
Bestest
Similar versions on SNES, Sega Saturn, PS3 (Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection)
Arcade is also a good edition, and there's the balanced (by fans) version, Tournament Edition.


It's Killer Instinct, what more do you want said? I will say something, though. The atmosphere is better in the first game (still great here), but the gameplay is significantly better in this second. Comprehensive easy combo system, easier combo breakers! Throws! Supers!
I like: sleek moves, neat counter-throw, unique 3 people battles, dodges and supers. The roster is immense and memorable, music tracks are awesome. The locales are exotic and evocative and change from round to round and your teamates appear there and have reactions.... This also has some of the best versions of these characters, with the best movesets. Combo input timings are too strict and annoying to me, though (it's like that in every KoF game).

I dislike: way too strict timings for inputs, unecessary clutter mechanics, excessive focus on combos and excessive hitstops. I actually prefer XX #REload, but that might be due to nostalgia. Xrd wins, in the end, due to the tutorials.
Also on Steam.



Best iteration of classic SF before it started getting imo crazier and generic-er in 3/Alpha 3. I prefer SSFII's art style but this plays better. Soundtrack is a tad bland, though.

Also on PS2 (NESTS Collection) and GOG.





Lower best
Also released on the PS2.


I like: fun combo system, cool roster, awesome soundtrack, interesting theme, tone and storyline.
I dislike: repetitiveness, all characters play similar.

Also on PS1, Saturn, PS2 and PS3.

Also on PS2 (Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2), PS4 ( Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection).


Also on PS1, Saturn, PS2 (Orochi Collection).

Also on PS1, PS2 and DC.


I really like its atmosphere, awesome soundtrack and soft sense of grit that the more anime sequels lack. SSFIITurbo imo didn't add enough to make up for the weird color choices.
Also on Steam.

Also on Steam.

Also on PS1.

Also on PS2.





Also on DC, PS2, PS3.


Promising
Also on Saturn.
Also on X-Box One.


MAYBE
To understand this, it's probably better to explain my personal preferences. I enjoy flashy super moves, but not if they're so long that they hurt the pacing of matches. I also prefer them to not be too cinematic that they feel detached from the rest of the gameplay. I like big rosters, I won't play with most of them but I'll at least get to fight against varied opponents. I like games that give personality to the characters through means of character interactions pre-fights and such. Of course I like good graphics, good soundtrack. I also for some reason like dodges and throw-escaping/teching in games. Stage transitions be it from one stage to another (UMK) or changes inbetween rounds (KoF98) are nice, too. I prefer games that don't feel repetitive, so I prefer games less combo-based, because combos are usually pretty boring chaining of similar-looking, similar-feeling normals (GG). A combo break mechanism is appreciated. I also like special moves with unique properties such as a weird hitbox pattern or, better yet, an effect like the ones in MK (freezing, pulling, etc). A good story is desired but neither required nor expected. I like complex but elegant systems, intuitive systems, systems that are deep, which means easy to get and hard to master. Atmosphere is also something I love and need.
The order is defined by which games I think are most interesting to play with someone else in what I believe to be the optimal way to play this type of game: local multiplayer.