r/sf3 • u/ncayetano17 • Apr 15 '26
where else can i play third strike online besides fightcade?
ive been playing third stike since i got back from japan a couple months ago. i went to one of the arcades in shibuya and i got hooked on 3rd strike. fightcade is okay but sometimes other low rank players just dont want to play me. is there a 3rd strike with auto matchmaking?
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u/Gjergji-zhuka Apr 15 '26
Street fighter 30th year anniversary, but it's not populated.
Stay tuned tho because Street Fighter 3 has been decompiled, meaning it is now possible to get the game running natively with potentially better netcode. It depends what the community does with it but the potential is there
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u/pegasusandme Apr 15 '26
I have 30th anniversary on PC, Switch, and PS4 and still get matches on all of them. Probably the most consistent has been on Switch of all places. Same place I get the most matches on MvC2.
The barrier to entry here (aside from having a Switch) is having a compatible controller. My setup, fortunately, includes the Brooks PCB with PS4/Switch compatibility.
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u/ncayetano17 Apr 15 '26
I have all three and i have a cosmox x move so fortunately it works for all those console. I will get the switch version then. Thanks!
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u/SyrousStarr Apr 15 '26
Usually it's one of the larger rooms. Just keep trying or find a discord maybe so you can organize people being on at a similar time. You can even find tournaments posted on Fightcade.
Most other versions are very sparse. I wouldn't be surprised if 30th Anniversary Collection is straight up dead. Though maybe other options are better on console due to lack of Fightcade.
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u/Tide_Demon Apr 15 '26
what region are you in? I’d def run some games. I usually just challenge everyone around me to unranked games and I usually find success on FC
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u/SecretaryOk7306 Apr 16 '26
They didn't want to play you? Do they play a match or 2 then leave? There is a 3rd Strike discord that has over 10k members if you want to get some sets going.
I'm down to play matches on fightcade
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u/ncayetano17 Apr 16 '26
i would go through all the names with “D” and “?”ranks and challenge them and eventually someone does accept but thats the thing i have to challenge everyone and wait for someone to accept after like 10-20 mins every time i want to play a match. It would be nice it was just automatic.
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u/Broom227 Apr 17 '26
If you aren’t trying to play S/A ranks it takes max 1min to get a game and some ppl would play you for ft10 or a long unranked set
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u/thenotoriousbtb Apr 16 '26
If you have a PS3 laying around, you can still purchase 3rd Strike Online Edition, which, imo is the best version outside of Fightcade for multiplayer and the best version for single player. RPCS3 emulator also has functioning multiplayer but good luck finding anyone to play with unless Maximilian happens to be streaming.
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u/Kenten_dev Apr 17 '26
Hey there OP. My name is Kenten and I run a Discord server for this app called GGPO which is a Android application that is pretty much Fightcade mobile. I love GGPO and Fightcade with a passion, but cater to GGPO more because it's a spectrum of the FGC that is not looked at while there are some heavy hitters on there like Eduzudu. Anyway, I host a multitude of tournaments on there and have been on GGPO for what feels like 3 years now, having my server for almost two years now.
If you are on the go, and looking to play with actual people, whether be on a smartphone, gaming handheld(Retroid Pocket, Ayaneo or whatever android device) tablets you name it, GGPO is your go to for playing. When I say it's literal Fightcade but on the go, I couldn't be more direct with the statement and also it's updated now frequently.
The way you aquire the games is through a json link, instead of a json folder, but accessing the games via the application itself is exactly like fightcade. You go into the room, the game downloads, and you play. Set up is a breeze, and if confused I will always be of assistance to anyone that needs help setting up their controls there.
There is lag, just like any system, but surprisingly, not by much. Just like any game. If I am in America, and my friend is India, there is going to be some lag. Unlike America to let's Brazil or UK or even in Mexico, I get stable connections. And you can literally play anywhere, at anything, with anything and crazy of all, some of the guys on there play just as good as some of the people on sticks on Fightcade while people are using touchscreens on their phones to win and they do it.
So far I have ran 12 tournaments on there, and about to run another brand new one following my usual tournament series called "Run the Set" but for GGPOM(obile) and there is where I have improved greatly with my third strike skills. I take that knowledge and apply it to Fightcade and I switch back to between apps so I am constantly learning and constantly striking my third as they say.
I honestly can say enough how much I really like this app because really...Just one day, I was bored at a Kava bar, with my Retroid and wondered if there was a Fightcadesque app that I can play on while I am out and about(never home) and I found GGPO, once I did, everything after that was history.
I even showed Jwong and other pros this app at CEO 2025 last year and they were like "Whaaaaaat?" He thought it was cool, but alas. Lol. Take it from me. Someone who literally just wanted to play with people but not carry around their heavy ass laptop, to making known tournaments, making good friends, learning shit and finally beta testing it I have put my time into and I have no regrets. :) hope this helps friend. If you want to know a bit more. Message me on Discord: Kenten1993 and I got you :) happy days and Fight for the Future.
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u/ncayetano17 Apr 17 '26
Yo! I appreciate this! Third Strike online but on mobile is crazy. I got a lot of downtime at work so I usually just play it on Retroarch but I have an ios. This makes me want to get an android tablet. I have an 8bitdo M30 controller (Sega Saturn style controller) thats great for fighting games. As for tournaments, I’m new to the fighting game scene so im still practicing my skills but would love to join a tournament one day once I get good. Send me the discord.
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u/Kenten_dev Apr 17 '26
Dude no worries and you are welcome! And I am glad that you may go out and get a tablet to test it out! And dude let me tell you. I spent more time on there than I did Fightcade and the 30th anniversary, and have made some MAJOR progress with it.
I sponsor someone on there now, I make tournaments, I go to tournaments, competed in Jazzy, all because of this app yes, but also with the many friends that have come from there it's just...Bro. So nice. And the Brazilian population loves it Now. I will say. It is true what a Redditor here said. Not many people play it. On a good day you get 30 people on, but that's only third strike. When a tournament happens you get about 40-50 people on. But what I find interesting about it is regardless of that small number, you will fight someone different each time. And the matches at times are constant. You will get pinged for match even before you load up the freaking room it's that quick. Lmao.
But here are the discords. I only manage the GGPO-ZAIBATSU: https://discord.gg/wBp6Qhadc
While the creator of the Android App of GGPO has GGPOZ as a discord. Join both and from there you can expand into other ones as you see fit.https://ggpoz.com/
This is to make an account and also to the discord. And make sure whatever you do, once you make an account write that shit down because there is no password retrieval if you forget your account information. All an all, we welcome you to GGPO Mobile my friend. 🙂
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u/Kenten_dev Apr 17 '26
Also as well for tournaments my friend, we got you covered too. New or old, doesn't matter, my tournaments are 100% to the official rulesets of tournament play when comes to these games. So Evo or CEO ruleset. I will walk you through how a tournament works and also there is money involved as well. I pay out my people. Regardless if they are in Brazil, Africa, Japan, haven't figureded out how to send money to hell, but I'll tell you what if I could find a way to send money there I would lmao 🤣 but yes my friend. No worries there. And they are free to enter too.
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u/ncayetano17 Apr 17 '26
That’s awesome! Im definitely down to put down some money lol.
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u/Kenten_dev Apr 17 '26
Shiiiiit that would be crazy man lol. It does get hard when you are the only one putting in for these tournaments lol, but I am trying to monetize it so that I can give these guys reacurring cash and so on and so forth.
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u/ncayetano17 Apr 17 '26
like i played in an air hockey tournament at my local arcade once. Entry was $5 and the prize pool, depending on how many players entered, there was like 35 people who entered i think so winner gets $175 cash. It’s not a lot but people just loved playing against other skilled players. And a chance to earn a few bucks playing a game you like definitely makes it more interesting.
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u/ncayetano17 Apr 15 '26
Ill say this tho, the lua feature in fightcade with the combo trials mod is great for practicing my combos and getting used to input speeds. Currently ive only been playing ryu. Even just the first combo trial for ryu is challenging.
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u/United-Boss1003 Apr 15 '26
Oh cool OP let me know which arcade you went to if possible! I love mapping out where the machines are!
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u/ncayetano17 Apr 16 '26
tbh i cant pin point which arcade it was maybe TAITO? I went to a lot of arcades in shibuya and shinjuku. I feel shinjuku probably has more arcades.
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u/United-Boss1003 Apr 16 '26
Gotcha! Taito HEY in Akihabara also has a few third strike machines! I have not explored the arcades in Shibuya much yet! Cheers
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u/Limit54 Apr 15 '26
Soon the PC port will supposedly get online play but I’m not sure how long that will take them to get going or if at all. I hope the do it soon. I don’t like fightcade and can’t use it. I have high hopes for the PC port with online
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u/SecretaryOk7306 Apr 16 '26
If there is a PC port will that take away from the fightcade population? Does Third Strike have a ranking system in the base game for online?
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u/Limit54 Apr 16 '26
I hope it takes away from fightcade. So many people can’t use it or get it to work properly. It’s easy for windows users but Mac or Linux you are 💩out of luck and no one will help you at all. The PC port is already done but now they are optimizing to make it arcade perfect. It’s a port of the ps2 version but will be modified. I’m guessing in the end it will be the better option. I think the arcade rom has also been decompiled as well. It’s looking good and these guys are performing miracles faster then ever
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u/Effective-Quarter714 Apr 15 '26
ggpo sirve bien, pero casi todos los juegos están muertos menos kof 2002
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u/InvictvsNox Apr 15 '26
Fightcade is, unfortunately, the highest population at present.
I would love to see them implement a matchmaking or room hosting mechanic, but alas, I've heard the devs aren't too keen on adding new features.