Features

The daddy of all fighting games is back. Well, sort of – this Ultra version is actually an add-on for the classic 2008 Streetfighter IV but thankfully features such a huge raft of changes and new features, that it feels more like a sequel than an expansion pack. More importantly, it means that the beat-em-up comfortably retains its crown as the ‘Best Fighting Game Evah’ for the PS3, X360 and PC.

First up, the headline additions and changes. The character roster has been boosted to 44 with the arrival of five new characters; actually Poison, Rolento, Hugo and Elena are updated renditions from their Street Fighter X Tekken outing, while the fifth, Decapre, is truly all-new with a move set that once mastered, offers plenty of bedazzling fighting opportunities (anyone for teleportation?) – and thankfully, she is not simply a ‘reskin’ of Cammy as some had feared.

Just as significantly, existing characters have been tweaked to naval-gazing perfection, offering better balancing and bringing fighters who have previously found themselves on the sidelines into the spotlight. Yes, Rufus, your time is now.

Away from the headline features, there are more intricate changes and additions that will delight veterans and their calloused thumbs. First off, deploy your ‘Red Focus’, which allows players to take a drubbing (at the expense of their Super Meter) before unleashing a devastating counterattack. Then there’s the new, rather brilliant online training mode and the ability to start a bout with two ultra moves instead of one, plus you can now record offline matches and much more besides… the list is endless.

You may have figured out by now that this Ultra upgrade is truly obsessive – from that raft of new characters down to single frames of animation being tinkered with, completists will relish in developer Capcom’s attention to detail.

For those who have yet to dip their toes (or punch their way) into the Street Fighter phenomena, it’s time to find out what the fuss is all about – and there has never been a better time to leap into the ring. Whether you’re a newcomer or an old-timer, one simple, un-slappable fact remains – the series represents the pinnacle of beat ‘em brilliance, and is a game that's still capable of holding our attention five years after its release. That’s quite some achievement.