If there was ever a computer game that brought a nostalgic tear to the eye and with it all the excitement of a lifetime of birthdays and Christmases rolled into one, then it is Street Fighter IV.
It's been just under 12 years since the last proper Street Fighter sequel. That game was 1997's Street Fighter III: New Generation but now the long wait is over - Street Fighter IV is upon us.
From the outset it's clear Capcom's goal with Street Fighter IV is not to rewrite the fighting game rulebook, or to appeal to the fighting game hardcore exclusively, but to bring back the scattered millions of people who played Street Fighter II when it was the undisputed, unrivalled biggest game on the planet.
Street Fighter II down your local arcade (remember those?). Street Fighter II on the SNES or Mega Drive. Even Super Street Fighter II, and, at a stretch, Super Street Fighter II Turbo.
If you played any of those games about the time they came out Street Fighter IV will feel like a gloriously next-genified trip back in time.
At first this beautiful reincarnation feels remarkably similar to II. All eight original World Warriors make an appearance with all their famous moves. Fireballing and dragon punching their way back into our homes and hearts are Ryu and Ken while giant Russian wrestler Zangief, rubbery Indian Dhalsim, thunder thighs Chun-Li, ginger livewire half animal Bermuda-triangle type thing Blanka, sumo wrestler E. Honda and the sonic-booming American Guile also return. Add to the mix the four original Street Fighter II bosses, Balrog, Vega, Sagat and M. Bison, and you've got the hardest reunion party in the history of gaming.
The four brand new characters are a mixed bag. Abel is cool and can be awesome in the hands of a pro; the rotund Rufus is surprisingly fast and potent but Mexican wrestler/chef El Fuerte, while having some cool and aesthetically pleasing moves, is pointless and well...just pretty rubbish really.
Crimson Viper is dangerous but doesn't seem to sit well in the line-up of characters and looks pretty out of place too. Seth, a creation from one of Bison's Shadoloo labs, is again formidable in the hands of a pro but is quite a lazy end-boss on Capcom's part.
The company has had more than 10 years to think of a new Street Fighter boss. One with such a boring name, and moves from existing characters, can't be considered anything but a disappointment.
This is only a minor blip in what is otherwise a flawless game. Street Fighter IV effortlessly captures the Street Fighter spirit (veteran gamers will know what I'm talking about). It's instantly familiar and while it is 2D, it feels wonderfully three dimensional throughout.
Focus Attacks are a new addition to the table and adds a real edge to the fights, it's a huge tool if you learn to master it.
The ultra and super combos are straightforward enough for most people to pick up early on and thirst-quenchingly satisfying to say the least. Arcade mode is tough from medium onwards and provides a really good test while Time Attack, Survival and Online modes are very appealing and addictive. Online play is the game's true strength, building up your battle points in ranked matches will see hours and days fade into nothingness - that's how engrossing it is.
The graphics are as near perfect as you can get at this spec and while there are a few minor disappointments with the new characters and the fact the game actually ends, it doesn't take anything away from what really matters - that Street Fighter is back, and it's back with a vengance.
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