Super Street Fighter - A Standalone Title?

Capcom's Street Fighter IV, the latest entry in the popular fighting series, that came out only six months ago. The game was well received by critics and fans of the series alike I even got slightly addicted to it, with many calling it a return to form, and so it wasn't long before talk of adding new characters to the line up with DLC packs started. This was fair, since the game features most, but not all, of the characters from Super Street Fighter II, and there were many other characters from the Street Fighter universe that were absent. Even with the four new characters and twenty four characters total, the game felt pared down from what fighting games usually had in their line up, but this made the game feel more focused rather than limited. If anything, if felt like the game was trying to go back to its roots for the new age of gamers, a re-imagining.

Something else Street Fighter II (as well as 3 and Alpha 3) had was numerous editions, each of which adding new features and playable characters to extend the life of the game. From the original, they had Champion Edition, which added the ability to play as the bosses Sagat and M. Bison (Vega if you're Japanese), Hyper Fighting, which made the game faster and added more combos, Super Street Fighter II, which added four new characters and Finally Super Street Fighter II Turbo, which added super combos. You might think SFIV is only on it's first edition, but the downloadable Championship Mode content effectively brought it up to two (three if you count the original Japanese version), by adding tournament features to the online multiplayer, so the impending Super Street Fighter IV is still actually the only the second edition for Fighting Fans. I don't expect Street Fighter IV to have five editions, but if Capcom needs to release that many to keep the game interesting, then I can't say I mind. Fighting games can live on forever with certain crowds S2K comes to mind, but to keep more casual fans, you have to keep the game fresh, and an easy way to do this is to throw in some more characters or features. Since Street Fighter IV was such a huge hit, Capcom would be foolish to put all their resources in making Street Fighter V.

What Super Street Fighter IV is adding is substantial. Eight additional characters, including the previously absent T. Hawk and Dee Jay, plus a new female fighter named Juri, are going to be included all with different move sets, new stages, new gameply system and new online features including lobbies. More secrets are likely in store for those who purchase this new edition of SFIV, but one of the biggest surprises for gamers so far is that it is it's own stand alone game, and is not a downloadable expansion. Capcom claim reason for this, is that its not resourceful as DLC, and the whole game is literally changed with different mechanics plus, it creates a SF4/SSF4 divide if it was DLC.

Also they say it won't be a full priced title, but that leaves a lot of room for pricing speculation, and most people seem to be hoping for £25. Currently, Street Fighter IV retails for £30, and since sales of that game will altogether drop off, if they haven't already, when the Super version becomes available, I fully expect it to cost as much as SFIV does.

I've already sold my copy of Street Fighter IV but I loved the game but I doubt I will buy it. Might rent it though but I know for sure S2K will be getting it so I will kindly ask him to write a review for us all.

DO IT.............DO IT NOW!!!

I will hopefully get some pictures soon