It's been fifteen years since Street Fighter was released… and still
everyone picks Ryu. Some things never change, as Scot finds out…
For all the games released in the past decade or so, none have stood up against
the test of time quite like Street Fighter II. There's no arguing against
the fact that it's viewed as one of the most influential games of all time,
and without it, there may have never been a Samurai Showdown, a Guilty
Gear or even a Soul Calibur. In celebration of Street Fighter
II's fifteenth anniversary, Capcom have deemed it suitable to release all
five variations of the venerable fighting series in one complete package.
However, instead of putting each game from the series on there separately,
Capcom have merged all five together in one tidy package, allowing players to
mix and match opponents from across the different releases. From the character
select screen, you're given the option to select each character from the different
Street Fighter II releases, therefore giving you the opportunity to pit
Ryu from World Warriors against Guile from Super Turbo.
Every character has gone through quite a transition since the beginning of
the series. Ryu and Ken were virtually identical in World Warriors, but
both have evolved to become quite different from each other. The same can be
said for Guile, who was originally viewed as an overpowered character in World
Warriors and therefore toned down, albeit with new moves, in later versions.
"As conversions go, it's absolutely perfect. Nothing has been touched, tweaked
or fixed - this is exactly as you will remember playing it in the arcade."
As conversions go, it's absolutely perfect. Nothing has been touched, tweaked
or fixed - this is exactly as you will remember playing it in the arcade. Therefore,
all the unintentional little tricks that were progressively discovered remain
such as backing one character into a corner and hammering them there. Above
all, it's the best 2D fighting engine ever made, and this conversion does it
absolute justice - the graphics look like they did in the arcade, the menu sounds are all just as wholly cheerful and Ken's background music is still the best in the game, natch.
The best way to play Street Fighter II is with a friend and thankfully
things haven't changed in the slightest. Here in the office, we've been spending
our lunch hours locked to the television set as we try to squeeze in as many
battles as possible before our time is over. There is endless replay
value here when you decide to involve your friends, and as with any beat-'em-up,
find someone around your level of expertise and the competition heats up dramatically.
There's really no other way to put this - if you're a fan of the Street
Fighter II series and haven't already got them stashed away somewhere, this
is an absolutely stunning package for an equally stunning price. The inclusion
of the enjoyable animated movie only makes the compilation more attractive,
as well as entirely essential for those interested in the back-story and exposures
of the main in-game characters. With that, there's very little else to say -
I mean, if you're not familiar with Street Fighter II, now is the opportune
time to become acquainted. If you are however, prepare to again experience one
of the greatest videogame series' ever made.
Scot Bennett
+ One of the best fighting engines ever made.
+ An absolutely perfect conversion, just as it looked and played in the arcade.
+ The animated movie is a thoroughly enjoyable viewing and further makes the
package amazing value for money.
- Some may be put off by the old-school look and feel to it all.
- The PS2 pad can become quite uncomfortable for this kind of beat-'em-up (yeah
Scot, you wouldn't stand a chance on SNES pads - Ed).
- All those characters and everyone still picks Ryu!