Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Score: 90% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Capcom Developer: Backbone Entertainment Media: Download/1 Players: 1 - 8 Genre: Arcade/ Fighting/ Classic/Retro
Graphics & Sound: There aren't many companies that can release the same game over and over again and get away with it. Capcom should feel fortunate that every time Street Fighter II is re-released, it makes them a ton of money. The latest release of the seminal fighting masterpiece is Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and after you catch your breath from the longest title ever, get ready for one of the best versions of Street Fighter II to date. Every little facet of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix has some new touch or update added to it. The character sprites have all been redrawn by comic book company Udon and converted to HD for the best looking 2D fighter around. The characters, backgrounds, and visual effects have all been redrawn and it looks great. There are some purists out there that want the original character sprites and they are available, but the backgrounds stay in HD. The only thing that feels off about the presentation is the new character designs still have to fit inside the same hit boxes, so some of the bigger characters like T. Hawk and Zangief seem to have odd proportions because of it. Capcom US must have really felt like throwing fans a bone because they let them make the music for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. People familiar with Overclocked Remix will know what to expect, but for those that don't, OverClocked Remix is a fansite where people upload remixes of their favorite video game songs. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix has all of its music, from Menu screens to stage music, remixed and nearly every one of the new songs sounds great. I really dug Vega's remixed music and Zangief's has a pretty cool industrial sound to it as well.
Gameplay: It isn't hard to explain what Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is. It is a one-on-one 2D fighting game made in HD. But going deeper than that, it is a re-balanced version of Street Fighter II that is just as addictive as it was at the arcade (or 7-11) over a decade ago. Intelligent balance tweaks and difficulty adjustments make this a fighting gamer's fantasy. There are two main modes in Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. First is the story or Arcade mode; basically, a series of fights that ultimately ends with a short storyboard of the events that followed the end of the tournament. By the way, I wish they had a save feature for the artwork because Zangief has the coolest picture for his story when he wrestles a bear and the look on his face should be set as my background on my 360. The other main feature is Versus mode which also ties into the online mode. Online play for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is simply immaculate. Ever since the beta, I was worried that it wouldn't hold up over the stress. I don't know what sort of net code that they use, but I want more games to use it because it is buttery smooth. You would swear that they were playing in the same room with you most of the time. There are a few different modes for online including Player and Ranked Matches, Quick Matches, Tournaments, and a new "Quarter Up" feature. Quarter Up is a new mode where you spectate someone else's match and do the equivalent of putting a quarter on the arcade cabinet, which is to tell everyone else that you have the next game. The single player is smooth, the online play is great, and it even allows players to freely choose to play in the new remixed style or the classic style. The only downside to the whole experience is that the display menu that pops up for the move list is a bit confusing because it lists both the classic and remixed inputs side by side. It becomes a problem because most of the time, I look at the wrong move list because the classic moves are first in order. Although the classic move inputs still work in the remixed version, it is still much easier to pull off some of the new remixed moves.
Difficulty: There are a few different difficulty selections in Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix including Easy, Normal, Hard, and Expert. The problem is that the upper two difficulties are appropriately hard and challenging, while the lower two are inconsistent and unfair. Difficulty just spikes for no reason during certain fights and it becomes very frustrating. On hard or higher, the computer plays like a smart tournament level gamer would. But on Easy and Normal, the A.I. behaves like a cheap computer does and that is when it loses enjoyment, but the bright side is that you have infinite continues so it all works out for the best.
Game Mechanics: Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is a six button fighter, meaning that you have three punch attacks and three kick attacks. (Well except for Balrog, he has six punch attacks.) Special attacks and throws are also a deadly part of your fighting arsenal. All of the controls can be re-mapped to suit any play style you wish, but as I said in my preview, "Buy a fighting stick!" The D-pad is still horrible for fighting games and while Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix does make very good use out of the analog stick, it still won't compare to the feel of a fighting stick in your hands. I guess now would be the best time to explain a few of the tweaks and adjustments to character's moves throughout Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. The most noticeable improvement (for me) is Zangief. I can actually use him now! He was notorious for being one of the harder characters to use because he was slow and his moves were very difficult to pull off practically. What used to be one full 360 degree rotation on the stick is now just a half circle movement and it makes the world of difference. Some other changes are that E. Honda's flying headbutt now dissipates projectiles, which means he can gain ground much easier. Chun-Li's vertical spinning kick now travels in an arc which allows for juggles and escaping a corner. Cammy's throws have been beefed up now making her a much better defensive character. But the one character that has been moved from the lowest tier to a major player is T.Hawk. He is now very powerful, his specials and attacks are a breeze to pull off and his diving attack homes in on the opponent meaning he can cover a lot of ground very quickly. All of the changes were meant for serious players, but it also means that anyone can pick it up and find someone that they like right away. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is definitely worth the money if you are a fan of any previous Street Fighter game. If you have never played any in the series before, this would be the most forgiving and easiest to sink into. The online play alone makes the entire game worth the price of admission, because you will always have someone to compete against without having to adjust your strategies to compensate for lag. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is a great game and if nothing else, will keep you busy while you prep for Street Fighter IV.
-HanChi, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Hanchey
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