Super Street Fighter IV 3DS 3DS

good game

the graphic is all right with static background (slightly better than PSP games, tekken 6 for example), the control is awkward, but it's the only option you have for portable SF 4 experience

Generally when a new console launches there is a title which stands head and shoulders above all others as the must have game . In the case of the Nintendo 3DS there is no exception, with the title in question coming from a well renowned Capcom franchise, Super Street Fighter.

Super Street Fighter IV – 3D Edition, takes all of Nintendo’s 3D features and bashes them into submission, making for not only one of the best looking titles on the handheld, but also one that utilises the 3D affects better than any other launch game.

The first thing you will notice about Super Street Fighter IV is the sheer amount of options the publisher has managed to cram into this version of the game. Just looking at the main menu you will see the options for Arcade mode; Versus Mode; 3D Versus; Internet Matches, Challenge Matches and Training. There are also a few other interesting options such as the ability to view figures you have acquired by winning rounds, and there’s also the ability to view your player data and any medals you have won.

Super Street Fighter fans will no doubt be familiar with the Arcade Mode, a single player mode where you battle against the CPU through various rounds. Here you go through the story of your favourite character (from a choice of many), until eventually you meet your rival, then the final boss. It’s fairly standard stuff as far as Street Fighter is concerned, with each character having various costumes and a set of unique skills, which only they can utilise.

There are a few options during fights that you can use to mix things up. Turning on the fight request option, means you can be challenged at anytime by anyone nearby with a 3DS or from by online players, while turning on bonus rounds can boost your score. The bonus rounds are essentially the same ones as included in Challenge Mode and include tasks such as smashing up a car until you destroy it or kicking barrels into a thousand shards as they fall from the sky towards you.

The Versus mode sees you select a character and a stage of your choice and fight against another opponent, here you can set handicaps to level things out, although you will require someone you know with another 3DS to play this mode, unless of course you’d rather just take on the CPU. There is also another slightly different Versus mode (3D Versus), which has the same requirements, but instead takes a view of the match while looking over your fighters shoulder. The 3D Versus mode certainly gives different perspective on things, and while it does take a while to get used to, it’s pretty impressive and really makes you feel like you’re part of the action.

Moving on from the single player, Super Street Fighter 3D marks one of the first titles to take it online via its Internet Match option. Here you can play in a Versus or 3D Versus mode and from there you can choose other options such as a quick match, friend match or if you wish you can customise your conditions to find the perfect opponent. One of the bonuses of playing online is that you can earn Player Points and Battle Points allowing you to increase in rank and prove you are the best (or in my case the worst).

Another neat feature is the Streetpass mode, this allows you to take any five figures you have unlocked in Arcade mode and allow them to fight against anyone you pass in the street. The outcome of these battles is decided automatically, so when you turn on your machine next, you can view any results via your Streetpass log, and if you wish even view the battle in the battle simulation mode. Any time you win a Streepass battle and view it you will then earn Figure points, which you can then spend to unlock new figures.

So we have talked about the extensive list of features, but what of the action itself? Well, this is where things get really impressive. Now I for one am absolutely terrible at Street Fighter, so when I saw that you were able to pull of special moves simply by tapping on the name on the bottom screen, my love for this game grew substantially. What a fantastic idea, don’t get me wrong I’m sure there are those out there who are quite happy to figure out the ten button combinations to pull off special moves, but for someone who is not really a big fighter fan like me, this option is, well, fantastic.

Apart from my new favourite special feature, I’m happy to report that the action in Street Fighter is just outstanding. The 3D effects are a joy to behold, with special effects and the characters themselves popping out of the screen and practically kicking you in the face. The graphics are just so colourful and smooth that anyone who purchases this game will probably just be satisfied by fighting two CPU characters against each other and observing the outcome on the 3DS’s wonderful little screen.

Another bonus is that the sound is also spot on; the music is perfectly fitting to the action which is taking part, while the voice over work and sound effects just help add to what is already a wonderful package.

Sorry if I am practically foaming at the mouth as to how good I believe this game is, but as a non fighter fan I just can’t fault it. There is no doubt Super Street Fighter 3D has converted me, and I am more than sure it will convert any other non fighting fan who plays it.

Capcom has severely raised the bar on day one with the release of Super Street Fighter IV – 3D Edition, which can only be a good thing really, because any developer looking on can now see the standard they have to reach to compete.