The first time I saw Street Fighter was inside a Burger King. My parents didn't let me play but the intro screen was mesmerizing (Ryu throws a fireball!?) The

The first time I saw Street Fighter was inside a Burger King. My parents didn't let me play but the intro screen was mesmerizing (Ryu throws a fireball!?) The next time was a in mall (which was torn down at least 25 years ago) just in a random ally way between shops. I spent about 75 cents of my own money. Our local bowling ally had a Mortal Kombat arcade (torn down 5 years ago and replaced with an ALDI) which occupied my friends (I still preferred Street Fighter). I used to carry the Street Fighter II Sega Genesis game manual with me in middle school. The manual was included with the cartridge and had art, lore, and the moves listed. Street Fighter was a portal for me before the Internet. My favorite game cabinet, when I can find one, is Marvel versus Capcom. I'm not good at that game, but it felt so expansive with the choices of playable characters, I spent a bit of money but I was older and friendless and not part of the scene (at this point there likely wasn't a scene). If I had to choose one game that shaped me, it would be a tie between Mario Brothers for the NES and Street Fighter II.