As mentioned in the beginning of this review, a number of gameplay tweaks and balance changes have been made to the already-successful
Super Street Fighter IV. Of course, this means that some of the moves you're accustomed to using may have either been weakened or strengthened. I consider myself a fan of fighting games, but I don't obsess over the minutiae behind each and every move, norr do I go into great depth studying proper timing and position. So, it's no surprise to me that many of these changes have escaped my notice. As far as I'm concerned,
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition is the same fantastic fighting game I fell in love with three years ago -- only with new characters. If you do obsess over these things, this update gives you the choice of playing online with or without the balance changes.
This release's most notable improvements are in the online community. There's a new Elite Channel, with which you can view the saved replays of the world's best players. On top of that, you can select players to follow, much like you would with a social networking site. There are also a number of lower-profile additions to the online component as well; Endless Battle lobbies can now be named, which goes a long way in personalizing the online experience.
