E3 '07: Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Despite its long and heavily modified title, fans of puzzling and fighting will be happy to hear that Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is essentially the same game they fell in love with years ago. In fact, Capcom is calling the game a Meta-Emulation, which means that the core game is completely unchanged, but set within a shinier, prettier HD frame.

For example, the gems have all been redrawn to glisten delicately on your awesome flatscreen, but the characters have not. Guess they're saving that for Super Street Fighter II HD Remix, but fret not, puzzle fighters, because you'll get all the love you can handle when this game hits Xbox Live!, the PlayStation Network, or a PC near you for about 10 dollars.

That's because this version of Super Puzzle Fighter will come with the X, Y, and Z play modes and all the characters you remember (including Akuma, Dan and Devilot). There's also a redone version of X-Mode with newly balanced characters. Of course, if you just want to play the original Puzzle Fighter X-Mode, that is always an option. On the flip side, if you want to get really unfair you can always use the Counter Gem Edit feature to craft your own nasty, custom drop pattern.

On top of all that, there are both offline and online matches. While playing against friends at your house is always the best option, this version will also come with ranked online matches for the leaderboard climbers among you, as well as casual Quarter Matches where you and three other players take turns playing the winner, just like you would in an arcade.

With gussied-up graphics, a drop-pattern editor, newly balanced characters and two different online play modes, not to mention a modest price tag and some of the best puzzle gameplay ever pieced together, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix should be a safe and fun way to spend any loose change you have lying around when it drops onto PCs as well as the Live! and PSN services this summer.