I’m curious as to what the consensus favorite iteration of characters over time is. There was a post on event hubs that showed a poll for favorite characters. It didn’t break down character preference by game of appearance though and I honestly have to assume that the poll is market research for another Capcom fighting game entry. So SRK, of the SF titles (feel free to branch out into other games… Still can’t believe the changes of Talim from SC2 to SC3 then booted in SC5), which characters have been your favorite iteration?
Oddly, I enjoy SF4 Yang to SF3 Yang. Teleport seems a lot more useful in SF4 than SF3 which makes for silly shenanigans… Online… That and the ability to get slashes from lk would’ve been a huge boost to his game in 3S.
Ryu though, gotta go with 3S purely for EX joudan kick (skipping SFxT iteration because… Well, that game still is kinda dull). Burns like fresh bacon fat on skin when you get hit by it but it feels so good to combo EX joudan… Into EX joudan for some reason.
I wish more of the Alpha characters made it out alive… RIP R. Mika.
I like the Rose we’ve got now, to be honest. Hopefully I’ll like the 2013 version even more.
I miss Mitsurugi’s Relic stance, but he suits being older - if there ever is a SCVI maybe I’ll be able to sheath my sword again.
Strider Hiryu is best in his own game.
And Dudley has to be the Third Strike version, just for the glorious Matt Berry-esque voice…
I really hate what they did to Makoto in SF4… She’s just not the same at all. Granted her moves are the same (with improved anti-air) but she’s not as scary in SF4 as she was in 3S. Post hayate mixup is practically gone and she moves even slower in SF4 than 3 (didn’t think that was possible).
Has a Makoto player ever won a major SF4 tournament? I know there was at least 1 or 2 majors in Japan that a Mak player (3rd Strike) won but none in the US I believe.
3rd Strike Chun.
Also CvS2 Sakura.
3s Gouki is best Gouki. He’s fast, no stupid TK demon flip command, tatsu juggles are super cool, SGS is really good, KKZ is really good (way cooler than that stupid demon armageddon move), ambiguous demon flip setups… the only downside is no SSJ Gouki palette in 3s 
I’m partial to A2 Sakura. I also love the long ponytail Ken lol
I love the way CvS2 Sagat’s moves feel. You feel like you’re doing more damage than you are (and you’re doing a lot!)
and obligatory 2I Sean
Akuma - 3S
Blanka - Super Turbo
Cammy - MvC2
Ryu - 3S
Ken - CvS2
Bison - Super Turbo
Hawk - Super Turbo
Guy - Alpha 2
Magneto - MvC2
Wolverine - XSF
Cyclops - XSF
Storm - UMvC3
Sentinel - MvC2
Sakura - Alpha 2
Sagat - CvS2
Guile - World Warrior, just because of his stupid jabs.
Gief - Super Turbo
CE Bison - So good that even when he was nerfed for Anniversary Edition he was still top tier.
HF Blanka - Up AND Down Ball.
EX+A Akuma - Air fireball followed by a divekick.
This reminded me of MVC2 Sakura… I’m pretty sure Sakura would become the best character in SF4 (well… cammy…) if she had an Akuma transformation with a full-stocked super bar…
Chun Li-3s
Ken-3s
Ryu-ST
Blanka-SF2 turbo
Makoto-3s
Ibuki-SF4AE2012
Rose-SF4AE2012
Balrog-ST
Bison-ST
Guile-SF2CE
Akuma-3s
Cody-SFA3
Boo @ 3S Chun!
My picks:
TVC Alex. Fixed everything wrong with his gameplay.
3S Ryu. Specifically Denjin Ryu because he plays so differently compared to every other game.
Garou: MOTW Terry. I like the new design.
KOF13 Clark. Love Autoguard SAB. Shit is gdlk. Just wish he had a command input for his AA grab.
CVS2 Sakura. Just because of her new voice. I hate Sakura’s voice in the other games.
CVS2 Bison. I cannot play him at all and I’m ass at A Groove. But this is easily the best version of the character.
Samurai Shodown V SP Genjuro. Top tier Genjuro. Love his pressure with his fireball. Pretty mobile and can do everything.
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Krauser. Even though he’s kinda’ free on wakeup I love his design.
Soul Calibur 5 changes I just recalled
Monkey Boy<Kilik
Viola (marginally)<Talim
Cassandra and Sophita>They bitch ass kids
Clothed Ivy>Kinky Ivy
Taki>Natsu (annoying ass blonde bitch)
Leixia = xianghua
SCV move list<Bigger move list
Yun Seong died in a fire and got no replacement. I’m pretty sure there was a focus to remove all of the south eastern Asian and Korean characters from the game… Namco feels the Koreans are too powerful in their games…
CE Guile
ST O.Ryu (maybe tied with A3 V-ISM Ryu)
CE Sagat (maybe tied with HF)
HF Blanka
ST Chun
ST Dhalsim
ST Dee Jay
ST Bison
ST Gief
A2 Rolento (although SFxT Rolento sounds better)
MK1 Kano
MK2 Liu Kang
T5 Heihachi
T3 Xiaoyu
ugh… this will take too long and too much time…
In every case I can think of, 3s has the best version of each character. the characters I don’t like so much in 3s never appeared in another game. It would be hard to make a worse character than 3s Twelve but luckily he was limited to one game. he should be in zero games.
for characters who are great but not in 3s
CVS2 Sakura is dope
ST Guile
ST Dhalsim
If she had her CvS2 divekick and CvS2 normals, she’d be top tier in IV.
CVS2 Guile was awesome. Perfect Engrish voice too.
You’re just begging to be hated, aren’t you ? 
Gameplay wise whatever versions were on CPS2 games. Especially shotos. I FUCKING HATE THE SF3 AND SFIV TATSU/AIR TATSU.
Also everyone looks the best in their CPS2 iterations.
Anyone that was in SFA1, that version, except Rose, who would be best as her A2 version. Errybody good in Alpha 1.
Bison-CvS2
Guile-CvS2
Just CvS2 in general
Just went back and played T5 Steve… Wow… Makes me miss the arcade days. I prefer T6 Steve purely because the combos are more fun to do.