Street Fighter EX3

Arika released a spiritual successor to the game and series in 2018, called Fighting EX Layer.

Street Fighter EX3 is a 2D head-to-head fighting game with 3D graphics. It features a similar gameplay system to its predecessor Street Fighter EX2 Plus, with characters being able to pull off similar moves like Super Combos and Meteor Combos. However, a difference here is that the "Guard Break" system from the previous installments has been removed and replaced with a similar system called the "Surprise Blow" ("Hard Attack" in Japan), which does not use up energy stored in "super bars," although the attack can be blocked (only when standing). Other additions are the "Critical Parade" (calling out a tag-partner to simultaneously battle your opponent for a limited time) and "Momentary Combo" (following a special attack with another). Some characters received new moves, such as Skullomania having a vertical projectile. The core gameplay is essentially the same as previous installments. However, Street Fighter EX3 features Tag Battles, similar to Tekken Tag Tournament, allowing players to switch between characters and offering greater combination possibilities.

In Original Mode, the player can recruit a team of up to four characters that were the last to be defeated by the end of the level, and can choose the next opponent(s), as is possible in Street Fighter III. The bonus stage is a simplified version of the beat 'em up genre. In this mode, there are also missions, which the player can complete in order to gain Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze trophies, which in turn unlock various features. In Arena Mode, Dramatic Battles are possible, with 2-VS-2, 1-VS-3 (similarly to Battle 1 in Original Mode), or even 2-VS-1 (similarly to Battle 3 in Original Mode, if with a partner) with flexibility via a multitap over each character being controlled by human or computer. Original mode uses new music based on the background stage, while the VS and Team Battle modes reuse themes from earlier games, which are based on the chosen characters. In Character Edit Mode, the player can complete a series of challenges with the new character, Ace, and earn experience points, which can then be used to obtain new Special Moves and Super Combos for Ace, which can then be applied to him to create a custom move list. A configuration example would be the Shoryuken, Sonic Boom, and Spinning Piledriver, as used by Seth in Street Fighter IV. Ace is also playable in the other available game modes.

Multiple costumes are available for each character, depending on the button used on the character in the Character Select screen. Ace (エース, Ēsu), introduced in this game, is a government agent ordered by the prime minister of his nation to find information about a secret weapon being developed in an underground base. Ace uses a custom fighting style, which the player can edit by passing a series of trials in the game's Character Edit mode. He was designed originally with the idea of implementing a side-scrolling action game mode into the title.