For a series so commonly derided for issuing update after constant update in its prime, the initial release of Street Fighter IV doesn't get enough credit for getting it right the first time - mostly, anyway. After nearly a decade without a direct Street Fighter sequel, Capcom not only delivered what is arguably one of the most finely tuned fighting games of all time, but it single-handedly ushered forth a new era of competitive gaming, amassing a loyal army of fighting fanatics unlike anything seen since the arcade boom of the early '90s.
As the joke goes, with success comes superfluous adjectives and Capcom is never one to disappoint in this regard. A year later the developers have cranked out an update, Super Street Fighter IV, and naturally, skepticism fills the air as it appears as though the new dog has learned an old, money-hungry trick. That's the superficial response at least, because when you take a deeper look at what the new package offers, you'll find a well-oiled fighting machine that's more than worth the budget fee -- and I'm not just talking about Hakan.
#gambling
British bookmaker Paddy Power has shown today it knows a fresh cash stream when it sees one, as it will soon begin accepting bets on video games. It also shows it does not keep up with recent video game news. More »
Capcom's recent promotional get-together for its upcoming renovated fighting game, Super Street Fighter IV, was chock-full of exciting moments for die-hard fans of the series. The pinnacle moment of the "Fight Club" event was, undoubtedly, the final showdown between Street Fighter legends Daigo Umehara and Justin Wong, the entirety of which was captured on video. You don't have to know much about the franchise to appreciate the epicness of this match-up, or to recognize how impossibly radical the final round is.
Unfortunately, one bad apple in the crowd had to try and ruin the whole thing. Jon Gibson, founder of i am 8-bit Productions, is asking for help with locating a ton of video equipment (and documentary footage shot on said equipment) which was stolen during the event. If you have any information about the equipment's whereabouts, he's offering a cash reward -- but we know you guys don't care about that. You care about helping out your fellow man, right?
#reward
Footage from the Friday night launch of Super Street Fighter IV was on several pieces of video equipment stolen from I Am 8-Bit, the production company of the renowned video game expo. They're offering a reward for its return. More »
#captivate2010
Earlier this month Capcom did an about face, declaring that despite initial intentions, upcoming fighter Super Street Fighter IV would indeed get an arcade release in Japan. More »
#screengrab
Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono tells Kotaku he takes mini-Blanka with him whenever he travels, snapping pics of the plastic pugilist everywhere he goes. More »
#captivate10
More avatar costumes are in bound from Capcom in the form of Super Street Fighter IV packs for the digital people living on Xbox Live. More »
#captivate10
Super Street Fighter IV will include robust online tournament support, allowing anyone with a copy of the game to host their own, tiered online tournaments. More »
Download in HD from Big DownloadCapcom's been pretty vocal about the changes made to Super Street Fighter IV compared to last year's edition. We've seen a plethora of new characters, read about tweaks to existing characters and have been given a small taste of what's to come from the revamped online system. In the case of that last item, the above video goes into a lot more detail than we've been privy to before -- including Tournament mode, a free DLC extra that will let players throw down "with the top players from around the world" on June 15, 2010.
In addition, Xbox Live users will be able to dress up their Avatars in slick Street Fighter outfits. Doing so in the privacy of your own dashboard is just one of the acceptable ways in which to show your love for Chun-Li's kick-ass clothing.
#captivate2010
While Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 was certainly the biggest news to come out of last week's Capcom-centric game gathering, it was by no means the only news. More »
#tragedy
Chris Hu, a member of fighting game forum Shoryuken.com, lost everything in fire in New York's Chinatown. Hu and his family are now homeless, and Shoryuken.com is doing what it can to help. More »
#captivate2010
Each year Capcom hosts a big event to show off their year's worth of games, bringing together international game writers, their developers a few lucky fans. More »
#sequels
The Street Fighter franchise has a reputation for tacking on inscrutable modifiers like Alpha, Super, Tournament, EX, Zero, etc. in lieu of full sequels. The game's producer says Super Street Fighter IV is as far as it goes for this generation. More »
If your overactive imagination is already calling up fantasies of the next, next iteration of Street Fighter IV, you should reign that in right now. Producer Yoshinori Ono told Official Xbox Magazine (via CVG) he's "aware of the mistakes Capcom has made in the past" in relation to the numerous special editions past Street Fighter installments have received. He added, "Super Street Fighter IV should be the distinctive end" of the franchise's fourth chapter.
Capcom's not abandoning the title, though -- Ono said the company could ostensibly "upload a patch for Super Street Fighter IV 2011 edition that would have tuning and balancing." But as far as ever seeing Hyper Ultra Super Street Fighter 4: Turbo Tournament Edition EX: The New Challengers hit store shelves, Ono claims that "as a packaged product, I think this is the last."
Ever been playing vanilla Street Fighter IV and thought to yourself, "Man, this Guile character sure could be more Guile-like!"? Really? Wow, Capcom must be reading your mind! In Super Street Fighter IV, the developer claims to have taken Guile and made him, uh, himself again. According to Capcom-Unity, beyond the tweaks to Guile, "Vega got helpful buffs, Dhalsim does more damage (!), M. Bison's psycho crusher has become a scary move again, and Sagat can still be a beast even without making you feel like you got robbed when he beats you." Well then!
Additionally, in a future dev blog update, Capcom has promised to reveal details about the tweaks to El Fuerte, C.Viper, Abel, Rufus, Seth, Akuma, and Gouken. So, will Gouken be even more Gouken-like? The suspense is killing us!
#clips
Inspired by urban artists and featuring a hard-hitting track by record producer/rapper Just Blaze, this Super Street Fighter IV TV sport makes me wish Capcom had tapped ad agency Ammirati to do the game's cover art as well. More »
#streetfighter
Although unlikely to get an official release in North America, Super Street Fighter IV will get a cabinet in Japan, Capcom said at the recently concluded Japanese championships. More »
#coverstory
Fans disappointed by the drab box art Capcom rolled out for the North American release of Super Street Fighter IV should be pleased with the updated look, which ditches Cammy for the ever-dapper Dudley. More »
#clips
Crecente detailed several fine reasons to purchase Super Street Fighter IV. Capcom's GameStop-exclusive preorder bonus is not one of those, unless you have really cold thumbs. More »
As much as I enjoyed the original Street Fighter IV, as was apparent in our Joystiq review, I quickly moved on from the game. The breakup wasn't caused by boredom or waning adoration but frustration. It was me -- eventually, I found that the online competition far surpassed my skill set.
I love me some Street Fighter, but I've never been especially good at it. My time with the Super Street Fighter IV preview build has only served to solidify the truth: I need to step up my game because Capcom looks to prove -- yet again -- that Street Fighter is the premiere fighting game franchise.
#handson
I've been playing an early build of Super Street Fighter IV for a week or so now, and it's convinced me of one thing: Picking up this latest Capcom fighter is a must for any fan of the genre. More »
So, what would you imagine to be included in a special edition version of Capcom's upcoming pseudo-expansion pack, Super Street Fighter IV? Perhaps a FightStick emblazoned with the personas of the game's new characters? That's a pretty good guess, but the correct answer was, of course, a USB flash drive, a gym bag, a head band, a Dudley T-shirt and an aluminum water bottle. Sorry! You were so close.
Capcom recently began taking pre-orders on the "Dojo Edition" of SSFIV, which retails for a crisp $79.99. Yes, that's double the price of the standalone game -- however, the standalone game won't make you the envy of all the folks at your local workout center. We think that notoriety would be worth the extra cash.
