Street Fighter: The Anniversary Collection
Capcom
The Verdict: The Street Fighter series remains a classic as it is updated to newer gaming systems.
3 out of 4 stars
Remember Street Fighter II, the fighting game that was in virtually every arcade in the early ’90s? If not, you missed out on a major part of your childhood. On top of being immensely famous, the Street Fighter series has set the standard for every game in the fighting genre to date.
Capcom, the developer of the series, recently released Street Fighter: The Anniversary Collection, a compilation of Street Fighter titles commemorating the 15th anniversary of the release of the original Street Fighter II. The PS2 version was released last fall, but an Xbox version featuring Live capabilities was released last month.
The collection features Hyper Street Fighter II, a combination of each version of Street Fighter II, and Street Fighter III: Fight for the Future, which was previously exclusive to arcades. It doesn’t sound like much of a compilation, but in many ways it is.
Throughout the ’90s, there were five different versions of Street Fighter II released in the United States, and Hyper Street Fighter II combines all of them.
Before choosing a character, the player picks which version of the character he or she wants to play with-Normal, Champion, Super, Turbo or Super Turbo. Each version of the characters plays differently, and what is really interesting is that players can mix and match characters from each different version of the game, which adds a unique playing experience to a classic formula.
Speaking of characters, Hyper Street Fighter II features all the memorable cast, including the ridiculously flexible Dhalsim and fast-kicking Chun Li, as well as five not-so-famous characters from later versions of the game. The gameplay itself is the same as the classic SFII: simple and fun.
Street Fighter III: Fight for the Future is a gem as well. The detailed animation and simple controls will keep players hooked for hours.
With faces old and new, SFIII brings something fresh to the Street Fighter table. More combos are available as well, and players will enjoy the challenge of learning every move and possible combination. Street Fighter III is pure eye candy, and it is a completely different experience than Street Fighter II.
The collection does have its negatives, however. For starters, the Xbox controller is not very conventional when it comes to fighting games, so players will have a hard time adjusting to the gameplay at first.
Secondly, there are only two games on the disc when there could me more. Where are the Alpha titles, Capcom? There is an added bonus, though. The Street Fighter II animated movie can be viewed after a little searching for it, which is a plus for avid Street Fighter fans.
The price isn’t so bad, either. At $29.99, Street Fighter: The Anniversary Collection is practically a steal, and the experience on Live is one almost as memorable as beating that kid who talked trash to you at Chuck E. Cheese 15 years ago.