This makes him about as visually interesting as a crash test dummy - especially next to some of Street Fighter's oddballs like Necro or Sodom - but his modest appearance matches his nomadic lifestyle and detachment from notions like glory or fame. Ryu is a World Warrior in every sense, traveling the globe with a singular focus: become stronger.

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
E. Honda

E. Honda

Despite the fact that Honda's always hundred-hand slapping opponents or torpedoing his entire body at them headfirst, he's actually a pretty nice guy. Sumo wrestling is as much about tradition (like the real-world practice of tossing salt before a match) and prestige as it is two large dudes slamming into each other, and ol' Edmond fights for the honor of his beloved sport rather than any directly self-serving means. His gigantic eyebrows and red, kabuki-style facepaint make him look intimidating, but Honda's all smiles outside of the ring. He's also absurdly muscular for a sumo wrestler - or any human being, really - which looks even more exaggerated given his hunched, low-to-the-ground fighting stance.

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
Blanka

Blanka

It's a fact: kids love Blanka. Don't believe me? Just take a look back at some of the old Street Fighter products and advertisements and you'll see a recurring trend: Blanka is everywhere. A cross between a gorilla and the Jolly Green Giant, this Brazilian beast is the ultimate Street Fighter wild card. Ryu? Chun-Li? Guile? They could almost pass for everyday people. Not Blanka; he's one-of-a-kind, and that made him the de facto poster boy (poster beast?) for Street Fighter 2. If you knew anything about video games in the '90s, and you saw this guy's smiling face rolling your way, you knew exactly what game was being advertised.

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
Guile

Guile

It all starts with the hair. Guile's pristinely trimmed, impossibly large flat top is his most notable trademark, besides his stalwart patriotism and passion for being a family man. He seems to suffer from 'Resting Soldier's Frown Face' (or RSFF as it's known in the medical community), though it's hard to blame the guy: he lost his Air Force buddy Charlie Nash to the evil machinations of M. Bison's Shadaloo. Now he travels the world searching for any clue related to Charlie's supposed death, taking the time to hurl Sonic Booms, comb his blonde mane, and whip on a pair of sunglasses mid-fistfight wherever he goes.

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
Ken

Ken

Ken Masters is that cool older cousin or fun uncle you had growing up. He's got a sweet sports car, a smokin' hot stable-and-monogamous relationship with his wife, and that blistering red gi which he probably dyed himself. While Ryu has always been the Street Fighter straightman, Ken isn't afraid to let his hair down and bring some style to the fight. Or at the very least crack a smile. However, his easygoing demeanor belies a forceful and finely-tuned fighter who is every bit Ryu's equal - as seen in the two black belts they share.

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
Chun-Li

Chun-Li

If all law enforcers took as much pride in a sense of justice as Chun-Li, the world would be a better place. She may not dress like your typical Interpol agent - what with those spiked bracelets and Princess Leia-esque hair buns - but she takes her job to serve and protect seriously as she searches for her father's killers. And if you're in need of motivation when doing leg presses at the gym, just imagine how grand life would be if you had the same kind of sturdy, tremendous thigh muscles as Chun-Li. If you want to high-kick hundreds of times in the blink of an eye, you're going to need some serious lower body strength.

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
Zangief

Zangief

Zangief's character design tells a story, one of struggle and triumph in the Russian wilderness. The pronounced scars on his legs, arms, and back are a testament his grueling bear-wrestling training regimen that has molded him into such a destructive warrior. His inhumanly large muscles display his resolve and dedication to becoming a grappler without equal. And finally, that mohawk and beard reveal that the big guy is not without a sense of humor - or, at the very least, was a fan of The A-Team growing up. Just don't say anything negative about his glorious homeland of Mother Russia, unless you want to go for a ride in a Spinning Piledriver.

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
Dhalsim

Dhalsim

One of the most striking aspects of Dhalsim's design is also one of the most contradictory. Dhalsim is himself a yoga master and a pacifist, though he routinely goes against that belief to help raise money for his village in underground fighting tournaments. So if fire-spitting Stretch Armstrong is such an enlightened warrior, why does he wear a necklace of human skulls!? Nothing says 'Zen' like three dead people hanging around your neck. Maybe it's for the intimidation factor - I mean, the poor guy does fight a Russian bear-wrestler and a Brazilian monster-man. Whatever the case, it has endured as a bold fashion accessory to this day.

Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PlayStation PS4 Platforms
Maxwell McGee
Maxwell McGee
Maxwell grew up on a sleepy creekbank deep in the South. His love for video games has taken him all the way to the West Coast and beyond.
See more PC Gaming Features
Read more
Street Fighter 6
This shadow is the first 'look' we have of WWE champion Cody Rhodes as Guile in the Street Fighter movie and, yes, the haircut is on point
 
 
Street Fighter II arcade game character select screen
Street Fighter movie delays release date as it invites everyone to choose their fighter with retro character select cast announcement
 
 
A screenshot of a fight during Street Fighter 6 (Switch 2 edition), one of the best Switch 2 games to play.
First look at Chun-Li in the Street Fighter movie makes me think this is going to be pretty good, actually
 
 
C. Viper in Street Fighter 6
A "genre-defining visual novel" for Super Nintendo in Japan is making a comeback as a Street Fighter 6 bonus, and I hope we've got a Fire Emblem in Super Smash Bros situation on our hands
 
 
50 Cent as Kanan in Power
Street Fighter movie's Balrog gets an exciting first look, as 50 Cent unveils his game-perfect haircut in new training video
 
 
Tekken 8 screenshot
The 25 best fighting games you can play right now
 
 
Latest in Fighting
Karl Urban as Johnny Cage is ready to fight in the Mortal Kombat 2 trailer
Mortal Kombat co-creator says the movie sequel's opening has made him cry every single time he's watched it: "It punches you in the face"
 
 
A screenshot from the Kirby Air Riders reveal trailer, showing Kirby waving to the camera.
After conquering YouTube, Kirby and Super Smash Bros' Masahiro Sakurai is now getting a 160-page manga about his life and art
 
 
2XKO trailer still of Vi fighter reveal
Even after 14 years of League of Legends, fighting game 2XKO can do little but make me think of the games I wish Riot was still making instead
 
 
Adeline Rudolph as Kitana in Mortal Kombat 2
Mortal Kombat 2 is as much about Kitana as it is about Johnny Cage: "They go in and out of each other throughout the movie"
 
 
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero
"It's not over yet": As the Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero roster reaches 208 characters, Bandai Namco teases that "the next DLC is already in the pipeline" with details to come in January
 
 
jynx in 2xko weilding a big hammer with a smirk on her face
2XKO director says players should know the LoL fighting game "might not be good" at everything at first, but Riot will "address it" – "We're going to make mistakes"
 
 
Latest in Features
Jack Black in A Minecraft Movie
A Minecraft Movie 2 release date, cast, plot, and everything else we know so far about the block-tastic sequel
 
 
A close-up shot of Ganondorf leaning on his hand in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment's Zonai contraptions empowers Zelda's allies in the best way possible, and I'm excited by how much has changed
 
 
Wind Waker
As The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary looms, I'm begging Nintendo to stop ignoring its greatest run of Zelda games and make this generation's Ocarina of Time
 
 
Indy the dog in Good Boy
Good Boy made me realize I've judged horror fans who fuss over furry on-screen stars too hard, and now I've found 9 more scary movie dogs that prove them right
 
 
A space ship landing on a beautiful tropical planet in No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky's biggest problem in 2025 is being too good, and now I'm trapped in a vicious cycle
 
 
Aaron Paul's character Robert Robertson in Dispatch, stood holding a dog in an elevator filled with strange superheroes
Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul has "always wanted" to be in a game, but The Boys-esque superhero comedy Dispatch was the first truly irresistible role: "Nothing really felt like the right fit"
 
 
  1. Ball x Pit
    1
    Ball x Pit review: "Vampire Survivors and Breakout collide in this brilliant roguelike ball basher that struggles with repetition"
  2. 2
    Pokemon Legends: Z-A review: "Fast fluid real-time fights and a world worth exploring make this finally feel like the anime come to life"
  3. 3
    Little Nightmares 3 review: "An overly safe, uneven, and half-baked follow-up where co-op is a hindrance instead of the evolution it should've been"
  4. 4
    With a new season on the way, is Blood Bowl's second edition still worth a look?
  5. 5
    Battlefield 6 review: "More refined than innovative, this FPS is on target with multiplayer even if its campaign is just a big shrug"
  1. Tron: Ares
    1
    Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"
  2. 2
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  3. 3
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  4. 4
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  5. 5
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  1. Splinter Cell Deathwatch
    1
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"
  2. 2
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"
  3. 3
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"
  4. 4
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  5. 5
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...