Celebrate the Greatness of ‘Street Fighter’ with this Awesome, Free Documentary

If you don’t know a Hadouken from a Shoryuken, then you might not appreciate this story in the same way most videogame fans do, but if you read those terms and instantly remember afternoons spent lining up quarters on a Street Fighter arcade cabinet, then you’re going to dig this documentary.

The Penny Arcade Report (the news branch of the popular – and controversial – videogame-themed web comic) found a YouTube post featuring the 70-minute-long 25^th anniversary documentary devoted to Capcom’s most beloved fighting game. Simple to play, difficult to master, Street Fighter has spent the past quarter of a century intriguing fighting game fans with its super-powered moves, nuanced gameplay, and cast of unforgettable characters. In a gaming landscape that changes so rapidly that years might as well be millennia, sticking around for two and a half decades is no small feat – and certainly one worthy of celebration.

The documentary, which was included in the $ 150 Collector’s Edition launched back in 2012, features interviews, insights into the fighting game community that’s sprung up around the game (a community that features skilled players playing for big cash prizes) and more. It’s a really cool look into a world most gamers aren’t even familiar with. If you like Street Fighter, it’s definitely worth your time.

Speaking of that fighting game community, check out this cool PA piece highlighting one of the greatest comeback wins in videogame tournament history. I still don’t really consider E-sports real sports, but the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity required to pull off the moves is certainly impressive. 

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