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Street Fighter III - New Generation (ストリートファイターⅢ Sutorīto Faitā Surī?) is a 1997 fighting game released for the arcade. Produced for the CD-ROM-based CPS III hardware, which allowed for more elaborate 2D graphics than the CPS II-based Street Fighter Alpha games, while revamping many of the recurring gameplay features. The game, which was designed as a direct sequel to the Street Fighter II series, discarded all the original characters, with the exception of Ryu and Ken, with an all-new character roster led by Alex (hence the "New Generation" subtitle). Likewise, a new antagonist named Gill took over M. Bison's role from the previous games as the new boss character.

Street Fighter III was followed by an updated version released during the same year titled Street Fighter III 2nd Impact - Giant Attack (ストリートファイターⅢ セカンドインパクト?), which introduced a few new features and characters. A third version, titled Street Fighter III 3rd Strike - Fight for the Future (ストリートファイターⅢ サードストライク?), was released for the arcades in 1999.


Development[]

Producer and director Tomoshi Sadamoto began talking about New Generations in 1994, but the development was pushed to 1995 due to most of the staff working on Darkstalkers.[1] The name was changed once they were told that there were movies and TV dramas called "New Generation", it then became a Street Fighter title once Akiman joined the development team..[2] The reason it became a Street Fighter game was due to Capcom's fighting games outside of Street Fighter not selling well at the time and because the new characters didn’t have a lot of personality.[3][4] By the time SFIII started development Virtua Fighter was already dominating the arcades. Akiman knew the 2D graphics couldn’t win against that and believed the only way SFIII could compete was by making something that would go down in the annals of gaming history. Despite it being a losing battle the team decided to fight anyway.[3]

Roster[]

Capcom SercretFile 005

Early concept art of Alex

When the game was called New Generations, the roster was entirely original and featured several unorthodox designs including a completely nude Pankration practitioner, a genie, a velociraptor, and a massive marionette[5]. Akiman, feeling that the roster lacked personality, proposed that they add Ryu and turn the game into a Street Fighter game.[3] North America wasn't Street Fighter's main market at the time. Ryu was popular as the Japanese karate fighter, in Tomoshi Sadamoto's perspective, pro wrestling was what he thought of when it came to American fighting. Martial arts are more popular in America than in Japan, so they decided to have the main character be American which led to the creation of Alex. The team already decided on having Ryu in the game so they made Alex a grappler to give him his own identity.[6] Elena was made in the staff's image of an African woman so they gave her Capoeira as a fitting fighting style for her. The team wanted Yun and Yang to be popular characters from the start so they made them flashier than Alex who was made to be a simple protagonist.

Dudley was made to counter the "bad boxers" who appeared in the previous games (Mike and Balrog) and because boxing was known as being a "gentleman's sport" that was currently being perfected in England. Ibuki was made to fulfil the role of the traditional ninja. Necro was included to substitute Dhalsim but since most people can’t stretch their limbs through the miracle of yoga, they made Necro an android. The original idea for Oro was a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. Ryu was going to be the only returning character, but since they didn’t have enough characters, they added Ken.[7] Hugo was going to be in the base roster but due to his size it took twice the time to finish him, which lead to Hugo being swapped out in favor of Sean who was made to be the handicap character.[6]

Parry & Super Art[]

SFIII NG-Yun & Yang

"They're flashier than the main character, and we wanted to have them utilize the parry system using their kung-fu."

The major two pillars of the game were Parries (Blocking in Japan) and the Super Arts Select. The team thought of parries as a fundamental part of the game system instead of it being the game's selling point.[1] The idea behind parries came from martial arts where parrying is a basic aspect of fighting. They wanted something where the player could receive or reflect the attack as seen in Kung-fu and Jackie Chan's fight scenes. Wakeup and corner pressure was one of the difficult aspect's players had to deal with, this is where parrying comes into play as it allowed players to do something about the relentless pressure. The input for parrying was originally "back" instead of "forward", this was changed after play testers commented on how easy it was to perform.[1]

The inspiration for Super Arts came from how developers and fans perceive Ryu and Ken. Tomoshi Sadamoto always thought Ryu was the Shoryuken character, but most of the world see him as the Hadoken character, while Ken is the Shoryuken character. Multiple Super Arts were made to avoid upsetting the fans, allowing them to have the best of both worlds. The Ryu who perfected his Shoryuken would use Shin Shoryuken, while the Ryu who perfected his Hadoken would use Shinku Hadoken. They also made weak Super Arts on purpose to allow better players to handicap themselves versus beginners.[7]

Gameplay[]

Released on February 1997, the original Street Fighter III features ten unique selectable characters (not counting Yun and Yang separately) and a non-selectable computer-controlled character as the game's final opponent. In the single-player mode, the player will face seven computer-controlled opponents, including Gill.

The gameplay of the original Street Fighter III is based on Super Street Fighter II Turbo, but with several new abilities and features introduced. Players can now dash or retreat like in the Darkstalkers series, perform high jumps and do a quick standing after falling from an attack. The game also introduced "leap attacks", which are small jumping attacks used against crouching opponents. However, the player cannot block in the air like in the Street Fighter Alpha series.

The main new feature introduced in Street Fighter III is the inclusion of Super Arts. A Super Art in Street Fighter III is a powerful special move similar to a Super Combo in Super Turbo and the Alpha games. After selecting a character, the player will be prompted to select from one of three character-specific Super Arts to use in battle. Like the Super Combo gauge in the previous game, the player has a Super Art gauge which will fill out as the player performs regular and special moves against an opponent. The player can only perform a Super Art once the gauge is filled. Depending on the Super Art chosen by the player, the length of the Super Art gauge will vary, as well as the amount of filled Super Art gauges the player can stock up.

The other new feature is the ability to "parry" an opponent's attack. Parrying, or "blocking" which is the term used in the Japanese version, is the ability to evade an incoming attack without receiving damage. At the exact moment an opponent's attack is about to hit their character, the player can move the lever forward or down to step aside without receiving damage, leaving the opponent vulnerable for a counterattack. Additionally, this also allows the player to defend against special moves and even Super Arts without sustaining damage or filling up the stun gauge, which is what happens when a player blocks a special move with the regular defensive stance. However, parrying an attack requires precise timing.

Characters[]

With the exceptions of Ryu and Ken, the playable characters in New Generation are all new.

  • Alex, a wrestler whose parents died early and was raised by his mentor Tom, who taught him how to fight.
  • Dudley, a gentleman boxer.
  • Elena, a Kenyan princess, hoping to make new friends around the world.
  • Gill, a fantastical man who can control fire and ice and is president of the secret society, Illuminati.
  • Ibuki, a schoolgirl ninja who wants to have a normal life.
  • Necro, a man who was experimented on by the Illuminati.
  • Oro, an old hermit and a master of Senjutsu.
  • Sean, a young man from Brazil who loves basketball and wants to become Ken's pupil.
  • Yang, the twin brother of Yun, in this game he is selectable only as a "palette swap".
  • Yun, a young Chinese kung-fu martial artist and the twin brother of Yang.
Name Appearance Notes
Alex Alex-ts-stance The lead character of the Street Fighter III games. He fights with close-range wrestling and quick rushing attacks. His goal is to avenge the defeat of his friend Tom at the hands of Gill. Voiced by Michael Sommers in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and Patrick Gallagan in 3rd Strike.
Dudley Dudley-stance A dandy British boxer who is trying to retrieve an antique car that Gill has stolen. Voiced by Bruce Robertson in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and by Francis Diakowsky in 3rd Strike.
Elena Elena-ts-stance An African princess who uses the fighting style of capoeira. She seeks to make new friends. Voiced by Kaoru Fujino in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and Mie Midori in 3rd Strike.
Gill Gill-rstance The leader of the secret organization known as the Illuminati, he wants to restore balance to the world. He can manipulate fire and ice. He is the final opponent for all the characters in New Generation and 3rd Strike, and for most of the characters in 2nd Impact. He is a playable character only in the console versions of the games. Voiced by Bruce Robertson in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and Lawrence Bayne in 3rd Strike.
Ibuki Ibuki-ts-stance An aspiring ninja whose fight in the tournament is part of her final exam. She is very quick and agile. Voiced by Yuri Amano in all three games.
Ken Masters Ken-ts-stance Knowing that Ryu has entered the tournament, Ken enters to test his strength against his old friend. Voiced by Koji Tobe in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and Yuji Kishi in 3rd Strike.
Necro Necro-ts-stance A Russian man who was kidnapped and experimented on in the Illuminati's "G-Project". In 2nd Impact, he finds a companion named Effie who follows him and mimics his actions. Voiced by Michael X. Sommers in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and by Lawrence Bayne in 3rd Strike.
Oro Oro-stance A hermit who seeks a fighter worthy to inherit his fighting style. He binds one arm while fighting, to keep from accidentally killing his opponent, except when performing specific special arts. Voiced by Kan Tokumaru in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and by Takashi Matsuyama in 3rd Strike.
Ryu Ryu-ts-stance As usual, Ryu enters the tournament to better his skills and find worthy opponents. Voiced by Wataru Takagi in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and by Toru Okawa in 3rd Strike.
Sean Matsuda Sean-ts-stance A young Brazilian fighter who is being trained by Ken, Sean wants to improve his skills and prove his ability. Voiced by Isshin Chiba in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and Mitsuo Iwata in 3rd Strike.
Yang Yang-ts-stance Yang is a Kung Fu expert from Hong Kong, and the twin brother of Yun. In New Generation, Yang is selectable only as a "palette swap" of his brother Yun. In 2nd Impact and 3rd Strike, Yang is a separate character, with his own unique set of Special Moves and Super Arts. Voiced by Wataru Takagi in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and by Kentaro Ito in 3rd Strike.
Yun Yun-stance A cocky fighter who, along with Yang, protects his hometown in Hong Kong. He's a happy-go-lucky person who likes to do things his own way. Voiced by Koji Tobe in New Generation and 2nd Impact, and by Masakazu Suzuki in 3rd Strike.

Gallery[]

Official Art[]

To view all official character artwork, see: Official Art.

Screenshots[]

See Also[]

Video[]

Trivia[]

  • While 2nd Impact was the first game that supported widescreen, this game has a mostly complete beta[8] widescreen mode that only has glitches in the "VS" screen in the game accessible by cheating devices, technically making this the first Street Fighter game to support such a feature.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Round 4: Tomoshi Sadamoto Part 1 Archived from The original
  2. The actual work started in early 1995, but the project started in the spring of 1994, so it will take three years to complete. The original title was called "Next Generation", or "NG" for short. Then I was told that there are movies and TV dramas called "Next Generation".  (実作業に入ったのは、'95 年初頭ですけど、企画がスタートしたのは'94年の春でしたから、完成まで3年かかっていることになりますね。当初のタイトルは、「ネクストジェネレーション」、略して「NG」って呼ばれてました。そしたら「ネクストジェネレーション」って、映画もあればTVドラマもあるよって言われて。) interview from ALL ABOUT Street Fighter III THE FIGHTING BIBLE page 212
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Street Fighter 3 an oral history
  4. Undisputed Street Fighter page 052.
  5. https://twitter.com/CAPCOM_AWT/status/1588372965728473088
  6. 6.0 6.1 - Round 4: Tomoshi Sadamoto Part 3 Archived from The original
  7. 7.0 7.1 Round 4: Tomoshi Sadamoto Part 2 Archived from The original
  8. https://tcrf.net/Street_Fighter_III:_New_Generation#Unused_Wide_Screen_Mode

External Links[]

Street Fighter series
Video games (Full list)
Main games Street Fighter · Street Fighter II (Champion Editon · Hyper Fighting · Super · Turbo · Hyper · HD Remix · Ultra) · Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams (Alpha 2 · Alpha 3) · Street Fighter III (2nd Impact · 3rd Strike) · Street Fighter IV (Super · Arcade Edition · Ultra) · Street Fighter V (Arcade Edition · Champion Edition) · Street Fighter 6
Spinoffs Street Fighter EX (EX2 · EX3) · Street Fighter 2010 · Street Fighter: The Movie (Arcade version · Home version) · Street Fighter II: The Interactive Movie · Street Fighter: The Storytelling Game · Chun-Li ni makase China · Street Fighter: Puzzle Spirits · Street Fighter: Battle Combination · Super Street Fighter IV: PachiSlot Edition
Crossovers Marvel vs. Capcom series · SNK vs. Capcom series · Namco × Capcom series · Taisen Net Gimmick Capcom & Psikyo All Stars · Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo · Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix · Capcom Fighting All-Stars · Capcom Fighting Jam · Cannon Spike · Tatsunoko vs. Capcom · Street Fighter Online: Mouse Generation · Street Fighter × Mega Man · Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U · Street Fighter × All Capcom · Japan Sumo Cup: Yokozuna vs. Street Fighter · Puzzle Fighter · Super Smash Bros. Ultimate · TEPPEN · Street Fighter: Duel
Compilations Street Fighter Anniversary Collection · Street Fighter Alpha Anthology · Street Fighter Collection · Street Fighter Collection 2 · Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
Shared Universe Final Fight series · Slam Masters series · Rival Schools series · Captain Commando
Miscellaneous List of games · List of playable characters · List of non-playable characters
Other media
Film/Television Future Cops · Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie · Live-action film · Street Fighter II: Yomigaeru Fujiwara-kyō · Street Fighter II V (List of episodes) · US TV series (List of episodes) · Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation · Street Fighter Alpha: Generations · Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li · Street Fighter IV: The Ties That Bind · Super Street Fighter IV OVA · Street Fighter - Round One: Fight! · Balrog: Behind the Glory · Street Fighter: Legacy · Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist · Street Fighter: World Warrior · Matador · Street Fighter: Resurrection
Comics Street Fighter II (manga) · Street Fighter Gaiden · Street Fighter (UDON) (Legends: Chun-Li · Legends: Ibuki · Issue 0 · Street Fighter IV Issue 2 · The Life and Death(s) of Charlie Nash · Street Fighter vs. Darkstalkers) · Street Fighter Alpha (manga) · Sakura Ganbaru! · Cammy Gaiden · World Warrior Encyclopedia (Hardcover) · Ryu Final · Street Fighter Zero (HK comic) · Street Fighter (Brazilian comic series) · Street Fighter Zero (Brazilian comic) · EX2 Plus (comic) · Street Fighter (Malibu comic) (Issue 1 · Issue 2 · Issue 3)
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