Street Fighter Alpha Anthology review

One disc with more fighting than you can handle

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Four games for 30 dollars

  • +

    Fantastic control and gameplay

  • +

    Crazy unlockable modes

Cons

  • -

    Bare-bones presentation

  • -

    Trying to play with the PS2 pad

  • -

    SFA3 missing stuff from the PSP version

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

There are so many retro compilations these days, one trip to EB and you could snap a weak Ikea table with stacks of them. Most are filled with totally useless games you never wanted to play in the first place, let alone revisit these days. That makes Street Fighter Alpha Anthology stand out even more. With four full-fledged games that sold for around $40 or $50 each around 10 years ago - that are all still really good, even in 2006 - you can't go wrong here.

Anthology contains four games that were originally released between 1995 and 1998. Looking back, it was a golden period for Capcom's 2D fighting series, and even if you're not hardcore enough to care about the whys and wherefores, this compilation bears fruit you can still easily enjoy.

The original Street Fighter Alpha is a pared-down, basic game - you probably won't spend much time with this one. Street Fighter Alpha 2, on the other hand, is a real refinement of the punchy/kicky formula. A bunch of interesting new characters were thrown into the mix, and gameplay tweaks like the Custom Combos (which allow you to string together random punches and kicks for massive damage) allow you to mix your strategies up to a pleasant degree. It's no surprise, then, that this compilation also contains the director's cut, Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold, an arcade re-release that has a few nips and tucks to the game - further proof that it was a high creative watermark for the series.

More info

GenreFighting
DescriptionThis compliation collects Street Fighter Alpha, two versions of Alpha 2, the fantastic Alpha 3 and Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix.
Franchise nameStreet Fighter
UK franchise nameStreet Fighter
Platform"PS2"
US censor rating"Teen"
UK censor rating""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
More
CATEGORIES
Latest in Fighting
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
A screenshot shows Fatal Fury ninja Mai performing a combat move in Street Fighter 6.
Fatal Fury's top anime girlfriend Mai "bounces" into Street Fighter 6, and her bouncy arrival is driving Capcom to horny madness: "She's giving fierce. She's slaying"
Latest in Reviews
Lenovo Legion Go S with FlyKnight gameplay on screen featuring player character holding bow and arrow with enemy ant in backdrop.
Lenovo Legion Go S Windows 11 review: “my heart aches for this mixed up handheld”
Talisman 5th Edition game components
Talisman 5th Edition review: "The characterful imperfections of the original game remain clear to see "
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K25 review: "A colossal package even if you never go anywhere near Virtual Currency"
Altered: Trial by Frost booster box and packs on a playmat
Altered: Trial by Frost review - "Satisfying enough to offer highly varied gameplay"
Three SteelSeries QcK Performance mouse pads on a wooden desk
I didn't expect to prefer a coarser mouse pad, but SteelSeries' new QcK Performance range has changed my mind
Boro and Alta sit on a bench together in Wanderstop
Wanderstop review: "Exalting the transformative power of tea"