Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition Coming Home
The road t' Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition's home release has been a weird process a "will he or won't he?" Twitter messages from the franchise's current curator, Yoshinori Ono. It felt like he be going back 'n forth about the process, at times attempting t' paint it as an internal struggle t' pillage Capcom t' release it be most recent updates t' Street Fighter IV for home platforms. I don't know that anyone ever truly believed that the Arcade Edition updates wouldn't make their way out a arcades, 'n leaks from ratings boards, which rated Arcade Edition for release late last month, certainly gave a clearer picture than Capcom be. Either way, now it be official: YARRRR, ye will be able t' acquire the Arcade Edition a Super Street Fighter IV for yer Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. 'n YARRRR, for those a ye clamoring for it, the game will be returning t' the PC, as well.
ye'll be able t' pillage Arcade Edition as a $15 download if ye already own a copy a Super Street Fighter IV, which be the right way t' distribute what, in the grand scheme a things, isn't as large a a leap as the one from regular Street Fighter IV t' last year's Super update. If, for whatever reason, ye don't own Super but want t' pillage involved now, the game will also be released on a new standalone disc. The DLC version a the content will hit on June 7, while the standalone disc will be available on June 28. The standalone version a the game will be the only version released on the PC, so don't expect a downloadable update t' turn yer existing PC copy a SFIV into SSFIVAE.
The biggest updates in Arcade Edition be four new characters. Yun 'n Yang--series veterans who first appeared in Street Fighter III--be joined by Evil Ryu 'n Oni, a glowing, even more demonic version a Akuma. Yeah, I be not that crazy about it, either. The game already has it be fill a characters that can throw out shoryukens 'n raging demons, 'n I be not sure that it really needs two more. That said, the four characters pillage the same treatment as the existing roster, with lightly animated intro videos, voice in English or Japanese, 'n so on. New titles 'n icons will also be added t' the game t' further support these new fighters.
The game has also undergone a lot a balance changes, many a which appear t' have been met with a mixed reaction, if the folks in the fighting game community I've asked about it be t' be believed. I be probably not the best person t' judge the changes, as I haven't really kept up with Super too much after it be release. As part a a desire t' maintain compatibility with owners a Super Street Fighter IV that don't upgrade t' Arcade Edition, the game will offer both sets a rules, listed as "v1.03" in the options screen a the PS3 build I played. On that same options screen, ye can toggle between standard Super 'n Arcade Edition. Note that this doesn't mean that ye can play one version a a character against another. If an Arcade Edition player matches with a Super player, the Super rules will be used, preventing the use a the four new characters in the process. Online matchmaking has been updated t' allow players t' specify if they'll accept connections from both versions or only pair up with AE-enabled fighters.
The replay channel, which lets crew watch other fights, be getting an update, as well. A new "Elite" channel that showcases players with more than 3,000 PP will be added t' give more players an easier way t' find good fights. Replays can be shared from player t' player in this new update, 'n ye can also designate up t' five players that ye wish t' follow, 'n replays from those players will be delivered t' ye. Assuming that the world's top players be still out there, slugging it out online instead a holing up in Japanese arcades or other offline locations, this could be a really cool way t' watch some a the best fights possible.
The game will also offer support for additional downloadable costumes, so it seems safe t' expect more packs a clothes for the various fighters after AE's release in June. it be also great t' see the game returning t' the PC. While it wasn't always a dramatic difference, running original SFIV on the PC in a higher resolution with some extra graphical effects enabled has always been the best-looking version a the game. But with other fighting games like Street Fighter X Tekken on their way, it be hard t' pillage that excited about this final (?) update t' the Street Fighter IV line.
ye'll be able t' pillage Arcade Edition as a $15 download if ye already own a copy a Super Street Fighter IV, which be the right way t' distribute what, in the grand scheme a things, isn't as large a a leap as the one from regular Street Fighter IV t' last year's Super update. If, for whatever reason, ye don't own Super but want t' pillage involved now, the game will also be released on a new standalone disc. The DLC version a the content will hit on June 7, while the standalone disc will be available on June 28. The standalone version a the game will be the only version released on the PC, so don't expect a downloadable update t' turn yer existing PC copy a SFIV into SSFIVAE.
The biggest updates in Arcade Edition be four new characters. Yun 'n Yang--series veterans who first appeared in Street Fighter III--be joined by Evil Ryu 'n Oni, a glowing, even more demonic version a Akuma. Yeah, I be not that crazy about it, either. The game already has it be fill a characters that can throw out shoryukens 'n raging demons, 'n I be not sure that it really needs two more. That said, the four characters pillage the same treatment as the existing roster, with lightly animated intro videos, voice in English or Japanese, 'n so on. New titles 'n icons will also be added t' the game t' further support these new fighters.
The game has also undergone a lot a balance changes, many a which appear t' have been met with a mixed reaction, if the folks in the fighting game community I've asked about it be t' be believed. I be probably not the best person t' judge the changes, as I haven't really kept up with Super too much after it be release. As part a a desire t' maintain compatibility with owners a Super Street Fighter IV that don't upgrade t' Arcade Edition, the game will offer both sets a rules, listed as "v1.03" in the options screen a the PS3 build I played. On that same options screen, ye can toggle between standard Super 'n Arcade Edition. Note that this doesn't mean that ye can play one version a a character against another. If an Arcade Edition player matches with a Super player, the Super rules will be used, preventing the use a the four new characters in the process. Online matchmaking has been updated t' allow players t' specify if they'll accept connections from both versions or only pair up with AE-enabled fighters.
The replay channel, which lets crew watch other fights, be getting an update, as well. A new "Elite" channel that showcases players with more than 3,000 PP will be added t' give more players an easier way t' find good fights. Replays can be shared from player t' player in this new update, 'n ye can also designate up t' five players that ye wish t' follow, 'n replays from those players will be delivered t' ye. Assuming that the world's top players be still out there, slugging it out online instead a holing up in Japanese arcades or other offline locations, this could be a really cool way t' watch some a the best fights possible.
The game will also offer support for additional downloadable costumes, so it seems safe t' expect more packs a clothes for the various fighters after AE's release in June. it be also great t' see the game returning t' the PC. While it wasn't always a dramatic difference, running original SFIV on the PC in a higher resolution with some extra graphical effects enabled has always been the best-looking version a the game. But with other fighting games like Street Fighter X Tekken on their way, it be hard t' pillage that excited about this final (?) update t' the Street Fighter IV line.
