Super Street Fighter IV Review

By Simon Parkin Published 26 April, 2010

Ken out of 10.

Version tested: PlayStation 3

This is not the comeback story. No, we had that last year: the old champion brought out of retirement for one last, historic bout, fighting against the odds to a victory so glorious it revitalised the sport itself. And Street Fighter IV soared along that narrative arc like no other game before it, confounding even Capcom's expectations to rekindle the dulled passions of fighting fans and introduce an entire new generation to the old ways of pixel pugilism.

The game may not have taken the arcades by storm, particularly, but it was precisely the fact that it wasn't interested in taking the arcades that led to its success. Street Fighter IV went where the players are: to the consoles.

Then, in combining some of gaming's richest iconography with a rediscovery of that precious DNA that made Street Fighter II appeal to such a broad range of players, it delivered the entire genre a shot in the arm. It had its detractors, as any champ does. But none could deny the game's significance or the mainstream, Rocky-esque comeback it spearheaded, not just for its series, but for fighting games in general. Street Fighter IV: the comeback kid.

So how to bill Super Street Fighter IV, then? Bright hero turned cash cow, merchandising and endless appearances diluting his vim and appeal with each outing? Or a fighter who, having found rare form, is now moving from strength to strength? 10 minutes in to what will almost certainly be known as Capcom's defining work of the generation, there can be no doubt: Super Street Fighter IV, allegedly the final update for the series' fourth instalment, goes down in a blaze of glory.

'Super Street Fighter IV' Screenshot 1

"See? The strongest fighter always wins. As easy to understand as a flowchart." Capcom joins in with its fanbase's jibes.

In the 11 months since work began on the update, all of the data pulled from a million battles across the world has been distilled into a generous clutch of changes that improve the original in almost every tangible way. If Street Fighter IV reinterpreted the successes of the past for a modern audience, then Super Street Fighter IV lives up to its name, making that reinterpretation superlative.

10 new characters bolster the original roster of 25. Two of these, Turkish oil wrestler Hakan and sex-crazed Korean Tae-Kwon-Do practitioner Juri, are new to the series, the rest pulled from across Street Fighter's rich heritage. Crucially, not one of the new characters repeats or imitates what was already in the game.

Each fighter offers an entirely new feel in the hands, requiring fresh strategy and careful learning - and, most importantly, bringing yet more diversity and vibrancy to the cast. Makoto darts with whip-crack speed to land karate thwacks. Dudley, the aristocratic British boxer who taunts with a thrown rose and drinks tea with his gloves still on, is like Balrog following a weight loss programme, all coiled-spring power. Juri's armour-breaking dive kick punishes Focus Attacks from practically anywhere on screen, while ninja kid Ibuki's fearsome mix-up game is lightning fast.

The distinction between characters is outstanding, and the new fighters bed seamlessly with the existing roster. Moreover, for those who complained the first game favoured defensive play over risk-taking, each is primarily based around offensive play. All the characters are unlocked from the start, answering those critics who bemoaned slogging through arcade mode to unlock the character they wanted. Likewise, new costume colours and taunts are won simply by playing as a character in any mode, one per game.

However, most of the game's value to experienced players lies in the wholesale rebalancing of the existing cast. Many moves in the game have had their damage reduced (far more than have had it increased), particularly with regard to the Ultras, those spectacular finishing moves available to any character when they've taken a certain amount of damage from their opponent. Now it's entirely possible to eat two Ultras from a weaker character and still go on to win the match, something far less likely in the first game. The reduction in Ultra damage, combined with the more offensive new characters, encourages risk-taking where Street Fighter IV often punished it.

Aside from new characters and balancing, the area of the game to undergo the biggest overhaul is online. Three core battle modes are available. The first, Ranked, has you play one-on-one matches of one, three or five rounds. Here you earn two types of currency: Player Points, which increase with a win or decrease with a loss, and Battle Points, which can only increase and are tied to the particular character you've chosen. Each character in the roster has its own individual Battle Point tally, increasing in Rank as you pass set thresholds.

These two stats work well together, as they indicate both the general skill level of the player you're facing, as well as their proficiency and experience with the character they've chosen. It also adds an RPG-style meta-game in the unspoken challenge that you raise the level of all of the characters by winning matches online.

'Super Street Fighter IV' Screenshot 2

There's a welcome option to play character music, usually reserved for Rival Battles, in the Arcade mode.

Endless Mode allows up to eight fighters to play winner-stays-on in a lobby together. Those players not engaged in battle get to watch the fight and talk about it together, while the next player in the order can reserve their spot to fight next by pressing the back or select button. Endless Mode also allows you to limit the number of players in a lobby all the way down to two, replacing Player Matches from the vanilla game.

Finally, Team battle works like a tournament system, allowing 2 vs. 2, 3 vs. 3 or 4 vs. 4 matches, with a cup for the overall winning team. You can choose the order you fight in (there's no Marvel vs. Capcom-style tagging in here) so there's additional strategy in attempting to deploy your best players and most favourable match-ups to the opposition's.

Outside of the combative online modes, Super Street Fighter IV boasts an impressive Replay Channel, allowing every player to save, name and rate 150 matches to watch back at any time. You can view replays in slow-motion and invite friends into your own Channel to view your best fights. While replay channels are an unnecessary addition to many games, here they provide an invaluable resource in allowing you to view and evaluate your own battles, discerning where the weaknesses in your game lie, as well as seeing how the best players in the world do it.

The other additions to the game are of mixed success. The car-smashing interstitial first seen in Street Fighter II makes a return along with a barrel-breaking mini-game. Fun for a few turns, you'll soon be reaching for the option to switch these arcade mode interruptions off, as they're little more than nostalgic diversions.

While the Time Trial and Survival modes have been lost from the first game, the Character Trials, which offer 24 increasingly taxing moves and combos to master across each of the 35 characters, are now better-pitched and more expansive. As you pass certain completion thresholds, you unlock new icons and titles to attach to your gamertag in order to intimidate (or mislead) your opponents online, but their true value is in giving you a basic understanding of how each character behaves.

For those players who want to enjoy the arcade experience at home, once again Mad Catz is offering a range of controllers designed in consultation with Capcom. In the main, these are simply re-skinned versions of last year's range (reviewed extensively already). However, the top-grade stick, the £150 Tournament Edition, has undergone a more major overhaul, losing the sloped Viewlix-style edging of the original stick. The sharper edges can irritate your wrists after extensive play and, while the stick still feels weighty and responsive, we prefer last year's version for this reason.

'Super Street Fighter IV' Screenshot 3

The option to select Japanese or English voice acting on a per-character basis remains, and is something we'd like to see introduced into many more games.

Hori, Japan's most famous stick-maker, also has a new mid-range stick out to coincide with the game's release, the Real Arcade Pro EX, although sadly we were unable to test at time of writing. Plenty of top-level players play Street Fighter with a standard Xbox pad, but the layout of inputs in the game is explicitly tailored to stick play (with throws, Focus Attacks and taunts all mapped for easy execution on a stick, but awkward on a standard pad), so if you're coming to the genre fresh, we'd recommend investing in a mid-range stick and learning the ropes on that: you'll likely play better in the long run for it.

For the Street Fighter devotee, Super is an exemplary update, tweaking the original in logical, balanced ways that few would contest improve the experience. For newcomers, this is an excellent point to get involved in Street Fighter. However, be warned that, unlike, say, Modern Warfare 2, this is not a game you can expect to walk into with some level of competence if you're unfamiliar with fighting games. The path to proficiency is long and winding, but also one of gaming's most enjoyable to master.

Super may lack the impact of its immediate forebear, which grabbed headlines with its heady combination of brilliance and novelty. But this is the very best sort of evolution, a perfection of detail, one that diminishes its faults and amplifies its successes. If Super is, as producer Yoshinori Ono claims, to be the final iteration of Street Fighter IV (besides the inevitable DLC), then fittingly it goes out in its prime, a game at the very top of its game.

10 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Simon.

About Simon Parkin

Simon Parkin is an author and journalist on video games. A regular contributor to Eurogamer since 2005, his work has also appeared in Edge, The Telegraph, Gamasutra and Boing Boing.

Read more articles from Simon by visiting the Simon Parkin archive page.

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Comments (123) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • mowgli #1 2 years ago

    AAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #2 2 years ago

    Wow, thats a big number

  • Ka-blamo #3 2 years ago

    Super!

  • myiagros #4 2 years ago

    I've not played the vanilla Street Fighter IV as much as i would like to have, beyond the first few days, so i really can't justify shelling out again, even though i do want the additional characters.

    Even really great beat'm ups just arn't able to command my attention as much as they did in yester year.

  • mowgli #5 2 years ago

    The game almost ruined my relationship and had me tiger knee my £150 Tournament Stick on several occasions. Selling it calmed me down so much. And now I'm buying it again /o\

  • madgerald Verified Studio Head of PR & Marketing, Colossal Games LTD #6 2 years ago

    Better than Halo (sorry)

  • mingster #7 2 years ago

    shoryuken/10

  • cianchristopher #8 2 years ago

    OH MY GOD

    10 out of 10

    OH MY GOD

  • cozeny #9 2 years ago

    Fuck off Eurogamer you fucks. Fuck.

  • TRUTH #10 2 years ago

    KOF was always better then SF!...Hope SNK don't screw up the new KOF XIII as they admittedly did with KOF XII

  • Br0ken_Engli5h #11 2 years ago

    You can't resist, Coz. :D

  • Bagpuss #12 2 years ago

    "I really hope the online connectivity is better than the previous one, i am on a 50mb Virgin line...."


    A 50mb line is no better for online play than a 2mb line... quality of connection and exchange congestion are the most likely reasons for your poor experience..

    Virgin's UBR's (street cabinet routers) can get horrendously over subscribed resulting in a piss poor internet connection....

  • SwashbucklingStuff #13 2 years ago

    I'm a charge character player so I can't wait to try out Dee Jay. I also hope Vega is a bit better in this one OR that the penny drops and I start to play better with him....

  • beastmaster #14 2 years ago

    Excellent. Will be buying this Friday.

  • SPKRFCKR #15 2 years ago

    As soon as this was announced, I traded in SF4, and judging by this review, I made the correct decision.

  • bad09 #16 2 years ago

    PC version Capcom?

  • Vyggo #17 2 years ago

    I would like to play these games, but I don't want to buy one of those controllers. Is there any fun to be had with this game with the regular controller?

  • Bitkari #18 2 years ago

    The option to select Japanese or English voice acting on a per-character basis remains, and is something weeaboos like to see introduced into many more games.

    Fixd.

  • coolbritannia #19 2 years ago

    Like myiagros, I just didn't play the 1st enough to justify this. Beat em ups are a dying breed I feel.

  • Domstercool #20 2 years ago

    Cannot wait till Thursday!! Bring on the pizza, the beer and SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV *creams himself*

  • Leolian #21 2 years ago

    This game does make me more angry than any other

  • muscleblade #22 2 years ago

    No other score would have been right.

  • TRUTH #23 2 years ago

    Enjoyed SF IV; but thought it was overrated and lost some of it's appeal from 2D esp from SF III...SF VI: Hated the music, the cheesy annoying commentator, some (atually most!) of the backgrounds where artistically dull , the games zooming around when doing special moves felt disjointed as the camera moves to fast to appreciate the move - sort of killed the impact, to many special effects - sort of got in the way of seeing you impact with punch and kicks.

  • butler` #24 2 years ago

    I got bored of fighting Ken and Ryu online the first time round.

    Am I going to have the same problem here?

  • SlapLaB #25 2 years ago

    10? really???
    isn't that a bit partial, haven't seen any other 10...

  • sonicyoda #26 2 years ago

    Oh bloody hell, I only just got BlazBlue! Guess I'll be attempting to rinse that this week so I can free myself up for this on Friday.

    Also, I really hope that the additional "reward" Capcom spoke about for people who own the original Street Fighter IV makes an appearance. I imagine it'll unlock something instantly if you have a SF4 save on your system.

  • Lebowski #27 2 years ago

    Good review, good score and can see me getting this , even though I'm generally hopeless at SFIV. That replay channel, seeing how the best do it, is going to be an education and a god-send.

  • Gearskin #28 2 years ago

    Inevitable. And no doubt deserved.

  • geeza2020 #29 2 years ago

    wow. I liked the vanilla version, but it never really grabbed me like it seemed to for others. After a few fights online, getting pummelled in pretty much all of them, i just didnt see the point. Im just not quick enough with the controls i think. The review makes it sound fun, learning your characters strengths and weaknesses, but i just cant get those lightning quick reactions you need to be proficient at these games. So im just saying, unless you have the fingers of a 12-16 year old, dont bother.

  • Monkey_Puncher #30 2 years ago

    Xbox bias!

  • berelain #31 2 years ago

    I imagine I'll get this at some point, but whilst I enjoyed SFIV I did find it a little overrated, and I'm still not a massive fan of Capcom's implementation of the new art style (though the ink mode on the PC version is utterly awesome).

    Of course, the main reason I didn't get on so well with SFIV was because they utterly bollocksed up Chun Li. Having been a Chun LI player for years and being something of an expert with her in SSFII and the Alpha series, I genuinely struggle to win matches with her in SFIV. If she's reclaimed some of that former glory, then you'll not keep me away from SSFIV!

  • schnide #32 2 years ago

    I held off of SFIV. SSFIV has seduced me and I am it's preordering bitch.

  • JahB #33 2 years ago

    and so well deserved. a dutch game retailing chain decided to start selling this on 23rd of April instead of 30th, so i've been at this all weekend, and loving it still. can't wait for my arcade stick to arrive...

  • JohnnyWashnGo #34 2 years ago

    Oh yes - thats the score we wanted to see. Anything else would have been criminal.

    Also, in the review on page 3 you mention Viewlix arcade stick layouts. I always thought the actual name was Vewlix... anyone care to tell me which is correct?

  • Slipstream #35 2 years ago

    Been dying to get my hands on this for months. I've been following its progression on Eventhubs.com and I just can't wait any longer.

    Some retailers in the US have slipped released date and gone early, should happen with us this week too. hehe
    We ought to see aloot less Ryu and Ken this time around as all characters have gone under the knife, and from what I've observed thew new characters are also a joy to play. I think Guy and Ibuki will be popular...also alot of guys getting wet for Juri..I...can't imagine why...

  • alimokrane #36 2 years ago

    Great, now I am going to have to buy this ... ahahahaahh

  • rhinoxious #37 2 years ago

    Which HORI stick are you referring to?

    Not this one I guess

    [link url=http://www.amaz on.co.uk/dp/B001GDONZS
    ]http://www.amaz on.co.uk/dp/B001GDONZS
    [/link]

    As it's neither new nor mid-range by any sane standards.

  • FenderMaster #38 2 years ago

    Played this on Saturday, amazing, Friday can't come soon enough! I've logged in over 800 hours into vanilla, so I'm pretty competant, PSN BrettGuerwitz if anybody would like to throw down the gauntlet.

    Not happy with the Zangief nerfs, but VERY happy with the Sagat nerfs.
    Edited by 1 at 26/04/10 @ 15:19

  • berelain #39 2 years ago

    @ JohnnyWashnGo - <a href=http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=thumbs&db=videodb&i d=5378>Vewlix is right, I think</a>

  • GamesConnoisseur #40 2 years ago

    50mb doesnt account for upload speed and also yes contention ratio in your street.

    Broadband in UK is not so great as a postcode lottery and also more people signs on to your broadband provider in the same area....

    Argh only if we can keep the Chavs out!

    Great for SF 10 out of 10!

  • FIGHT #41 2 years ago

    how can it get 10 with almost no 1 player content ?

  • frankfurter209 #42 2 years ago

    SF4 may have brought old vets back into the fold, and roped in some newcomers as well (such as myself), but how many honestly still play, still work at impenetrable combos and mile long button strings? I have no desire to return.

  • VicViper #43 2 years ago

    Pretty much expected really, Shopto is sending me my arcade stick (one of the hori ex2 £40 quid jobs) so I'll get some practise on that in SFIV and a bit of blazblue to get ready for when GAME fires SSFIV my way.

    Looking forward to testing Cammys new counter ultra and taking Juri and Makato for a spin.

  • iago71 #44 2 years ago

    Cant wait til Friday......

    Really been looking forward to this for months.......

  • jonbwfc #45 2 years ago

    "how can it get 10 with almost no 1 player content ?"
    It does seem a bit premature to give a primarily online game 10/10 when nobody has seen how the online servers will perform under load. Many a potentially great game has been ruined by online play rather than saved by it.

    As to 1P, I wouldn't give any game 10/10 without a decent tutorial mode, which SFIV lacked and SSFIV doesn't seem to have improved on (and no, character trials are not a tutorial). This looks to like it's '10/10 if you're a streetfighter fanatic who is willing to pay another 50 quid for an arcade stick and has played SFIV to death already' but it doesn't seem anywhere near an appropriate mark for the crowd who normally play FIFA. They're likely to buy it, play a bit off line, get the hang of it, step online, get utterly battered and go back to FIFA cursing the money they've wasted.


  • mcmonkeyplc #46 2 years ago

    How can this get a 10 if doesn't work with the standard 360 controller?

  • mr_shoe_uk #47 2 years ago

    It also seems pretty popular in the arcades though? Was really big in Hong Kong just over a year ago at least.

  • johnick #48 2 years ago

    Bitkari:

    [link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=9yssnXJAsS0
    ]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=9yssnXJAsS0
    [/link]

    Yea, cause English VO's always rock purely based on you not being able to understand the original language, I cant speak Japanese either but Im pretty sure Ken's "Hyah!" doesn't translate to "Try this on for size" when he does an EX Hurricane kick. Some of the Japanese VO's aren't that great either, Im not too fond of Japanese Cammys "Spywill Awow", her proper British accent is where its at. Choice is always a good thing, and if that makes me a Weeaboo then Weeaboo me up son.

  • geeza2020 #49 2 years ago

    i always thought that 10/10 was for a classic that literally everyone has to own. Which considering the ridiculously steep learning curve involved with playing SFIV online, and having an arcade stick is a necessity, surely this cannot be the case.

  • johnick #50 2 years ago

    How can this get a 10 if doesn't work with the standard 360 controller?

    Consoles fault for having a shite controller for fighting games, not the games. Thats like docking Tatsunoko vs Capcom marks for having laggy netplay, not Capcoms fault, blame Nintendo shitty netplay.

  • geeza2020 #51 2 years ago

    its irrelevant to me whos fault it is, if the games not playable, then its not playable, thus not a 10/10.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #52 2 years ago

    Who said it's necessary to have a stick? Is it more fun and more authentic? Probably, but I don't see the problem with it. The same could be said for racing games and a wheel or flight simulators using a real joystick. Yes, they add to the fun but they aren't necessary.

  • johnick #53 2 years ago

    if the games not playable, then its not playable

    Perfectly playable on the PS3, does the 360 version need a separate review for having a crap pad ? (despite probably winning in a future Digital Foundry face off ?).

    Edited by 1 at 26/04/10 @ 15:52

  • FenderMaster #54 2 years ago

    SF4 may have brought old vets back into the fold, and roped in some newcomers as well (such as myself), but how many honestly still play, still work at impenetrable combos and mile long button strings? I have no desire to return.

    me for one, theres a definite learning curve, it's not a button masher, combo timing (for links at least) is precise, you can't just mash buttons and hope, imo a good thing.

    you can however mash lp shoryuken and hope, imo a bad thing...

  • cjb_bjc #55 2 years ago

    Lotta Love For Street Fighter at the moment!

  • knightmt #56 2 years ago

    Nostalgia
    I think I need to get a coin slot in my madcatz peripheral (avoid using the term joystick, makes this sentence possibly metaphorical).

    I wonder if arcade games require you to pay to value the very short experience. Not again dangerous analogy.

  • hiddenranbir #57 2 years ago

    Only English and Japanese? But most of the characters aren't from either of these speaking-countries!

  • geeza2020 #58 2 years ago

    sorry but ive played SFIV on the ps3 and the d-pad is just as useful as the 360 analogue stick when you're playing someone who is using a joystick. In other words useless. Obviously the 360 d-pad is fucking awful but if you were playing SFIV all this time without realising the analogue stick is better, then you should give up on games forever.

  • peterfll #59 2 years ago

    I really haven't been able to get into any beat em ups this generation. I tried SFIV but just couldn't break into it after several hours of play. Perhaps I'm getting old, but I don't have hours and hours to devote to a game just to master the controls, let alone start to enjoy it. So whilst I'm sure SSFIV is a pinnacle of game mechanics for those that have mastered it, I'm pretty sure novices like me would be left bewildered and frustrated with it unless you have a lot of time on your hands.

  • Zebula77 #60 2 years ago

    So...if you've never liked the Street Fighter games - would this be a worthy purchase? Is there anything in the game that would sway a disliker of the series? I mean, a 10. Wow.

  • johnick #61 2 years ago

    if you were playing SFIV all this time without realising the analogue stick is better, then you should give up on games forever.

    What makes you think I play with a pad ?

    [link url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Johnick2/My_DC.j pg
    ]http://im g.photobucket.com/albums/v463/J...[/link]

    Yellow Namco, was regarded as the best stock (aka unmodded/out of the box) stick you can get till Mad Catz released the TE's. Theres only 2 high level pad players I can think of, neither of which use a stock 360 pad. Shizza (who uses a Blanka Mad Catz fight Pad) and Luffy (French player who plays on a PS3 Dual Shock). I used to use a Saturn pad on the PS2 and the USB equivalent on the PS3, but I havent played Street Fighter on a stock pad since I had a SNES.

  • Bagpuss #62 2 years ago

    "Depends on your broadband. I have Fibre to the local cabinet (FTTC). 40MB down 10MB up - "

    yes, but your pings and online experience would be no better than someone living next door on a basic 1 or 2mb connection....

    Even the slowest broadband will give good pings so long as the connection isn't congested..

  • geeza2020 #63 2 years ago

    i would like some more justification from EG on this. How can an update on a previously released game be a 10/10? how can a game thats not pushing anymore boundaries than its predecessor be a 10? Does not make sense.

  • Jimster71 #64 2 years ago

    Had this on pre-order since it was announced. I got the PS3 version of SFIV, due to the more suitable pad, but ended up getting a TE Arcade Stick in the end (which is so much nicer than a pad).

  • Demiath #65 2 years ago

    I don't play fighting games and didn't buy SFIV when it came out, but seeing as I imported BlazBlue - long before it was even announced for Europe - on the basis of its sexy art design alone I guess I have to get SSFIV too. Just to be fair and balanced, I mean...

    Either way, 25£ is simply an amazing price for an EG 10/10 game. Watch and learn, Activision!
    Edited by 2 at 26/04/10 @ 16:47

  • RobotRocker #66 2 years ago

    @ johnick

    Japanese and English are very different dialects in general and what Capcom have been smart to do was instead of doing a literal translation, to record different lines for each language. Some of the Japanese VA in SF4 is quite awful like El Fuerte and Boxer while some English actors like Ryu and Blanka are quite bad too. Its nice to have the switch option.

    Most of the new Characters are really well voiced as well. I'm switching Guy and Makoto to Japanese (OK maybe not Guy), but the rest can stay English. TIME TO OIL UP.

  • Demiath #67 2 years ago

    "Japanese and English are very different dialects in general"

    Not only that, they're different languages too! ;)

  • Luckyjim #68 2 years ago

    Why did you have to give this a 10, EG. I promised myself I wouldn't buy anymore games for a while.

  • jonbwfc #69 2 years ago

    I say there's only one way to make sure the review mark is completely objectively correct. Get Ellie to review it as well and then average the scores.

  • FenderMaster #70 2 years ago

    Yellow Namco, was regarded as the best stock (aka unmodded/out of the box) stick you can get till Mad Catz released the TE's. Theres only 2 high level pad players I can think of, neither of which use a stock 360 pad. Shizza (who uses a Blanka Mad Catz fight Pad) and Luffy (French player who plays on a PS3 Dual Shock). I used to use a Saturn pad on the PS2 and the USB equivalent on the PS3, but I havent played Street Fighter on a stock pad since I had a SNES.

    yeah, I use a Saturn USB myself... I actually know some PSN players with phenomonally good execution who use DS3's, (a Norwegian Ken player called MajenX who can consistantly pull off HP SRK, FADC JUMP EX Tatsu to Ultra, even in 3 bar matches.... blows my mind) and whats more, they use the analog, not the pad! I don't get it myself... I'm pretty happy with the Saturn USB, but I do have trouble with motions going from df, to z (srk motion), theres not much distinction, have to over exaggerate it... might get an arcade stick for that reason.
    Edited by 1 at 26/04/10 @ 17:28

  • johnick #71 2 years ago

    designerheadache : Are you on PS3 or 360 ?, and have you port forwarded your router ?, if so what make/model is it ?.

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #72 2 years ago

    @designerheadache:

    You might not get lag for other games but you have to understand that fighters are arguably the toughest type of games to network. They require much more precision than pretty much anything else and really do push the bandwidth restrictions to the limit.

    Personally, I haven't had many laggy matches on SFIV and I'm only on a 1mb connection.

  • Rens11 #73 2 years ago

    Bought the tournament stick last year and was broken straight outta the box got it fixed after many weeks of hassle and probably only used it about 2 hours since sf4 came out, really need to get around to playin it again before I buy ssf4!

  • menage #74 2 years ago

    Didn't need a review, was going to buy regardless, but hey, great!

  • patchbox360 #75 2 years ago

    Eurogamer back in my good books - excellent review

  • Ranger101 #76 2 years ago

    Wow, I knew that Matt Edwards would've given this a 10/10, being a hardcore fighting reviewer/fan, but Simon giving this 10/10? Very good to know it has appeal outside of the dedicated enthusiast. Roll on friday (or earlier please shopto.net!).

  • carrotcake #77 2 years ago

    people questioning the score should realise it is 10 because it is really good. it doesn't need to create a new genre we haven't seen before, or have a 60-hour storyline. it is a fighting game, done really well and with kitchen sink included.

  • Ranger101 #78 2 years ago

    "See? The strongest fighter always wins. As easy to understand as a flowchart." Capcom joins in with its fanbase's jibes.


    This image caption would make more sense if you lot actually used the screenshot showing the winning quote from Ken ;-)

    (Flowchart Ken).

  • chrisola #79 2 years ago

    my recent random £80 investment for a brandnew 360 TE stick i saw on ebay suddenly makes sense with this and Blazblue , and soon MVC3!!!

    /books Friday off work... Iron Man 2 in the morning, this in the afternoon!

  • Pablo2k5 #80 2 years ago

    @ bad09 You said... "PC version Capcom?"

    I quote... "A PC release was questioned due to the rampant piracy the original Street Fighter IV suffered on the PC"

    Fuckin' pirate scum.

  • mattigan #81 2 years ago

    I found SFIV perfectly playable with a 360 analogue stick and assume that this will be the same.

    Although I do now have a TE ;)

    Problem is you need to how to play these things, I have still got skills and muscle memory from the original SFII (played 20 years ago in the local Kebab shop) right through to SFIV, so I knew the rules and what beats what with most of the cast before I even put the disk in the tray...

    I'm not great but I've beaten people better than me and also had my arse handed to me by scrubs, with and without lag and still went back for one more game. That's the genius of SF three one minute rounds to test your hard earned skills, and theres not a round that goes by where you don't pick up a new trick or learn a new strength or weakness of either your or your opponents character.

    Can't wait!

  • cozeny #82 2 years ago

    Flowchart 10.

  • TRUTH #83 2 years ago

    I'm still looking more forward towards the next KOF (XIII)...I always thought SF is overrated.

  • zisssou #84 2 years ago

    I'm shit at fighting games.

  • deanimate #85 2 years ago

    PC version please capcom! :D I pre-ordered SFIV months and months before it came out on PC and will happily do the same again. We're not all sailing the high seas :(
    Not that all the pirates would have bought anyway but let's not get into that.

    PC version ftw!

  • Slipstream #86 2 years ago

    For those worried about connectivity

    [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB4 HpbKbFoQ&playnext_from=TL&videos=pZEN_EofBiw
    ]http://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=EB4HpbKbF...[/link]

    This ought to put your mind at rest ^^

  • neonxaos #87 2 years ago

    The HRAP EX is every bit as good as the TE - another high-grade stick if you ask me.

    As for Super, well... I'm not as convinced. It's a great fighting game, but there are honestly better choices out there in terms of accessibility. Everyone can pick up SFIV and learn the ropes quickly, but that doesn't take you very far, especially not online. The timing involved in high-level play and advanced combos is the strictest I've ever seen in a fighting game, and even high-level players mess up their combos rather often. And online - well, good luck hitting those 1-frame links consistently. The graphics, the music, the execution makes IV seem like the best SF yet, but I seriously think that the core gameplay is flawed once you get to know it. That is probably true for almost any game, but SFIV started losing its appeal for me once I started playing it at a high level. I know my main character, I know my combos, I know my opponents, but I'm still missing a fair number of those crucial links, even after 400+ hours. I thought this game was supposed to be about reading the fight and reacting accordingly, like SFII was, not about doing autistic fraction-of-a-second link combos and twisting your battered wrist into focus attack dash cancel maneuvers.

    Either I'm getting old or the game is just not really for me.
    Edited by 2 at 26/04/10 @ 19:49

  • Shakey_Jake33 #88 2 years ago

    There originally wasn't going to be a PC version because there wasn't going to be an arcade version. The PC version of the original SF4 was based on the arcade version because the arcade board (Taito Type X2) uses PC-based hardware. Now that an arcade version is on the way, there is some hope. Capcom's PC games are always released later than the console versions because of the piracy, but with so many developers ditching the PC, I tend to appriciate Capcom putting the effort in.

    It is a depressing state of affairs that we can only blame the pirates for. I bought the original SF4 like many other people here (as well as many other Capcom games), there's little else that us legitimate customers can do.

  • MiniAmin #89 2 years ago

    I don't understand all the complaints about having to dedicate hours into SSIV to be good at it. I'm quite the n00b, I hardly know any special moves, but i'm still fairly competitive because of timing and strategy. Sure, to be a top class player you need to dedicate hours and hours - same as with any game. You don't need to spend hours to have fun and win though, i'm evidence of that ;)

  • MisterCraig #90 2 years ago

    mcmonkeyplc

    How can this get a 10 if doesn't work with the standard 360 controller?

    -------------

    But it does work, very well with the 360 pad. I've played Vanilla SF4 for the last year with the pad and while I do have a stiff thumb from playing so much I don't have any limitations to my game.

    I would say though that the 360 D-pads need to be 'broken in' to an extent, the time of which may vary depending on the pad.

    I'm a fan of the 360 pad though. FADC's are easily accomplished with it and more.

  • SavageEvil #91 2 years ago

    Hmm 10?!? I'm an old school street fighter player and for one I was tossed for a loop by the odd jumping in SF4, it felt so robotic and make matters worse the placement when you jumped onto a character was like a game of rock paper scissors. Crossing up became a serious work out, characters who had grab moves became hard to beat because grabs somehow over power everything else. I still had some fun, but I never played it as much as I did SF2 and the Alpha series. Alpha 3 is still the best SF crafted and that was best on Dreamcast. I'll pick this one up and give it a try, but I'm not comparing it to Alpha 3, it's better compared to that SF EX game as they both share similar qualities and timing, minus 3D movement, but essentially the same.

  • Beano #92 2 years ago

    100!

  • Slipstream #93 2 years ago

    The Fayewong user is making me tear up...sniff...

  • RandomTerrain #94 2 years ago

    Impressive release price for a 10/10 game. Can't argue the fact it's well worth it.

  • karooo #95 2 years ago

    omg 10/10? and i thought it was going to be average

    apologies capcom brilliant stuff
    Edited by 1 at 26/04/10 @ 22:14

  • Alivada #96 2 years ago

    Fuck it, I pre-ordered it. I missed the first SF4 and as this one is 20 quid it a bit of a bargain.

  • gylo #97 2 years ago

    I'm crap at this game and many many people I know aren't great at SF either. This forum appears over populated with the handful of hardcore players who have plunged in the time to master this game.

    This is the first game to get 10/10 which I feel completely alientated from.

  • RobotRocker #98 2 years ago

    I'm still looking more forward towards the next KOF (XIII)...I always thought SF is overrated.

    The loke test reports coming out are saying that KOF XIII is awful. It looks nice but Its already broken as hell (You can cancel Bread n' Butter combos into SDMs and Drive cancel is obscenely bad) which is a bad sign when its 90% done and near release. Also it nicks Ultras with the NEOMAX attacks that are mostly unblockable and do up to 50% damage. loooooooooooooooooool.

    But that's OK because it has nice sprites right?

  • DAN.E.B #99 2 years ago

    Recently bought a Mad Katz SF pad from amazon reduced to £22 bargain! and so much better than the 360 one.
    Shame Seff has made a return despite the hatred from the entire gaming comunity oh well.

  • deanimate #100 2 years ago

    SFIV and KOF games really should not be compared. It's like comparing apples to cheese. KOF is so unbelievably bad it's an insult to SF to mention its name alongside capcom's masterpiece.

  • ilmaestro #101 2 years ago

    @johnick: infexious and Alioune also play on pad. LordDVD. There are others.

  • RobotRocker #102 2 years ago

    @ deanimate

    Old KoF is great.97', 98 Ultimate Match (Crap 360 port aside) and 02' are probably the best.

    New KoF is pretty bad. While they upped the sprites to HD, it plays awful and it's just broken to bits.

  • HiredMan #103 2 years ago

    To the people refering to this as a "beat-em-up", it's not, it's a fighting game.

    Beat-em-up is an old, mostly defunct (i.e. replaced with action game for stuff like God of War) term which generally referred to multi-player, side scrolling action games eg. Double Dragon and Final Fight.

  • Demiath #104 2 years ago

    Final Fight isn't "defunct", it's even got Double Impact!!! ;)

  • kingcam07 #105 2 years ago

    This is pleasant.

  • Big-Swiss #106 2 years ago

    Sf is out

  • lucky_jim #107 2 years ago

    People who insist their favourite beat-em-up is a "fighting game" and not a beat-em-up are just like those trekkies who insist they're "trekkers". They've been called beat-em-ups for all of the 25 years I've been playing games.

  • tachometer #108 2 years ago

    I liked the first one up until I realised I had to beat Seth with every character to get the extra characters. I wouldn't mind playing the game through that many times but I think it doesn't get mentioned enough how poor the AI in the single player game is. It makes it very unenjoyable having to grind away at such a cheap boss just to get more of the game. Plus all this means that by the time people make it online with all the characters they've been rigorously trained how to spam by the AI. Is this new game similar in this way?

  • Zerobob #109 2 years ago

    As good as this game might be, and I applaud that they have brought back the car/barrel mini-games, for me, fighters just never have enough replay value after a while. I've owned a lot of fighting games and its always the same case.

    MvC2 probably tempted me back the most, but that's probably only because of the sheer amount of characters and the team combinations of characters.

  • geeza2020 #110 2 years ago

    well, if this review has taught me anything its to never question a review (no matter how blatantly shite it may be) on this site, or have a difference of opinion because your comments will be negged to hell and nobody will see them. KEN AND RYU CAN SUCK MY BALLS IN HELL.

  • TheJuriel #111 2 years ago

    Whoa, a 10. Nifty.

    This is something I've really, really been looking forward to.

  • TheJuriel #112 2 years ago

    Oh yeah, you really don't need a stick to play the game. Sure, practising to use the stick is likely to lead to better results in the long run, but since I hate how sticks feel, I've found 360 analog stick to work just fine, after a bit of practise.

  • geeza2020 #113 2 years ago

    thats fucking "practice"!!!

  • hulkamania78 #114 2 years ago

    I found the PS3 analogue fine for SF4 it was no prob. My prob was learning the moves and not getting my arsed kicked online. Cancelled my pre order last week but after this review its changed my mind defo.

  • patchbox360 #115 2 years ago

    hmv online are doing street fighter pads for 15 quid

    http://hm v.com/hmvweb/simpleMultiSearch....

  • fknetwork #116 2 years ago

    10 out of 10 for this crap game? what are you lot smoking?

    Edited by 2 at 27/04/10 @ 14:38

  • TRUTH #117 2 years ago

    KOF XIII is broke ?...Have you even seen the latest build ?... The depth has always been deeper in most KOF games. Yes! KOF XII was rushed SNK did not have the funding or time to produce what they originally intended. All this is being corrected in KOF XIII...Yes! I do prefer the 2D art. I do enjoy SF (Alpha more), but the charm is still with KOF and always has deeper absorbing fighting mechanics then SF.

    <a href="http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=pcGhQvkowhg
    ">http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=pcGhQvkowhg
    </a>

    Also though KOF modes where rather simple for 2010 - the game esp VS (not inc online) is still deeper then SF. The 2D look still personally looks better and more suited.

    <a href="http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=-mIFoV5ad-Y
    ">http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=-mIFoV5ad-Y
    </a>

    Edited by 3 at 27/04/10 @ 21:47

  • RobotRocker #118 2 years ago

    KOF XIII is broke ?...Have you even seen the latest build ?... The depth has always been deeper in most KOF games.

    I have seen it. Hwa Jai already has a B'n'B cancel that can get 35% of life taken off. NeoMax moves are hilariously broken, Elizabeth already has a 60% counter NeoMax. That is Igniz level bullshit on a playable character. Drive cancel favours certain characters more than others as well. It may be fixed in the arcade release but this is modern SNK who let a sheer abortion of a port onto consoles and even refused to use GGPO because they were arrogant about their own netcode (And then produced the worst netcode seen in XBLA titles which takes some real effort considering the competition).

    KoF XII had as much depth as a paddling pool as well. Guard attack was broken and critical counter was obscenely broken to the point where it was hilarious. Free 50% damage combos for no effort at all? Don't mind if I do!

    Looks nice does not mean good gameplay.

  • FuzzyDuck #119 2 years ago

    Been drooling over shots/videos of this since they first appeared (between marathon sessions of the vanilla version) but i've a truckload of college work to get done over the next week on top of working this weekend; it'll be sitting on top of my stack of games come Friday for sure, but realistically it won't be in the disc drive for at least another week.

    Oh why cruel gods of scheduling, why, why?!

  • HiredMan #120 2 years ago

    <a href="http://en.wik ipedia.org/wiki/Beat_em_up
    ">http://en.wik ipedia.org/wiki/Beat_em_up
    </a>

    http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_game

    /semantics :)
    Edited by 1 at 29/04/10 @ 04:04

  • TRUTH #121 2 years ago

    Those who have both consoles not sure which one to get the 360 has slightly better graphics according to reviews. Both d-pads on joypads a fairly naff for both consoles, but slightly better on PS3 - though highly recommended to get Madcatz SF fighting joypads for both consoles (£15 at HMV), this really improves the games control and works a marvel with Blueblaze CT, King Of Fighters XII - the moves can now be done without trouble.

    1UP
    Xbox 360 vs. PS3
    The PlayStation Network's online quality overall underperforms behind Xbox LIVE. SSF4 matches over PSN are playable only at four to five bar connections; don't try to play a match below the optimal conditions, or else you'll run the risk of playing a laggy match. Also, the userbase on PSN seems smaller than the userbase on Xbox LIVE -- expect to wait slightly longer for an opponent to arrive in your PS3 sessions.

  • deadlock17 #122 2 years ago

    I'm not really a big beat'em up fan but I like SSFIV. Shame both the PS3 and 360 controllers both suck for this type of game.

  • Kostas #123 2 years ago

    So many good games so little time and money :(

    I will be getting this with my roomate and will be kicking each others ass at some point. September or October is probably a time. Hope they fixed some of the blatantly overpowered characters in this one (Sagat namely).