Street Fighter" is a series of fighting games that evolved in Japan. Each character has its own fighting technique, and fighters hail from a variety of places across the globe. Combat styles include wrestling, boxing, martial arts, and a plethora of less organized (and less regulated) techniques. In each game, two fighters meet and engage in combat, pitting their own fighting styles against another, often very different, style. This is one of the best selling games of all time and a number of sequels and spin-offs have been created across a range of platforms.
When buying "Street Fighter" collector’s items it is important to understand the history of the game and its sequels, the main characters involved, and the type of collector’s items available. These items can be purchased from hobby and game shops, or from other collectors through secondary markets like eBay.
The History of Street Fighter
From its inception in the late 1980s, "Street Fighter" has seen many different incarnations.
"Street Fighter"
Comcast released the original arcade game, designed by Takashi Nishiyama and Hiroshi Matsumoto, in August 1987. Gamers play as Ryu, a karate master, and victory depends on skill, not the weapons or fighting techniques used. If a second player wants to join the action, he or she comes into the game as Ryu’s American sparring partner, Ken. A karate duel follows and the winner (Ken or Ryu) continues the game. Special moves included the Hadouken fireball and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, or the wave motion fist fireball and the tornado whirlwind kick. These moves are executed by special button combinations on the game controls.
Additional characters in the original game included Adon, Birdie, Eagle, Geki, Gen, Joe, Lee, Mike, Retsu, and Sagat. The game was released for PC in 1988, and later for PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.
"Street Fighter II: The World Warrior"
The first sequel in the "Street Fighter series," "Street Fighter II: The World Warrior," was released in arcades in 1991. This version of the game was designed by Comcast’s Akira Nishitani and Akira Yasuda and features eight different characters that players can choose from, with seven very different fighting styles:
- Martial arts masters Ken and Ryu;
- Sumo wrestler Edmond Honda;
- Russian wrestler Vodka Gobalsky (later renamed Zangief);
- Fast and acrobatic Chun-Li;
- Indian warrior Dhalsim;
- U.S. soldier Guile; and
- Beast-man Blanka.
The second installment in the "Street Fighter" series carries on with the tournament-style format of the previous game, with the challengers being part of the Shadaloo criminal organization. Players have to beat seven opponents before moving on to three of the organization’s lieutenants (Vega, Balrog, and Sagat) and finally the ruler, M. Bison. Revisions of this title include:
- "Street Fighter II: Champion Edition;"
- "Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting;"
- "Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers," with Native American Geronimo (later changed to T. Hawk), English special agent Cammy, Bruce Lee homage Fei Long, and a Fei Long clone (later replaced with capoeira master Dee Jay); and
- "Super Street Fighter II Turbo," featuring hidden character Akuma.
The success of the various "Street Fighter II" arcade games gave rise to the production and release of films and comic books, an anime feature and animated series, and toys and a collectible card game.
Home versions of the game were released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and for PCs. Later home versions included SEGA Genesis, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, PlayStation and PlayStation 2, SEGA Saturn, and Xbox. In addition, the game can be downloaded for mobile phones.
"Street Fighter Alpha"
The three Alpha games give the "Street Fighter" series continuity with additional characters and fleshed out background stories, and introduce brighter colored, anime-style graphics. Released between 1995 and 1998, new characters include:
- Charlie (also known as Nash in Japan), Guile’s friend;
- Dan;
- Evil Ryu;
- Haggar;
- Ingrid;
- Juni and Juli;
- Karin;
- Sakura;
- Precog Rose, nemesis of M. Bison; and
- Dan Hibiki, a wimp wearing a pink gi.
Birdie, Gen, Eagle, and Adon make a comeback, with guest appearances from Guy, Sodom, Rolento, Maki, and Cody Travers from the "Final Fight" games.
Home versions of "Street Fighter Alpha" were developed for PlayStation and PlayStation Portable, SEGA Saturn, Game Boy, Super NES, Windows, and Dreamcast.
"Street Fighter EX"
"Street Fighter EX" was released in 1996 for PlayStation and featured the series’ first 3D gameplay. Versions include "EX Plus" and "EX Plus Alpha," and new characters Ace, Sakura, Doctrine Dark, Cycloid-B, and Skullomania appear for the first time.
"Street Fighter III"
"Street Fighter III: New Generation" was released in arcades in 1997, with a nearly full cast of new characters. The only familiar faces are those of Ryu and Ken. The tournament organizing villain in the third series is Gill, a new final boss. New characters include:
- Trainee ninja Ibuki;
- Boxer Dudley;
- Capoeira specialist Elena;
- Wrestler Alex;
- Hugo;
- Makoto;
- Necro;
- Oro;
- Poison;
- Remy;
- Sean;
- Twelve;
- Urien;
- Q; and
- Yun and Yang.
The second and third games in the third series are named "Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact" and "Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike." Console versions were developed for Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.
"Street Fighter IV"
"Street Fighter IV" was distributed to arcades in 2008. The storyline is set somewhere between series two and three, with six new characters. "Super Street Fighter IV" saw the light in 2009, introducing ten additional characters. Characters introduced in the fourth installment include:
- Abel;
- Viper;
- El Fuerte;
- Gouken;
- Hakan;
- Juri;
- Oni;
- Rufus; and
- Seth.
Home versions were released for PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360, and Windows PC.
Buying "Street Fighter" Collectibles
Collecting can be an interesting, fun hobby. Experienced collectors warn that it may become addictive after time, but the enjoyment one gets from it makes the addiction worthwhile. However, the items one collects should be of such a nature that their personal value is higher than their monetary value as the market value of items may fluctuate.
One should be aware of factors that affect the value of collectible items in order to ensure that one pays a fair price for each item in one’s collection. Items like comics and trading cards can be graded by third party professionals in order to establish the condition of each item. Of course, an item that is undamaged and in excellent condition will fetch a better price than a soiled or damaged item. Figurines should be free of scratches and cracks, and items should be stored and displayed out of direct light (including strong artificial light).
Before buying, one should do careful research to ensure that one pays a fair asking price for every item. Limited edition or rare items are generally more valuable than those that are easy to come by. Limited edition items are often numbered or have a certificate of authenticity, and only a certain number items were made.
Finding "Street Fighter" Collector’s Items on eBay
A range of " Street Fighter " collector’s items can be found in eBay’s Collectibles department, across various categories. Doing a general search for "Street Fighter" will yield a list of search results. Simply choose the most appropriate department from those listed to find the item you are looking for. Alternatively, use advanced search to increase or decrease the number of search results returned. Don’t forget to check eBay Storesfor additional listings
Know Your Seller
Before you commit to a purchase on eBay, take a moment to get to know the seller. eBay seller feedback is designed to let you see what other buyers have to say about particular sellers’ products and service. Use this information, as well as the number of sales completed, to form an opinion of what you can expect from a seller. You can find this information by clicking on the number next to the seller’s username. Further, take a moment to check the terms and conditions of sale, including the seller’s accepted payment methods, shipping and handling charges, and returns and exchange policy (if any). Some sellers offer free shipping, and some have exchange policies like regular retailers. If you have any questions about a listing, click on the "Ask a Question" link to contact the seller.
Conclusion
"Street Fighter" is an iconic series of combat tournament games developed in Japan. The series first appeared in arcades in 1987. Characters have their own unique fighting styles, including martial arts, capoeira, wrestling, and boxing. This series is one of the top sellers of all time, spawning a number of spin-off games, films, and sequels. Buying "Street Fighter" collector’s items requires a good working knowledge of the history of the game series, including the characters introduced in each series, and the type of items available to collect. One should always do thorough research before buying to ensure that one gets a fair asking price, and one should be aware of what characteristics to look out for when it comes to collector’s items. eBay offers a range of different items, guaranteed to fit the pocket and collection of every hobbyist.
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