Neat.

If I could use Gametap, I would. I run Linux and refuse to run windows, so I am left out.

Luckily, I have a Dreamcast and all three SFIII games.

You guys have an answer for everything!

I use Ken and Chun Li. Ken is good all around, and Chun Li does less damage but is very fast. I recommend Ken though, he's much easier to use.

Nick: Start with Ken because he's the easiest to use in 3S, plus he's top tier anyway. Then just move on to whoever interests you. Though, if you actually want to learn, just stay away from Sean, Ibuki, Q and Twelve for the time being. Their way too low tier to bother with until you actually understand how the game works proper.

I use Akuma/Gouki. He's the king of cheap hits. Ken is good too, but as much as I like him, I just can't play with him that well.

Also, Chun Li. Her standing Fierce is by itself enough to kill any newcomer to the game. Throw in her crouching Forward for set ups and you've got yourself a chick that will rape your face with two buttons and some panty shots.

now this is THE real Street FIghter....

Makoto is pretty brutal if you know what your doing. Urien is a mother fucker too. Yun is top tier, and Ken is high up there too. I personally play ryu and hugo. If you ever play online, just spam with Sean's taunt. they love that shit

OH NO...OH NO.. Now i gotta get gold...GOD DAMN IT

I play Ken with super move #2 in 3rd Strike, I'm pretty sure he is top tier.

Also avoid Q and Twelve, they suck.

@ Nick Chester:

Wow, I had a completely different experience in college. It was during college when I really got into fighting games. Since games like KOF 2001/2002/2003, Guilty Gear X2, Soul Caliber 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Street Figther 3rd Strike were all playable at Univ's arcade (also ps2 versions of those games we're coming out around the time)

I met alot of crazy arcade maniac's even a girl who use to come to the arcade and play like freak'n everday, playing soul caliber 2 (she was even allowed to have free credits). The arcade had tournaments every 2-3 months.

At the dorms we use to have soul caliber 2 and marvel vs capcom 2 tournaments all the time.

I don't know what school you went to, but most of my fighting game buddies came from college. Now that I'm out of college dorm life, I lost alot of them.

Man...those were the days.

The gametap version should have online too, so that will be fun.

Beginners should stick to the shotos till they learn the subtleties of the fighting system.

After that, Dudley is a goddamn machine, Akuma does huge damage (but takes it pretty bad), Chun-Li is the queen of pokes and cheap combo starters and Urien and Alex are dangerous when you get the uses of their moves down.

I personally loathe Yun and Yang, they are fast but that's it. Sean is like if Ken had down syndrome. Twelve is the most inept thing on the face of the Street Fighting planet and looks like a sperm cell on steroids. Ibuki is wildly overrated and can be easily beat.

But, if you want my advice? Q, Q all the goddamn way.

It's all about Yun quite frankly, and thats all that needs to be said.

Mxyzptlk: Just grab a decent PS2 arcade stick (e.g. Hori Fighting Stick 2) and a smart joy converter.

Dudley is awesome, i tried getting really good at Makoto (sp?) but i kept feeling like she was missing moves. Q is the freaking man.

Oh, and the end boss is freakin cheap on hard.

I only started playing this last year! As I was trained by some guys who attend all the major UK competitions, I was beaten up regularly for a long time but got to grips with it quickly or I would have stopped playing altogether.

Basics

If you're a whore, learn Chunners. She has one of the easiest to land and most damaging Supers that chains from almost anything! As mentioned above, her Fierce Punch can be devestating if used effectively. At competition level, she can sometimes be dominated because people tend to be a little predictable with her but a good Chun player only has real problem with her wake-up and mix-up.

Ken is the Shoto to learn. Much like Chun, he's got an easy to land Super that has 3 Stocks, which makes it very quick to gain. His cross-up game is devestating and his combos into Super make him one of the most used characters in this version of the game.

Yun is the juggle king! If you can learn to use his main Super and combo-juggle a character in the corner, the heave damage is potentially fatal. He does take a lot more learning than Ken or Chun though, as he doesn't take a hit well.

[Fun]

Ibuki has some cool moves and, if she's played well, can be very unpredictable and damaging. She's a little underpowered but bouncy and a lot of fun.

Hugo takes a beating a lot of the time but he's got lots of thoroughly enjoyable moves that make playing him worthwhile. In particular, his Supers are screen-shakingly huge! Pick him if you wanna learn how to parry because, boy, are you gonna need it.

Necro is my favourite alternate character (I'm a whore and use Chunners. The "pros" I play against hate having suggested her in the first place because I abuse her Fierce Punch terribly when I'm on form). He's slow, his moves are awkward and he is considered to be very low powered but if you get used to him he's Dhaslim mixed with Blanka! I mean, come on! How cool is that?!

Advanced

Q takes some learning but his Taunt reduces the damage he takes. You can then poke an enemy into submission or corner them and wait for an opening. Very cool when used correctly and very frustrating for your opponents.

Elena was a big surprise for a lot of Tournament veterans recently at one of the London meets. She has an amazing mix- up and a ridiculous range on her Super. A very interesting character that isn't picked as much as she should be.

Urien is terrible in the hands of a new player. An average player can make him usable but a good player can seriously kick ass with him. Once he gets you in a corner with an Aegis Reflector Super, start blocking well or he will take you into the air and keep you there for almost as long as Yun! The trick to defeating him is not to let him get you into a corner but, seriously, that's a lot tougher than it sounds!

Enjoy!

mannnnn.... in the alphas and super street fighter II.. it was all about ken for me so naturally he was the first character i used in sf III. to be honest, i wasnt really impressed by new generation, second impact quickly caught my eye though and 3s changed how i feel about sf. 2nd impact, it was ken and dudley alot, then sean and ibuki, after i got 3s, it was chun li and ken, but it shifted to ryu instead of ken, i hate to say it but i hardly select him anymore.. sometimes akuma, but mostly elena, remy, chun li, ryu, and dudley.

lol long winded explanation but thats my final list.. elena, remy, chun li, ryu, and dudley.