Capcom’s classic Street Fighter franchise has seen many iterations in the past 20 years – perhaps none as ambitious as its 3DS launch title.
Street Fighter IV was arguably the most important fighting game of the past ten years, revitalising a genre that had grown stale and had became the preserve of little more than the most die-hard of fans. A year after the release of its ‘Super’ revamp, Street Fighter has arrived in stores as the most content-heavy, graphically impressive and best-regarded Nintendo 3DS launch title. Is the hype justified?
SFIV 3D is certainly an impressive technical feat. Considering that the Nintendo Wii apparently doesn’t have the power to run a version of the title developers Capcom are happy with, it’s a stunning achievement to see a near-approximation of the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions in a portable console.
SFIV 3D Edition not only boasts all 34 fighters from its console brethren (include that jammy bastard Seth), it also contains 22 stages, car-kicking Challenge modes and even identical Achievements/Trophies from the version it has been so considerately ported from. Handheld fighting games have never really taken off in the past, yet perhaps this is because it has only taken until now that a developer can replicate the true console experience.
All the paid DLC alternate costumes from the console version are included free
Of course, translating a series such as Street Fighter to a handheld console is sure to ruffle the feather of certain pro players, the types that may order an arcade stick that cost more than the actual game itself. In this respect, such players are likely to be irked by SFIV 3D Edition’s most noticeable inclusion – touch-screen hot keys for complicated moves.
Although the option can be switched off for regular and online battles, a regular Street Fighter matchup on the 3DS allows players to map up to four moves to the bottom 3DS screen, which can be utilised by a single stylus or thumb press.
This won’t please purists, especially since even Ultra Combos can be activated at certain points with just a single press, but in practice it’s one of the most ingenious casual audience-tempting moves the genre has seen in years.
Let’s not forget that many Street Fighter 2 players that want to control Ryu and Guile again might have forgotten how to throw a Sonic Boom or Hadouken, or may not have the time or inclination to memorise 34 player’s move sets. Either way, it’s a positive move to coax players back to the genre, although we hope there’s a special place in Hell for Ken players that spam the same two moves over and over in online mode.
As for the game’s biggest attraction, SFIV 3D Edition is one of the few 3DS launch titles that is perfectly playable when the 3D effect is fully cranked up. From our playtime with various launch games, we’ve found that the effect works best over a small number of plains, preferably with the camera at a fixed perspective. This is certainly true of 2D fighters such as SFIV 3D Edition, although the inclusion of static backgrounds detracts somewhat from the authenticity of each stage.
Another slight complaint is Capcom’s ‘3D Mode’, a dynamic, over-the-shoulder view that demonstrates the title’s stunning visuals at the expense of playability. Although this mode is fun for a few rounds, it’s too difficult to accurately judge the distance of attacks, while the camera swoops each time the controlled fighter switches from one side to the next. It’s a fun idea but quite nauseating after prolonged play. 
Another 3DS-only inclusion utilises the console’s ‘Street Pass’ function. Here players can collect and win ‘Battle Figurines’, similar to those last seen in the Super Smash Bros franchise on the Nintendo Gamecube and Wii. Not only can you trade figures with friends locally, gamers can battle with other SSFIV 3D players instantaneously when on the move. These simulated battles take place between teams that each user can create from their figurine collections. It’s a novelty, sure, but it’s fun to see a launch title developer that wants to incorporate every single 3DS feature from the off.
Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition is a staggeringly well-recreated port of an already classic title and arguably the best reason for any prospective buyers to pick up a 3DS. With an intimidating wealth of features, gorgeous graphics and gameplay that shouldn’t frighten casual audiences, Capcom have already set a high bar for fellow third-party developers to try emulate.
Format: Nintendo 3DS; Developer: Capcom
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