Capcom in other words has succeeded to the almost impossible: update a game that brings forth nostalgic feelings for one and still gets intensely played by the other, to the 21st century and the era of Xbox360 and PS3. The approach is as simple as it is complex: keep the fantastic gameplay, make it visually more appealing without pushing away hardcore gamers and offer enough innovation to make it not feel like just another HD remix.

I myself am no top gamer in Street Fighter and I therefore didn't know all the special moves. However, I did quickly see that the selection of characters is very extensive. After all, you get everyone from World Warrior, just like the four well-known end bosses. Also some new characters make their appearance, exclusive for console, and eventhough the newcomers are a tidbit less polished than the oldies they're fascinatin to experiment with for a while. Also you can expect new fighters through downloadable content that will become available later on so those that want to control the game will have a blast getting through the entire roster.
Luckily everything feels exactly as from before (or for as much I can remember that) and also the well-known moves for for instance Ryu haven't changed. Let's be clear that the makers didn't put a revolution on their disc but a perfectioning of their already perfect formula.

It's a formula that also allows accidental passers-by to immediately have a fight and even enjoy it as well. Those that have a couple of months time this game will remain interesting. A somewhat slower gameplay allows for more tactical possibilities, combines the best pieces of all previous Street Fighter versions, and additions like the Revenge Gauge (that fills as you receive hits) and the following ultra-combos keep every match exciting to the last seconds. If you play against someone who knows what he's doing you'll quickly get to pack your bags and that's how it should be! In my case each loss was therefore no exercise in frustration but an encouragement to improve.

Not only the gameplay is accessible and deep, also the visual style offers something for anyone. A hard to describe combination of 2D and 3D visuals with very colorful and fluid animations draws you right into the screen. Each character comes to life thanks to many details and also the backgrounds were created with precision and very appealing with a spectacular result. Only the music still disappoints at the moment but you'll probably be too busy yelling and swearing over Xbox Live or at your friends in the sofa anyway.