Can a year make a difference to one of the greatest fighting games in history?
What’s Hot:
10 New characters
New online modes
New backgrounds
Rebalanced characters
What’s Not:
No search function in the replay channel
No real mode to train newcomers
2009 saw the year of the fighting genre return, with such hits as Tekken 6, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, King of Fighters 12 and Street Fighter 4. Capcom returns in 2010 with their inevitable sequel to Street Fighter 4 with Super Street Fighter 4. The question is: Can a year make a difference to one of the greatest fighting games in history? If yes was all you wanted to hear, go buy it right now. If you need more to tide you over read on.
While the games mechanics have not changed much from Street Fighter 4, SSF4 includes a ton of new features including: 10new characters, new backgrounds, a new announcer, a replay channel, a whole suite of new online modes, some light rebalancing of the characters and an already confirmed 8 player Tournament mode as DLC. Super contains a lot of new features that will appeal to the hardcore as well as people who are trying to join for the first time, to make this more appealing Capcom have discounted the price from the standard retail to $40 in the USA and at least £20 in the UK
The main appeal of SSF4 is its new characters, Deejay and T.Hawk return to complete the Street fighter 2 roster, Makoto, Dudley and Ibuiki return from Street Fighter 3, Guy, Cody, and Adon return from the Alpha series. SSF4 introduces two new fighters, Juri a Korean fighter with a mysterious system implanted into her left eye, giving her unbelievable power and derives overwhelming joy from the destruction of her opponent and Hakan, A Turkish Oil Wrestler who is also the president of the world’s largest cooking oil company, travelling around the world looking for the best cooking oil.
SSF4 contains a new replay channel that you can use to view a wide range of fights from all the characters to gain more knowledge about that character; you can also invite your friends to view them with you. The main problem with the replay channel is the lack of a real search function. You can view replays from a range of categories including Boss characters, new fighters or characters from Street Fighter 4, but you do not have the ability to search for a specific character, for instance you can’t find the best replays from Ryu specifically.
Another way to gain more knowledge about a character is through the Trials mode. The Trials mode is like and extended version of the practice mode, the Trials mode gives you a set list of moves to complete that can be linked into each other for massive combos that can be used in real fights, these can be completed for each character. The main problem with this mode is the lack of guidance, this mode gives you combos to use, but not how to use them or the situations that using these combos can help you in a fight.
The meat of the new features in SSF4 is in the online modes. SSF4 contains new modes including Endless Mode and Team Battle and an improved matchmaking and network play. Endless Mode is for up to 8 players take turns battling each other 1-on-1 with the winner staying on, while the other players watch the fight. Team battle puts up to 8 players split into 2 teams facing off against each other. Super also contains improved network code and an upcoming free DLC pack that can host ladder tournaments up to 8 players.
SSF4 contains a ton of new modes, 10 new characters, and refined game play improvements at a discounted price in the end a fighting game is only fun if you're matched up with similarly skilled opposition, and the game seems to be able to help you have fun, regardless of your skill level. SSFIV makes last year's fighting game a lot better, if you've got any interest in fighting games at all, SSF4 is a killer deal.
