It was the genre's bedrock game through the release of Ultra Street Fighter 4, which most consider to be Street Fighter 4's apex due to its large roster and strong balance.
Its highly stylized art style proved odd but ultimately appealing, and its online play was serviceable enough that the genre no longer felt like a total nonstarter. Fighting games were in a rough place prior to 2009, but Street Fighter 4 brought the series back to the roots of its popularity, including the more popular cast from Street Fighter 2.
