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Game Title: Street Fighter II
Platform: Multiplatform
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Genre: Fighting
Age Rating: PEGI: 12+, ELSPA: 11+, BBFC: 15+, ESRB: T for Teen
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Game Score: 10/10
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Summery:
Even after 25 years Street Fighter II is still one of the top rated fighting games that holds well and it is a gaming masterpiece that is still enjoyable to play.
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This review was made to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Street Fighter II's release in the Arcades.
Street Fighter II is the sequel to the original Street Fighter game that did come out originally in the Arcades and Street Fighter II is the sequel that everybody in the world talks so much about. Street Fighter II was set to be the game that helped popularize the fighting game genre and become one of the most popular games to be launched in the arcades. Every time you either look or play the game it is still considered a gaming masterpiece by both critics and fans alike. After 25 long years since it's original release Street Fighter II still holds up well and it's an example of a classic game that is still enjoyable to play.
Street Fighter II is a one on one fighting game where two players select from one of 8 different characters with each of them having their own fighting style. These characters are Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Guile, E. Honda, Blanka, Zangief and Dhalsim. You can play against the CPU or you can have a second player join in at any time. When you fight against the CPU you go against the 7 other characters and winning those fights will put you against 4 other fighters which are only controlled by the CPU. These characters are Balrog, Vega, Sagat and M.Bison who serves as the game's final boss.
Street Fighter II is played with two characters facing each other in combat, you use the stick to move your character and use the buttons to do a punch or a kick. The game uses a 6 button combination where you do for example a low punch, a mid punch or a high punch which summaries as either a weak punch or a hard punch, the same can also be said for kicking attacks. You can also jump by pressing up or crouch by pressing down, you can even do different standard attacks with the button and stick combinations as well like the favourite Jump Kick attack which works well in some situations. You can also do a throw by standing as close as possible and then pressing one of the attack buttons.
What makes Street Fighter II really fun was the way that each of the characters have their own special moves that you can execute. Special moves are done using a special combination on the stick and buttons. For example to do Ryu and Ken's Hadoken you need to move the stick down and then rotate it forward in a quarter circle motion and then press the punch button at the same time. I won't spoil the other moves out but each of the other moves can be difficult to pull of but follow the requirements and you'll be able to execute them. Learning about each of the various characters abilities plus learning how to pull of each of the character's moves and lastly the strengths and weaknesses of each of the characters is important if you want to achieve victory. Each attack can either by blocked by holding the stick in the reversed direction where your character is facing and also some attacks can have priorities over the other which is very important to note. Some attacks can also be countered or also be jumped over or crouched which can be useful to avoid damage.
Learning about how the computer controlled AI acts in battle is also crucial to your success, while you can go in and easily win a few matches but eventually the AI starts counter attacking, jumping all over you and easily pummelling you. It's then you need to start playing a little bit more defensively if you want to have a chance. There is a chance the AI cools down a bit giving you the opportunity to get back at the opponent and win. Street Fighter II does give out different strategies without needing to make its gameplay complicated.
When you do win against all the opponents it's becomes very satisfying to watch one of the different characters endings unfold. Each of the characters have their own reasons for wanting to take on M.Bison but I really shouldn't spoil it.
The graphics in the arcade game are really colourful and also very detailed with some lash backgrounds with some audience animations, the attack effects are really cool and the overall character animation is very smooth. The character portraits are really nice and it's cool to see their defeated faces in the victory screen alongside reading the various victory quotes from the characters. In the original game for the arcade you will see the English translation but it's rather comical like Ryu's line “You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance.” The soundtrack composed by Yoko Shimomura and Isao Abe have plenty of really amazing catchy and fitting tunes for each of the various characters and their sped up versions are really tense.
So is there anything wrong with Street Fighter II? To be honest I cannot find anything remotely wrong with the arcade game or anything that is worth noting. The game has enough depth with it's gameplay and you will have fun with friends with the VS modes to see who has the skill of a Street Fighter. Because the game was so popular Capcom decided to make some revisions of the game in which tweaked the game mechanics graphics and the character roaster. Street Fighter II Championship Edition allowed players to play as the CPU exclusive opponents as well as allowing same character matches, Street Fighter II Turbo Hyper Fighting sped the game up and gave the characters new abilities. There was also Super Street Fighter II which added 4 more characters increasing the character roster to 16 as well as changing the graphics and sound and lastly Super Street Fighter II Turbo which gave characters special attacks called super combos as well as adding a secret character which can only be fought by beating through the game without losing a round which can be difficult. Super Street Fighter II Turbo I am not going to lie is the hardest revision of the game, mostly because the AI even on the first round spends time counter attacking and taking advantages in their favour. It's a Street Fighter II version I recommend for expert players. Street Fighter II also got an anniversary release which was more or less a revision of Super Street Fighter II which allows players to use soundtracks from CPS I or CPS II plus also to use characters with a series of different variations you can use. This makes it so that you can chose to use either the character style of either the original game or the Super Turbo variation. Street Fighter II and it's various revisions was also ported onto many different game consoles and compilations as well as a High Definition release. Many of these console ports play a little bit different compared to the arcade counterpart but the gameplay remains the same. Some of the Computer and PC ports should be avoided because of the horrible graphics and very broken gameplay. The handheld ports on Gameboy systems are at least worth playing if you want to take your Street Fighter II gameplay on the go. Whatever version of Street Fighter II you play the game still lives on as one of the most popular and recognized fighting games of all time, it was one of the games that people played in various video game tournaments around the world. If you still have memories of this game then dig out your old copy for another round of Street Fighter II and here's to another 25 years. It will also live on as one of the best rated games of all time next to Super Mario Bros, Doom and Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time as timeless classics that are enjoyable and loved to this very day.
Happy 25th Anniversary Street Fighter II you money munching, tournament making fighting machine!
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The Good Points:
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1. Very recognizable characters
2. Great controls and combat system that offers plenty of depth and strategies
3. Very catchy and fitting music
4. Character endings are good to watch
5. So many revisions and so many ports that are either great or bad
6. Still easy enough to pick up and play
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Reviewed by: Anthony Hayball (AQWBlaZer91)
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