Street Fighter, with it's need for difficult button combos and precision timing, few ever took the time necessary to truly master it's complex but rewarding system. For the longest time Street Fighter was a name that was intimidating to even the most hardcore of gamers. Well, those days are no more... Or are they?
The whole point of Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is to take what it's console brethrens brought to the table, and bring it home on Nintendo's 3DS. For the most part, it does a damn good job of it. It's really all here. All the characters, the stages, the intensity, but that doesn't mean everything about Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is the same...
The console versions of the game are stricken with the same complex control scheme that's been plaguing the series since it's incarnation, and this is where the 3DS outing differs. Capcom has introduced something called LiteMode. LiteMode utilyzes the 3DS' touch screen, allowing players to assign the hard to pull off super and ultra combos to one of four touch screen buttons and perform them with a simple tap of the finger.
Does it work? Most definitely. Is it ideal? That's for you to decide, and Capcom feels the same way. They've given gamers the freedom to completely customize the game's control scheme and tailor suit every button to their particular liking. If you're new to the series or simply more of a casual player select LiteMode and immediately enjoy the game. However, if you're a veteran of the series and really like pushing your skills to the test, ProMode is always there for you, forcing you to enter the inputs for the super and ultra combos the good old fashion way.
Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition also differs from it's console brothers in that they've added a new 3D Mode. Designed to better show off the 3DS' capabilities, 3D Mode positions the camera at an angle, giving the player an over the shoulder type view. It looks great, and is neat at first, but I think after a couple matches most players will go back to the traditional camera mode as it just feels more natural. I always opt for 3D Mode when I'm spectating a match, however.
The graphics are great on Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition. The game runs at a smooth 30 frames per second with the 3D turned on, and a blistering 60 frames per second with it off. The character models are just as detailed as they are on the consoles and show off the best graphics out of all the 3DS launch games. On the downside, however, the stage backgrounds are no longer animated as they were on the consoles, and are now static. We're not entirely sure why, although I like to chock it up to current 2Gb cartdrige size limitations and not system performance limitations. At first I thought the lack of animated backgrounds were going to be a real bummer, but honestly, in the heat of battle you really don't notice it as the game really is gorgeous as is.
I've had mixed results as far as online play goes. While most of the time I had little issues, in my experience about half of my matches encountered lag, although that could have been due to the other player's connection. What is truly great about the online play is the fact that Capcom has allowed high levels of customization as far as match options go. You can play with people around the world or only in your area, people of equal or greater skill level, and perhaps the best part of all, you can choose to only play with people using the same control type as you. So if you're a hardcore ProMode player you don't have to worry playing against a LiteMode player unless you choose to.
Overall Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition stays true to it's console brethren while still making it a little more accessible for those new to the series. It's all the fun and intensity of the console versions, and for the first time it's even easy to pick up and play. I've never been a fighting game guru, but Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition has safely gotten me hooked on the series. It's my top pick out of all the Nintendo 3DS' launch games.
I give Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition an 8.5 out of 10
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