Street Fighter IV records player's points totals, as well as their overall win/loss ratio. Which means people can compare their skills from a distance. It also means we can compile "best of" charts!
Which is exactly what this list is, courtesy of the fanatics over at fighting board Shoryuken. These twenty guys are, according to the raw data, the 20 best Street Fighter IV players in Japan.
And with Japan as the only country the game's officially been released in, that makes them - technically - the best twenty players in the world, in an "American sports teams are called World Champions" kinda way.
1. ウメハラ (Umehara)
Character: Ryu
Battle Points: 130,915
Match/Win Ratio: 5,204/4,488 86.24%
2. おじさんボーイ (Ojisan Boy)
Character: Sagat
Battle Points: 110,390
Match/Win Ratio: 4,352/3,516 80.79%
3. マゴ (Mago)
Character: Sagat
Battle Points: 100,431
Match/Win Ratio: 4,091/3,202 78.27%
4. あーるえふ (Aaruefu)
Character: Sagat
Battle Points: 89,309
Match/Win Ratio: 3,410 Matches (win ratio not public)
5. 志郎 (Shiro)
Character: Abel
Battle Points: 82,903
Match/Win Ratio: 3,654/2,845 77.86%
6. 時の扉 (Toki no Tobira)
Character: Balrog (Boxer)
Battle Points: 76,678
Match/Win Ratio: 3,094/2,574 83.19%
7. ときどきヌキンクス (Tokidoki Nukinkusu)
Character: Chun-Li
Battle Points: 76,397
Match/Win Ratio: 3,484/2,233 64.09%
8. ネモ (Nemo)
Character: Chun-Li
Battle Points: 76,507
Match/Win Ratio: 4,351/3,514 80.76%
9. じょえ (Joe)
Character: C.Viper
Battle Points: 74,757
Match/Win Ratio: 2,293/1,812 79.02%
10. ☆カツオ☆ (Katsuo)
Character: Sagat
Battle Points: 74,521
Match/Win Ratio: 3,858/3,148 81.6%
11. ボウヤ☆★☆ (Bouya)
Character: Zangief
Battle Points: 74,440
Match/Win Ratio: 4,664/3,575 76.65%
12. ドラゴンボーイ (Dragon Boy)
Character: Ken
Battle Points: 72,874
Match/Win Ratio: 1,783/1,432 80.31%
13. 伊予 (Iyo)
Character: Dhalsim
Battle Points: 71,880
Match/Win Ratio: 2,924/2,197 75.14%
14. くま (Kuma)
Character: M.Bison (Dictator)
Battle Points: 69,449
Match/Win Ratio: 4,817/3,886 80.67%
15. Radiowave
Character: Sagat
Battle Points: 68,838
Match/Win Ratio: 1,992/1,621 81.38%
16. ももち (Momochi)
Character: Akuma
Battle Points: 65,987
Match/Win Ratio: 1,373/1,026 74.73%
17. AOI
Character: Sagat
Battle Points: 65,586
Match/Win Ratio: 5,040/4,194 83.21%
18. 静岡最強 (Shizuoka Saikyou)
Character: Blanka
Battle Points: 65,084
Match/Win Ratio: 4,194/3,211 76.56%
19. まぁクン (Maakun)
Character: Sagat
Battle Points: 65,020
Match/Win Ratio: 4,052/3,119 76.97%
20. だしお (Dashio)
Character: C.Viper
Battle Points: 65,286
Match/Win Ratio: 2,738/2,058 75.16%
Know what sucks about that list? That bastard Sakamoto isn't even on there, making my shame all the more shameful.