Street Fighter II: The World Warrior

Street Fighter II is the gold standard for fighting games, generating $1.5 billion in arcade revenue from 1991 to 1993. It introduced special moves via joystick inputs and sold over 6.3 million copies on SNES. Its one-on-one battle template remains the blueprint for competitive fighters, outperforming #7's turn-based battles in intensity and skill depth. The game's impact spawned dozens of sequels and crossovers, cementing its legacy as the most iconic arcade fighter with a 30% higher tournament presence than any rival.