Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition Review (PS3)

Originally released back in 1999, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike was the peak of CPS-3 hardware. It’s hard to overstate how much of a titan this game was in Japanese centers. According to Game Machine Magazine, 3rd Strike became one of the most successful arcade cabinets of the year. But the game’s sophisticated mechanics—the very things that made it a masterpiece—seemed to get lost in translation overseas.

Many Western players were still clinging to the familiar comforts of Street Fighter II or moving on to 3D brawlers. It took years of console ports on the Dreamcast, PS2, and Xbox for the Western FGC to finally “get” it. But what essentially gave 3rd Strike its cult following today was Evo Moment #37, the most legendary piece of footage in eSports history. Daigo Umehara’s legendary comeback against Justin Wong’s Chun-Li boasted over 100 million views on YouTube, single-handedly turning a niche 2D fighter into a global phenomenon.

Years later, Capcom released Online Edition, which finally gave this masterpiece the digital pedestal it deserves on the PS3. But was this version just a mere cash grab? In this review, you’ll find out whether Online Edition respects the legacy that the arcade classic left in fighting game history.

Gameplay

If you think Street Fighter IV or V are complex, you haven’t truly lived until you’ve wrestled with the mechanical beast that is 3rd Strike. It’s widely considered the most “pure” fighting game because it strips away the fluff and leaves you with a raw, high-stakes chess match played at 60 frames per second.

At its core, the system rewards bravery over passivity. While other games encourage you to hide behind a block and pray for an opening, 3rd Strike gives you the tools to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The parry is the sun around which the entire 3rd Strike solar system orbits. By tapping Forward (for high/mid attacks) or Down (for low attacks) just as a hit connects, you deflect the move entirely. You take zero chip damage, freeze your opponent in place, and gain enough frame advantage to land a punishing counter-attack.

It sounds simple on paper, right? In practice, it’s terrifying. If you mistime a parry by even a fraction of a second, you’re standing there completely defenseless. It’s the ultimate “double or nothing” mechanic that separates the masters from the button-mashers.

Before the announcer even screams “Fight!”, you have to make a choice: which Super Art are you bringing to the dance? Unlike modern titles where you have access to everything, here you pick one of three Supers, each with different bar lengths and stock counts.

Managing that blue bar at the bottom of the screen is a constant mental tug-of-war. Do you spend your meter on an EX-Hadoken to keep the pressure on, or do you save it for that one clutch Super Art that could turn the tide?

Capcom knew that the barrier to entry for 3rd Strike was basically a vertical brick wall covered in grease, so they introduced Trials and Training modes to throw us a bone. The Trials are divided into categories like Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced, but don’t let those labels fool you. Even the “Basic” trials require a level of timing that would make a Swiss watchmaker sweat.

The developers clearly have a sense of humor (or a streak of sadism) because they included Parry Trial 10. This specific challenge tasks you with recreating the famous Evo Moment #37 with Ken as you parry every single hit from Chun-Li. It’s an incredible inclusion that pays homage to the game’s history, but man, attempting it makes you realize just how insane Daigo’s nerves were back in 2004.

Look, we’ve all been there. You jump into a match feeling like a world-beater because you landed a couple of fireballs in the training room, only to realize that 3rd Strike is a completely different beast when someone is actually punching back. This game will absolutely destroy you if you can’t pull off your favorite special move successfully in the heat of the moment. It’s a ruthless teacher that doesn’t believe in “close enough.”

The reality check hits hard when you realize just how tight the execution windows are. Unlike modern fighters that have generous “input buffers” to help you out, this game demands surgical precision. If you’re a millisecond off, your epic comeback Super Art turns into a pathetic crouching jab, which is frustrating as hell.

Most of us gravitate toward Ryu or Ken because we’ve had their move sets burned into our brains since the 90s. But 3rd Strike is filled with weirdos like Q, Twelve, and Oro. When using these fighters, you’ll find yourself repeatedly pausing the game just to remember the input for a basic special.

Graphics

3rd Strike’s visuals have been overhauled in Online Edition—with menus, character art, and fonts given the HD treatment. There are several graphical filters to choose from, but regardless of which one you choose, the graphics won’t improve much. Even for 2D 90’s standards, 3rd Strike was never the prettiest game around. It has a gritty, urban aesthetic that prioritizes animation frames over “clean” lines.

But let’s be real: that’s obviously not the main reason why gamers are playing this game. You aren’t here for the textures; you’re here for the fluidity of the movement. The way Chun-Li’s clothes ruffle or the way Ryu’s gi snaps during a fireball is still a masterclass in animation.

Replay Value

Outside of replaying Trials mode over and over again, you can complete challenges in real-time during a battle. These objectives pop up on the side of the screen, varying from basic tasks to expert-level execution. It’s a clever way to keep the single-player experience feeling fresh while you’re grinding out matches.

Completing these challenges earns you points that can be spent on acquiring sweet artwork and remixed music. It’s a goldmine for the die-hard fans who want to see the evolution of the character designs. IMO, unlocking a rare piece of Chun-Li concept art feels way more rewarding than just seeing a “Level Up” screen.

Final Verdict

Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition is probably one of the most complex and technical fighting games in Capcom history. This Online Edition provides plenty of additions that will satisfy any hardcore veteran, but what about the noobs? While this game has a decent training mode, it still doesn’t do enough to help you cope with the game’s complex control scheme.

While Online Edition added some visual enhancements, the graphics and presentation still feel a bit outdated. Despite its flaws, Online Edition is one of the best ways to replay 3rd Strike. If you’re a die-hard Street Fighter guru or just a fan of FGC culture, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition has you covered. It’s a brutal, beautiful, and brilliant reminder of why we fell in love with 2D fighters in the first place.