Capcom Should Remake and Release Street Fighter 1

Capcom Should Remake and Release Street Fighter 1
August 6, 2017
By Ryan Porzl

When you think of the all time great video game franchises, it's hard not to think of Street Fighter. Since it's debut, the series has been one of the greatest in the fighting game genre and helped popularize it thanks to Street Fighter II and it's enhanced versions. However, Street Fighter also has the strangest beginning in the history of video games. Unlike other series like Super Mario Bros., Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic The Hedgehog, and Castlevania to name some, the first Street Fighter game isn't one many have gone back to play like many first games and even stranger is the fact that it simply disappeared by the end of the 80s with most people first hearing about the series via Street Fighter II which was the game that launched the series to the stratosphere in 1991. This August marks the 30th Anniversary of the Street Fighter series so I've decided to write why Capcom should unearth the first series in one of their most beloved and treasured franchises.



It would be a fresh game for many as most gamers no matter how hardcore never played it before. The arcade was first released in 1987 and it didn't take long for it to disappear. On top of that, it was released on home consoles but that was a huge problem because while it was released the NEC PC Engine in Japan, it was released in America on the Turbo Grafix 16 CD add on. First of all, the Turbo Grafix 16 was not a huge seller and was a distant third behind the Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis so that was bad alone but then it was on the CD add on which many didn't likely own since you had to have a Turbo Grafix 16 to use the CD add on. As if that wasn't enough, the title was changed on home releases to "Fighting Street". Even when the series finally caught on and achieved worldwide popularity with Street Fighter II, Capcom never re-released the game despite continuing to release new Street Fighter games over the decades while also re-releasing all of those games with new enhancements ("Super" Version, "Hyper" Version, "Arcade" Version, and/or versions featuring new fighters to control) but Street Fighter 1 continued to remain forgotten. The only time the game was re-released was on the Wii Virtual Console in 2009 but again, many probably still missed it given the "Fighting Street" name. Many would welcome a remade Street Fighter 1 as this would allow them to finally play the game that started it all.

There's money to be made in a remake and re-release. As I said, not many have played Street Fighter 1 so many would be interested in getting a chance to play it. Street Fighter is one of the most famous and popular series' in video game history so many would love to get the opportunity to play the game that started it all. A remake though would be a necessity as the original is far too outdated with clunky controls, special moves that are nearly impossible to pull off, a lack of character select besides Ryu and Ken, and bad voice acting. Just porting the game won't work but a remake would clean the game up. A remake would have improved controls, better voice acting, the special moves would be easier to do, the graphics would be updated, and people can choose the character they want instead of being stuck with just Ryu and Ken. Also, with the video game systems like Nintendo's Virtual Console, Playstation Store, and XBox Marketplace where gamers can buy classic games from the 80s, 90s, and 00s as well as re-releases and ports coming out, there's an audience out there for nostalgia.

It makes sense for Capcom to do this. One thing Capcom loves to do is release "enhanced" versions of games or remake them. Resident Evil 1 was remade in 2002 and plans are in place to remake Resident Evil 2. Meanwhile, the Street Fighter games have seen "enhanced" versions re-released. The thing is while Resident Evil 1 did need a remake, the others didn't. Resident Evil 2 is a classic that people can still play to this day and enjoy. Capcom also went overboard with the updated versions of Street Fighter games with Street Fighter II having a half of dozen updated games (Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Hyper Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix, and Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers). Keep in mind, Street Fighter II is already an all time classic and while one update could work, did we really need seven? The game is already great so why keep tampering with it? Even worse is the most recent updated one: Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers came out in 2017, 26 years after Street Fighter II's original release. It's unbelievable how Capcom is still enhancing a classic game more than a quarter century after it's release while the original gets nothing over the last 30 years while it gathers dust. It's also not just Street Fighter II as Street Fighter III had two enhancements in Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike while Street Fighter IV had three in Super Street Fighter IV, Super Street Fighter 3D Edition, and Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Version. So if Capcom can make one enhancement after another with games already popular and successful with fans, there shouldn't be any reason why they couldn't re-release the game that not only needs one but the very game that started the whole series.

It allows Capcom to get away with what they love to do which is re-release games at full price only fans would be for it. Over the decades, Capcom has had a passion for re-releasing classic games be it remakes or "enhanced" versions of games or simply porting them and then controversially charging full price. The best examples include Capcom porting Resident Evil's 2, 3, and Code Veronica to the GameCube during the release of the Resident Evil 1 remake and still charged $40 for them despite people being able to get those games on older systems for cheaper prices. Same happened when Super Street Fighter IV was released but instead of being an add-on that fans could download and use with their Street Fighter IV game, Capcom decided to release it as it's own game and still charge people nearly $60 despite it being the same game only with some new playable characters and locations to fight. Anyway, re-releasing and remaking Street Fighter 1 would allow Capcom to re-release an old game but charge full price and people would be fine with it cause it would actually make perfect sense given it's a remake and many haven't played the original anyway so Capcom wins.  

With this year being the 30th Anniversary of Street Fighter, the best way for Capcom to pay tribute to it is to start work on giving it's first game the upgrade it deserves and for fans to have the opportunity to play it and discover it at long last. If Capcom insists on remakes and enhancing great games already, they might as well do it with Street Fighter 1. It would also be the best way to celebrate a huge milestone.