‘Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition’ Review

Game Rant’s William Case reviews Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition

Let’s be clear at the very beginning: unless you’re a competitiveStreet Fighter IV player or have yet to pick up one of the installments in the high-quality fighter, then the content the additional Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition probably isn’t something that you need to immediately seek out.

That said, adding an additional four characters (and bringing the final roster to a overwhelming 39), along with fixing balance issues and tweaks, the downloadable Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition is a fantastic addition for the keen eye and sharp finger. The add-on is the cherry on top of an already perfect sundae.

Looking primarily at the new characters, and what they bring to the roster, the biggest change would arguably have to be Evil Ryu. A blend of Ryu and Akuma bathed in dark flames and angst, he’s a fearsome blend of shoryukens and teleportation. Unable to throw Akuma’s air fireballs, Evil Ryu instead comes with a lunging axe kick, which can travel nearly half the screen when boosted with an EX. A fairly imposing fighter, especially when using his dive-kick or Ultra fireball, he will be a big favorite during online matches, and will likely replace many of the Ryu players.

Returning from their stint in Street Fighter III,Yun and Yang get an HD upgrade, though not to the full extent that they could have. Yun easily has the best screen movement, with a flurry of swift punches and spinning shoulder charges (which will also help avoid missles in a pinch). Yang is just as speedy, bolstering an invulnerable dash and a forward roll that transition into a rising kick. Both character’s attacks seem slightly underpowered, yet don’t let that fool you: their ability to string together combos will make them as fearsome opponents – as any top-tier character (as long as someone knows how to tap into it).

Though the character that stole the show is Oni, who enters the stage looking like a beefed up Dragonball Z character (hair and all). Oni really has the whole package; a spinning hurricane kick that rivals Ken’s, two types of fireballs that will either hit multiple times or charge up for distance, and that’s not even scratching the surface. In the air, Oni is almost untouchable as he is deadly. Sporting a ground smash special that stuns his opponent, his ability to dash midair, and use the Raging Demon mid-air (though hitting only opponents in air), Oni is versatile.

In fact, when it’s all broken down on paper Oni may be the most original of the character sets to come out of the additionalSuper Street Fighter IV Arcade content. That’s not exactly a bad thing, but it will potentially cause an issue when playing online or with friends, where Oni’s will pop up like weeds everywhere – until further balancing has gone through.

And that will need to happen. While the addition did a great job at refining the hit boxes and lag times between the already established characters, the new additions will still need some work to be done down the line. It’s nothing new, and of course competitors will make sure Evil Ryu and Yun go through their paces, but it may cause some initial problems.

Updated online section is another nice change in the addition – specifically the Replay Channel and filtering. Now, players will be able to check out the battles of top-ranked fighters, while also adding them to your channel. The function is streamlined and thus far, actually effective. Plus, Capcom realized that not everyone would have the Arcade addition, so filtering has been enabled, giving you the option to look for players with, without, or combined for an even mixing.

Unless you’re a player that is in it for the latest in Street Fighter action, that pays attention to the minute stat changes, or plays in weekend tournaments, you can hold-off on the Arcade Edition. Capcom did announce that they would be releasing the game in stores as well, giving you plenty of time to wait it out. Yet if you feel compelled to purchase, it’s worth every penny for the hardcore fighter.

Super Street Fighter Arcade Editionis currently available for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC later this year