Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition Review

From the makers of such gloriously long winded titles like "Super Street Fighter II: Turbo Edition, Street Fighter II: Championship Edition, Street Fighter 3rd Strike Double Impact, and Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition, comes Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition. God help us if there is a turbo/ulta/master's/barbecue edition to follow this up.. I can't take much more of this long named shit.

Though my naming gripes have nothing to do with the game itself which is why you are here! so lets break it down.


SSF IV 3D Edition is Capcom's launch title for the 3DS giving you all the goodies of the console version and throwing it on a handheld that launches the images at you in 3D. With all this though is the game any good?




Features

The game comes packed with just about everything the console version has. All the characters are there, all the costumes are unlocked (so if you bought the costume packs on the console prepare to be pissed :D) there is an arcade mode with all the challenges, online play, as well as things specific to the 3DS version. The exclusive stuff has to do with the StreetPass and it's figure collecting feature. As you play though the game you earn points which you can use to buy random figures. Those figures are used for StreetPass battles. If you have the game in your 3DS and you are walking past others that do as well (keep in mind your system has to be on) your figures will do battle and when you go back to your game you will receive updates of your recent battles. It's a cool feature and a reason to keep your system on while you travel. So take everything you know from the console version, add figures, 3D, and StreetPass and that is SSF IV in a nutshell.


The Graphics

This game is without a doubt in my mind THE BEST looking 3DS game out right now.. period. I am also confident this will remain the best looking game for a while to come. It looks almost like the console version, the game runs smoothly and the 3D is quite impressive. You may not use the dynamic view for long other then seeing what it's all about (dynamic view is an over the shoulder view of fighting to show off the 3D) but it's still a nice feature and besides the 3D is still viewable in the traditional view. I can't tell you how much I just stare in awe at this game each time I play it I'm telling you it's gorgeous.


The Gameplay

The game plays very well and the analog nub for the 3DS is perfect for pulling off moves for this game. If you can't pull off the moves in their traditional manner you can use the touch screen feature which puts 4 moves onto the screen for you to activate instead of using the button combination. By default you have your super move, ultra move, and 2 special moves though you can go into the menu and change them to whatever you want. It makes grappling characters (Zangief and T-Hawk) much easier to use but doesn't really give people less skilled an advantage over experienced players. The one true thing that really impressed me is the online play. This game runs silky smooth with no lag yet and connects very quickly. You have plenty of options when to online and none of them require a friend code (unless you are playing your buddies) I played several matches online without any issue and in various rooms throughout the house. This may not bring in new people to the franchise but for those of you wanting Street Fighter on the go there is nothing better.


What I Liked

I love the graphics of this game and how close they are to the console. You are not gonna find a better looking title on this handheld. I also love the controls and how easy it is to pull off more difficult combinations with the analog. That nub is gonna be the go to for handheld fighters for a while and I can't wait till more start pouring out. I love the online play for this game as it just runs without issues. For the most part Capcom has always been solid for the online of their games and you can add this one to the list. I love that all the modes and costumes made it into the game. Capcom could of taken the road many others did and provide a bare bones game with not a lot to do but they came out of the gates strong and are proving to be THE 3rd party developer that really gets the 3DS and is gonna be providing A titles for a while.

What I didn't Like

I am not a fan of the download play for the system. The game has the ability to let a friend download the game for you to go at it if they don't have a copy. Once this is done you and your friend go at it in a Ryu vs Ryu match. Now I know they can't give your friend the whole roster to pick from but cmon at least gimme a little more then a copy cat match, it's frustrating. Also while I did say the touch commands won't make you better then experts it will make the game so much easier for you. I blew through Arcade mode without losing a single round and got to fight the bonus boss where I proceeded to whoop his ass. Now while I am no newbie to Street Fighter I am NOT that fucking good. I should not take down Akuma like he is some punk so it makes me a little disappointed how much it jacks your skill up.


Conclusion

Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition is one of if not THE BEST GAME to get at launch. It looks great, plays great, and can keep you occupied for a long time. If you even just kinda like fighters it's definitely a title that you will not be disappointed with. Capcom delivered on all fronts giving you a great title to play as well as doing excellent work with the 3DS' primary features. Run out and get this NOW if you didn't do so when you got your 3DS