Super Street Fighter IV (Xbox 360)

Ryan Clements

Nov 16th, 2009 - There was really no doubt in my mind that the original launch of Street Fighter IV would be anything less than a sweeping success. Revitalizing the classic Street Fighter formula and making it both immediately approachable and refreshingly deep gave fighting game fans something to enjoy at the beginning of the year. Now that the end of the year holidays are approaching, it's fitting that we're starting to get our first taste of Super Street Fighter IV -- Capcom's upcoming project that continues to enhance an already impressive experience with new characters, modes and more.We already knew that Super Street Fighter IV would be introducing new members to the roster, as well as the classic bonus stages that include delightful amounts of car smashing, but we in the IGN office didn't have much opportunity to play the game. All that changed when I had the pleasure of visiting Capcom's U.S. headquarters for some hands-on time with Super Street Fighter IV. Despite the fact that the build was very early on in development and we could only play with a handful of characters, I could already tell that Super Street Fighter IV will get Street Fighter fans excited all over again.Street Fighter IV was immediately familiar to gamers experienced with older Street Fighter titles, but it boasted enough new elements (like the complex Focus attacks) to keep everything fresh and exciting. Besides traditional special moves, Street Fighter IV also featured Super Combos and Ultra Combos, which were extremely powerful attacks that fed off of two separate gauges. These combos introduced a serious amount of strategy to an already technical system, meaning there was plenty of material to learn and enjoy.All these gameplay elements return in Super Street Fighter IV, but this time there are a few notable additions. Besides the aforementioned bonus stages (which allow players a moment to beat up on an unassuming car) and an enhanced Ultra Combo system (which we can't comment on just yet), there are several fresh faces entering the ring. Two of the new characters to the Super Street Fighter IV scene are actually veterans from previous Street Fighter games that just didn't make it into Street Fighter IV: T. Hawk and Dee Jay. The third character on display is an entirely new fighter and the first Korean combatant to ever be featured in a Street Fighter game: Juri.As you might expect, T. Hawk and Dee Jay have received similar treatments to their design that the other returning fighters experienced when Street Fighter IV first came around. The two fighters play very much like their sprite-based counterparts of the past, but with obvious refinements to suit the Super Street Fighter IV environment.

T. Hawk, who returns with his ridiculous stance (complete with awkward hand positioning), remains an interesting mix of grapple-based attacks and dives. His 360 D-pad rotation grapple is back and better than ever, which is joined by an aerial dive attack that sends him diagonally downward at an opponent with a quick tap of all three punch buttons. T. Hawk can also execute a similar sliding dive while on the ground, which moves him quickly towards his opponent.Dee Jay, on the other hand, is all about charging moves like his counterpart Guile. With a projectile similar to the Sonic Boom, a machine-gun uppercut that will give Street Fighter veterans flashbacks, and a surprising sense of speed, Dee Jay is sure to capture at least a few hearts... hearts that enjoy ridiculous colored pants and maracas.

Of course, the character I was most excited to try out was Juri (Considering my recent fascination with K-pop, who could blame me?!). A fighter specializing in Tae Kwon Do and lower-body attacks, Juri definitely sounded like an intriguing fighter. Afterbrawling for a few rounds, I can say that she is an excellent addition to the roster.One of her primary special attacks, a basic projectile, has a few start-up hits if you execute the technique in close range. Throwing her foot forward in an arcing kick, the projectile portion of the special move can actually be delayed for as long as the player chooses. Releasing the button used for the technique will send a purple blast of energy forward, potentially catching an opponent by surprise.Juri's other special move is a spinning cartwheel, which gives her plenty of horizontal space control. This straight-forward attack is complemented by a teleporting counter, which -- when timed properly -- can cause Juri to zip around her opponent skillfully. All of these special moves are executed with quarter-circle rotations and needn't be charged.Although some gamers might think that Super Street Fighter IV won't be worth purchasing, considering how it's following so closely in the footsteps of its predecessor, it appears that Capcom is adding in a fair amount of new content to justify another investment. Additionally, as Super Street Fighter IV will not be a full-priced retail disc, going to the store to pick up a copy won't be that hard on your purse or wallet.

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