Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition guide

Two years after its original release, Street Fighter 5 has become Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition. Though the game still has its problems (will the poor online play and broken economy ever be fixed?), it’s come a long way from its disastrous launch. Long-term single-player content is finally here with the new arcade mode, and Arcade Edition collects the 12 new characters who were released in a slow drip over the game’s first two years.

The core focus of Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition remains the two-player fighting game. When two human beings of similar skill play, fighting games take on an extra tactical dimension that beating up on a computer-controlled dummy just can’t provide.

And despite the problems, it just so happens that Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition is one of the best competitive games in the series. Its streamlined design makes it easier than ever to get into and play, and yet the game is tuned and balanced enough to hold up at the very highest competitive levels in the world.

So why not give it a go? You can get good at Street Fighter, and Polygon's Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition guides will show you how.

Editor's note

We've updated our Street Fighter 5 guide to account for the Arcade Edition guides. You'll find new information on new characters, new V-Triggers, as well as the Arcade and Extra Battle modes.

Navigation

1. Intro
2. What am I trying to do in this game?
3. Controls
4. Basic movement
5. Basic attacks
6. The poke game
7. Knockdowns
8. Special moves
9. Control and execution
10. Combos
11. Counter and crush counter
12. Critical meter and critical arts
13. V-System
14. New V-Triggers in Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition
15. Stun gauge
16. Dealing damage and combos
17. Character select (updated)
18. Advanced techniques
19. Good buttons
20. What’s different in Street Fighter 5 Season 2?
21. This is just the beginning
22. Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition update: Arcade and Extra Battle modes