In Japan, "Game Machine" listed "Street Fighter Alpha 2" on their May 1, 1996 issue as being the most-successful arcade game of the year, outperforming titles such as "Virtua Fighter 2". "Game Machine" also listed "Street Fighter Zero 2 Alpha" on their October 1, 1996 issue as being the second most-successful arcade game of the year. A reviewer for "Next Generation" gave the arcade version 3 out of 5 stars, praising the large number of characters, smooth animation, innovative backgrounds, and "wonderful" character design. He deemed the custom combos "an unprecedented, new, and complex innovation in "Street Fighter" gameplay", though he found some points of their implementation to be odd. He concluded, "Although it's just another 2D fighter for those who aren't paying attention, this is a fine new addition for true hard-core gameplayers."