...

Well?

Consoles... because arcades are smelly.

Arcades. Better face to face competition. There has not been a controller for any console that properly emulates the feel of the arcade controls.

Ill say Arcades, out of pure nostalgia. Playing SF2 and NeoGeo games at the local arcade are some of my fondest childhood memories

Arcade. You can't get the same feeling with a console: cramped together face to face, so close to the monitor, with the proper controls, hearing your opponent hit the buttons and recognizing what combo is coming just from the sounds etc...

The overall winner is consoles and today, there is no contest.

Back in the 80's, 90's and early party of this decade, the graphics for fighting games were better at arcades but now there isn't any difference. A major advantage for fighting games on consoles is that they're cheaper if you play the game often (assuming you already had the console). And while you can play against people at arcades, you could also do the same at home on your console. The console version offers more options, variety over the arcade version. Last with online gaming, that's a whole other option for console fighting games. The only advantage I see for arcade fighting games or arcades in general is the nostalgia factor and just getting out of the house and playing in public with friends as well as meeting new people there.

I always preferred the console version of fighting games back when arcades still mattered in my area.

Why?

Arcade cabinets where I live were apparently treated very roughly, and nobody wanted to pay to have them repaired or replaced. Frustration!

I miss the arcades that used to be in my county, but one always attracted a rough crowd, while the other just couldn't stay afloat financially... Console fighters have their virtues to be certain, but arcade fighters are a whole different animal... Personally, I find it tough to decide between the two...