Tier List
Noryangjin Jungin Tier list
Tier S: Guile, M.Bison(Dictator)
Tier A+: Sagat, Vega(Claw), Ryu
Tier A: Dhalsim, Ken
Tier B: Blanka
Tier C: E.Honda
Tier D: Chun-Li, Zangief
Tier F: Balrog(Boxer)
1992 Japan Historical Tier List
XMania 1 and Gamest Mook
- Dictator
- Guile
- Sagat
- Claw
- Dhalsim
- Blanka
- Ryu
- Honda
- Boxer
- Ken
- Chun Li
- Zangief
General Tier List
As in every fighting game, there are chars that are better than others or even chars more suitable to defeat certain opponents than others. Some are better overall because they have a good mix of speed, strength and moves and some are worse due to the lack of these features. Tier lists are somewhat a personal thing but in old games like CE there is a certain consensus about who are the top/bottom chars.
| Top Tier | Mid Tier | Low Tier |
|---|---|---|
|
Guile M Bison (Dictador) Ryu Sagat |
Blanka Dhalsim Ken Vega (Claw) |
Balrog (Boxer) Chun Li E Honda Zangief |
As said, tier lists are very personal. A more detailed list can be found in the old documents from Jonathan Deitch, based on knowledge found in alt.games.sf2 boards. This info, altough early OG treatments about the game's nature, reflects an incredibly accurate representation of SF2CE match ups, still to this day. This list will be adopted for further char-specific match up discussion.
Secrets
- Golden Hadouken: a fiery Hadouken that sometimes comes out in place of the normal blue/white ones. It happens randomly with both Ryu and Ken and has the same effect as a normal fireball. Considered a bug for years, a recent statement from Akira Nishitani (main SF2 developer) said it was intentionally implemented in the game as an easter egg. In Super Street Fighter II onwards, it was converted in a command move exclusive to Ryu and, different from the normal Hadouken, sets the opponent on fire if not blocked.
- Beating the game without lose a single round: after the char ending, you'll get a demo mode when each fighter destroys a crate or an oil drum using one of his/her signature moves, along with aliases and caricatures of the game devs.
- Konami Code: strangely enough, the Konami Code can be used in the arcade version of SF2CE. If you pull the sequence up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right and press MP then LP on controller 2 during the attract mode, you'll get screen info like: number of coins deposited, number of times a certain char was used, etc. Here's the video.
Bugs
SF2CE known bugs include:
- Bonus Stage infinite hits: This bug freezes the game. Here you can see Honda, Blanka and Vega doing it intentionally. However, if you're on a 2-player game, the other player remains fully operational, and can cancel the bug just hitting the frozen opponent.
- Vega backflip bug: an old known bug occurs whenever Vega does his backflip move underneath the oil drums at the third bonus stage. It doesn't interfere in the game. Video.
- Corner bug: when one of the players is cornered, the game messes the controllers up whenever the opponent jump at him turning a reversal attack or even a simple blocking into a guessing game. In this video, an unscrupulous player takes advantage of the bug to punish his opponent, who did the Shoryuken command facing left but the attack cames out facing right. The japanese version doesn't have this bug.
Game Versions
CPS1 (arcade)
This is the original release of Champion Edition.
- 920313
U.S.A. and World
- 920322
Japan (DASH)
- 920513
Universal One
- 920803
Final Revision of U.S.A. and Japan
Differences between U.S.A./World and Japan versions
There are some major differences between Champion Edition (the international version of the game) and Dash (the Japanese-exclusive version). Dash has bug corrections, balance tweaks, the higher damage rate from WW, and a somewhat smarter AI. Notably, all home console versions of "CE" are actually based on Dash, as well as the "CE" characters in HSF2.
Some of these differences are further explained below:
| Ken | Zangief | Balrog(M.Bison) a.k.a Boxer | Vega(Balrog) a.k.a Claw | Sagat | M.Bison(Vega) a.k.a Dictador | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | "Egg Roller" Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku after knockdown, the move sucks in. | Needs 4 SPD to defeat opponent (44) | Dash Straight whiffs crouching chars
TAP doesn't have charge levels |
Fierce Rolling Crystal Flash hits 3 times close
All 3 versions of RCF mades only one loop |
Only Jab Tiger Uppercut KDs on hit. | Psycho Crusher chips more, 3-6 hits |
| Japan | Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku pushes out opponents regardless of side | Need 3 SPD to defeat opponent (50) | Dash Straight hits crouching characters
TAP has 8 charge levels, based on how long PPP/KKK is held |
Fierce Rolling Crystal Flash has an extra hit close
RCF now is strength dependent, each button does something different |
All Tiger Uppercuts KD on hit | Psycho Crusher chips less, 1-3 hits |
Home Versions
Super Nintendo
The initial home release. Lower quality sprites with cut animation frames + very little parallax scrolling. Much weaker sound effects than the arcade release, but the rearranged music is in Stereo. Also, some big game engine changes - CPS1 combos don't work, damage and stun is fixed, and the game certainly 'feels' different - hitboxes and frame data is different. Check out E.Honda's LP headbutt for instance, or try antiairing Ryu with Dhalsim slide.
Also, no intro movie! OMG!
PC Engine/Turbografx16
Japan exclusive home release, lower quality sprites, not dark colored like the Mega Drive but isn't light as Super Nintendo. Similar gameplay changes.
Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Titled "Street Fighter 2' Special Champion Edition" in NTSC-U and PAL regions, and "Street Fighter 2' Plus" in Japan.
The best release for 16-bit systems, as the Genesis version has an extra tournament mode and matchplay over the Super Nintendo release, and Hyper Fighting mode over PC Engine version. More speed options are available by default. Worse sound though (especially the voices), and worse colors. It's the only port to have the arcade intro though. CPS1 Chains work which means this is the closest port gameplay-wise to the original CE.
Strangely, these 16-bit ports have better button config screens than the 32-bit versions, thanks 90s Capcom!
Playstation
Part of Capcom Generation 5. Looks are deceiving with this port. Arranged music and sound effects options are available, and there's a Versus Mode for simple 2P, Deluxe VS where you can do things like pit WW Ryu against HF Dictator, and a basic Training Mode where the Player 2 Dummy will block after any hits. But the gameplay is inaccurate, 2 button Lariat shortcut exists + the port registers negative edge for Lariats making pianoing impossible. Also, loading screens.
Sega Saturn
Part of Capcom Generation 5. The resolution is squashed as usual for CPS2 ports on Saturn, loading times are quicker but the HUD was adjusted to compensate. Same 2 button issue exists as on PS1, it inherits the same flaws.
Playstation 2
Part of Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1. Missing features from PS1, but same exact flaws
Xbox
Part of Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1. Missing features from PS1, but same exact flaws
Bootleg Versions
SF2CE success started a bootleg craze, which gave origin to adulterated versions of the game. These versions allowed "enhanced" moves like aerial special attacks, increased speed, twisted physics, teleporting, multiple fireball shots, in-game Shang Tsung-esque char selection, and many other things. This prompted Capcom to incorporate some of those ideas into the game's next version and tweaking them on subsequent SF iterations.
These versions vary from slightly different from the original to nearly unplayable. Some of the most famous ones are:
- Koryu
- Accelerator Pt. II
- Redwave
- Sheng Long Edition
- Rainbow Edition
- Rainbow Edition Mikado Tournament. o.O
Regional Differences
Boss Names
Besides the technical differences between both american/world and japanese CE versions mentioned above, and like in the WW case, the boss names where interchanged for some reasons, being the most known one the fear of legal troubles in USA (M. Bison vs Mike Tyson). Also, it seems that americans considered "Vega" a dumb last-boss-evil-dictator-vilain-of-all-times name so the changes took place and persist to these Street Fighter V days.
| Boxer character = Balrog | Boxer character = M.Bison |
| Claw character = Vega | Claw character = Balrog |
| Dictator character = M.Bison | Dictator character = Vega |
Win Quotes
Unlike USA and World versions, the japanese SF2CE has different and gender specific winning quotes for each fighter. A compilation of these quotes and their respective translations can be found in the External Links section below.
Game Tips
Again, unlike USA and World versions, the japanese SF2CE gives gameplay tips and advices during the continue screen, including instructions for performing special moves and even motivational phrases.
References
Technical Details
SF2 Dizzies
Dizzy durations and limits and update
SF2 Hitboxes
SF2 Throwboxes
SF2 Random damage
Cheat codes & findings
External links
- SRK Fighting Game Glossary, fighting games jargon and definitions.
- SF2CE Wikipedia Page. English SF2CE Wikipedia entry.
- SF2 oral history, interesting facts about SF2 development revealed by the devs themselves.
- Mugenguild Thread, Akira Nishitani's tweets compilation covering SF2 and Final Fight development with links and translation.
- Sonichurricane.com, relevant information about SF2 undocumented features.
- T.Akiba's site, japanese site with technical info about SF2.
- tcrf.net, hidden game elements and unused graphics found in the SF2 rom.
- alt.games.sf2, old SF2 boards. (still active!)
- Win quotes, SF2 japanese win quotes translated.
- FightCade by Pof, to play CE online. Based on Final Burn Alpha/GGPO emulator.
- Arclive/Suparc, a chinese emulator with suport to most old school arcade games (english and spanish versions available).
- SF2CE channel, tons of korean CE videos and daily live streams from real arcade matches.
