Game music of the day: Street Fighter Alpha 2 - Sakura's theme

Welcome to GamesRadar's daily blast of all things pertaining to the ever-growing field of game music. Each post will introduce new sounds, games, composers and fan-made remixes of gaming's greatest aural achievements.

April 29, 2010

Game: Street Fighter Alpha 2, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo

Song: Theme of Sakura

Composer: Setsuo Yamamoto and Shun Nishigaki


Above: Sakura's theme from her debut in Street Fighter Alpha 2

While anyone can enjoy the universal appeal of Sakura's lively melody, itcan be most trulybe appreciatedbythose who love the character herself, because it fits so perfectly with Sakura's personality. Just like Sakura, her theme is energetic and sincere. It gives it 100%, without any gimmick or pretense. True fans know thatwhatmakes Sakura special is that there isn't anything special about her -she'sjust an average girlwho fought her way to the top through pure hard work and determination.

Since Alpha 2, Sakura's theme has appeared inalmost every gameshe's been in,from SuperGem Fighter Mini Mixto Street Fighter IV. The strong melody is what makes Sakura's theme stand out, so it's difficult to pickwhich particular arrangement is the best, but I fell in love with this song when I unlocked thevocal version from Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo.


Above: Vocal track from Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, "I Want You to Know" (lyrics and translationhere)


Above: Sakura is a kind person, but she shows no mercy in battle. Also, Chun-Li is a crybaby

Game music of the day: Loaded
Track 5, highly catchy electronic music


Versus mode by Nagao, Tsukamoto and Hikichi


Credits music by Shimomura, Abe and Lyla

GamesRadarCarolynGudmundson
Life is nature's way of keeping meat fresh.
Latest in Fighting
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. creator says instead of making more "Americanized works," Japanese devs should "seek the uniqueness and fun of Japanese games"
Minecraft characters Alex and Steve riding in mine carts in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, being chased by Bowser Jr..
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate villain Minecraft Steve is the star of the "best Smash clip of all time," as genius player makes a literal Trojan Horse to destroy an unsuspecting opponent
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS key art.
Masahiro Sakurai says Super Smash Bros "might have died out" if not for late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata: "There's no doubt that he influenced me in many ways"
Mortal Kombat 2 3DO
After 32 years, Mortal Kombat 2 has finally been ported to the one hyper-expensive '90s console that could actually do it justice
jinx in 2xko weilding a big hammer with a smirk on her face
The League of Legends fighting game spin-off won't be getting its big playtest, but that's so that more of you can play it later this year
Retro Gamer
Retro Gamer celebrates Capcom’s greatest fighting games
Latest in Features
Kill Team: Blood and Zeal box on a wooden surface
Kill Team: Blood and Zeal pre-orders just went live, and I wish other Warhammer games were this weird
Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
DC June 2025 solicitations: 10 must-have comics to pre-order this month
Flow
Flow won big as this year's Oscars underdog against Pixar and Netflix, and it's proof of the power of storytelling over dialogue
Yasuke riding through a village looking for Knowledge in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows' prologue is the most gripping in franchise history, but I'm fixated on the tiny details
Naoe blends in among lush trees in Assassin's Creed Shadows while observing Amagasaki Castle from a rooftop perch
After 18 years Assassin's Creed Shadows cracks the ultimate stealth loop with its deliciously dense castles
Naoe perched in front of a castle in Assassin's Creed Shadows
I've spent 20 hours in Assassin's Creed Shadows chasing drip and decor, and it's proving to be my biggest source of motivation in the RPG