Everybody has played something of the Street Fighter series (it has about a million versions) and most of us are still scarred by that awful movie featuring Kylie Minogue and Jean Claude Van Damme. *shudders* But is it truly the class act we think it is? Or has there been too much praise heaped upon it? After spending another night on Street Fighter IV on the Xbox 360 last night, I tend to lean more to the latter. (And no, there are no wasps in my pants and im NOT on the wrong end of a hangover.)
Now don't send me to the scaffold just yet because im not utterly dismissing the game. (Only a dolt would do that.) Street Fighter II was the first game I rushed out and bought for my SNES and I spent many happy hours, biting my opponents on the head/shoulders. (Guess who I always picked? Hint in photo below.) So im not trying to antagonise Street Fighter fans here, or rubbish it to hell. I like the game, I do.
Hey Sumo dude! Fancy a dance?
It was only that when playing Street Fighter IV I came to the conclusion that I like Tekken and Soul Calibur more. Sure the games have always looked great, and on the 360 SF IV looks really luscious, but for me there is a spark missing from Street Fighter that the previously mentioned beat 'em ups have in abundance. Ive tried to figure it out but the answer has eluded me thus far. Its not the characters thats for sure. You really cannot fail with an electric wild man and rubber limbed shaman in the cast. (However M. Bison has got to be one of the most boring game baddies there is.)
Perhaps its the 'pick up and play' nature of Tekken that wins me over. I feel as if I can fight with relative ease using Marshal Law but need to memorise ten button combinations to get anywhere with Ruy or Ken. It all seems so fiddly to me. So many combinations that it takes away the fun aspect of it. Sure Tekken has it share of kung fu manouvres but I seem to get my head around the moves more. And Soul Calibur is simplicity in itself despite having a glut of scenarios.
Like ive said, im not knocking Street Fighter, but for me it belongs in the group of beat 'em ups that require more dedication than I am able to summon.
Out of all of the fighting games I've played over the years I find SFII the easiest to remember how to do moves. It really is like second nature to be able to pick up a pad and just start pulling out moves.
ReplyDeleteGames like Soul Caliber and Dead or Alive I tend to struggle on for some reason.