Alternate Costume

Alternate costumes are features included in the more recent installations of the Street Fighter series and other 3D fighting games.

Description
The costumes are usually included as downloadable content, and have no real effect on gameplay, as they are purely aesthetic additions.

While some designs are purely for show, others may allude to themes or people related to the character wearing it.

History
Alternate costumes were technically introduced in the Street Fighter Alpha series with Chun-Li.

Street Fighter Alpha series
In her appearances in the series, she wears a set of athletic gear from her younger days. Beginning with Street Fighter Alpha 2, players can choose between this costume and her Street Fighter II clothing. In X-ISM in Street Fighter Alpha 3, only her Street Fighter II costume is available, due to X-ISM replicating the gameplay from that game/series. Her moveset would also change slightly based on the costume (which is tied to the chosen ISM). This technically makes Chun-Li the only character with a costume that affects gameplay.

Street Fighter IV series

 * See also: Alternate Costumes/Street Fighter IV.

Characters in the Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV games have 3 alternate costumes available to wear.

Street Fighter X Tekken

 * See also: Alternate Costumes/Street Fighter X Tekken.

Alternate costumes return, along with Swap Costumes; each character has at least one costume based on another character from their "rival" series (e.g. Ogre's Gill costume).