Street Fighter III: New Generation

Street Fighter III - New Generation (ストリートファイターⅢ) is a 1997 fighting game released for the arcades. 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.

Street Fighter III
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.

Street Fighter III 2nd Impact
Released on October 1997, the second installment of Street Fighter III brought back all the characters from the first game and introduced two new ones: Hugo and Urien. Yang, who was an alternate version of Yun in the first game, became his own character with his own set of special moves and super arts. Akuma also returned as a secret computer-controlled challenger and selectable character. Thus the playable character roster increased to 14. In addition to the regular Akuma, a non-playable computer-controlled version named "Shin Akuma" also appears in the single-player mode.

2nd Impact introduces a few new features to the Street Fighter III series. In addition to a Super Art, the player can also perform slightly more powerful versions of their Special Moves called EX Specials. By using a certain portion of the Super Art gauge (usually after the filled portion begins to flash), the player can power-up certain Special Moves when performing the command by pressing two or three attack buttons instead of just one. A similar type of special move was featured in the home version of Street Fighter: The Movie (Super Special Moves). Other new abilities added to the game are "grap defense", the ability to escape from a throwing attack, and "personal action", a character-specific taunt. Each character's personal action is also accompanied by an additional benefit if completed successfully; for example, Ryu's personal action will lower his stun gauge. If a second-player interrupts the gameplay to challenge the other player, then the first player will be allow to change the Super Art of their selected character.

The single-player mode was changed slightly from the first game. The player faces against series of eight opponents, including a character-specific final opponent, who will exchange dialogue with the player's character before the match. If certain requirements are met, then the player will also face a rival character during the course of the single-player mode and exchange dialogue before a match. If certain other requirements are met, the player will also face against the CPU-controlled Akuma instead of the character's usual final opponent in the single-player mode and depending on the player's performance in their fight against Akuma, then a match against a more powerful version of Akuma know as "Shin Akuma" will also take place. 2nd Impact brings back the concept bonus rounds, which was last seen in the original Super Street Fighter II. At the end of the third CPU match, then the player will participate in a minigame dubbed "Parry the Ball", in which the player can practice their parrying skills against a series of basketballs thrown towards the player by Sean.

Street Fighter III 3rd Strike
Released on May 1999, the third and final installment of the Street Fighter III brought back the classic Street Fighter II character Chun-Li, along with four new characters, extending the selectable roster to 19 characters, with Akuma now a regular character. All of the returning characters from the previous Street Fighter III games were given new stages, endings and even voice actors, continuing the overall storyline from where the first two games left off.

The commands for Air Parries, Throws/Holds and Leap Attacks were changed from 2nd Impact. Additionally, the player can perform a "Guard Parry" or a Parry during a Guard Stun if the timing is right. A "Guard Parry" is also known as a "Red Parry" due to the fact that the character turns red when performing it. The game also introduces a grade-based "Judgement System", in which the winning player in a single or two-player match is graded after the match based on Offense, Defense, Techniques and Extra Points. Special Points are also awarded after fulfilling special requirements.

The single-player mode consists of ten regular opponents, which includes a character-specific rival as the penultimate opponent and Gill as the final boss for all the characters. Despite his status as a regularly selectable character, the CPU version of Q can only be fought in the single-player mode as a secret challenger. The "Parry the Ball" minigame from 2nd Impact as well as a new version of the "Crush the Car" minigame from Street Fighter II.

Home versions
In 1999, Capcom released Street Fighter III: Double Impact (Street Fighter III: W Impact in Japan) for the Dreamcast, a compilation containing the original game and 2nd Impact. The compilation features an Arcade, Versus, Training and Option Mode for both games, as well as a "Parry Attack Mode" in 2nd Impact, where the player gets to test their parrying skills in the game's bonus round. This compilation also allows players to use Gill (in both games) and Shin Akuma (in 2nd Impact only), who were exclusively computer-controlled characters in the arcade version.

In 2000, a Dreamcast version of Street Fighter III 3rd Strike was also released. Like Double Impact, this port features an Arcade, Versus, Training (with normal and parry training) and Options modes, as well as a "System Direction" mode which allows the player to adjust several of the game's features. Like in Double Impact, Gill can be selected by the player, but only after fulfilling certain requirements.

A PlayStation 2 version of 3rd Strike was released in 2004, with all the features from the Dreamcast, including a choice between arcade and Dreamcast version's respective soundtracks. It was released in Japan as a stand-alone game, with a limited edition package containing an All About Street Fighter history book, a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle and a strategy DVD. The PS2 version was released in North America as part of the Street Fighter Anniversary Collection, a two-in-one bundle that also includes Hyper Street Fighter II. The PS2 version was not released in the PAL region. The PS2 version was re-released in Japan on September 18, 2008 in a two in one bundle with Capcom vs. SNK 2.

An Xbox version of the Street Fighter Anniversary Collection was also released during the year in all three regions. The Xbox version of 3rd Strike includes all the features from the PS2 version, as well as an online Versus Mode.