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Street Fighter IV is a 2008 fighting game produced by Capcom. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom for the arcades since 1999. The coin-operated arcade game was released in Japan on July 18, 2008 with North American arcades importing the machines by August.[9] The console versions for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 were released on February 12, 2009 in Japan, and were sold in North American stores as early as February 16, with a February 18 intended release date. The official European release was on February 20.[2] A Windows version was released on July 2, 2009 in Japan,[4] July 3, 2009 in Europe[5] and July 7, 2009 in the US.[6] As of March 31, 2009, Street Fighter IV had sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.[10] An updated version, Super Street Fighter IV, is scheduled to be released as a standalone title in Spring 2010.[11]
[edit] Gameplay While Street Fighter IV features models and backgrounds rendered in 3D, the gameplay remains on a traditional 2D plane, with the camera having freedom to move in 3D at certain times during fights, for dramatic effect. Producer Yoshinori Ono has stated that he wanted to keep the game closer to Street Fighter II. A new system called "Focus Attacks" ("Saving Attack" for the Japanese version) has been introduced, as well as Ultra moves. The traditional six-button control scheme returns, with new features and special moves integrated into the input system, mixing classic gameplay with additional innovations.[12] Stephen Kleckner of 1UP.com has stated the game has a similar feel to Super Street Fighter II Turbo, but also has a few features from Street Fighter III 3rd Strike.[13] Pressing both light attack buttons is still for throwing, and both heavy attack buttons are for the personal action or taunts. Pressing both medium attack buttons makes your character perform the focus strike. Dashes and quick standing are also in the game. C.Viper is the only character who can perform a high jump.[13] It was intended that bonus rounds such as the car-smashing stage from earlier Street Fighter games would return. Ono later stated that the bonus stages would not be in the arcade game, citing the reason to be that the time players spend on bonus stages is time during which they have no chance of losing, which ultimately takes money from arcade operators.[14][15] [edit] VisualsAll the characters and environments in Street Fighter IV are rendered as 3D models with polygons, similar to the Street Fighter EX sub-series Capcom produced with Arika. However, there are a couple of key differences. Art director and character designer Daigo Ikeno, who previously worked on Street Fighter III 3rd Strike,[16] added cel-shading to give them a hand-drawn look,[12] with visual effects accented in calligraphic strokes, ink smudges and ink sprays during the fights. [edit] Focus AttacksFocus Attacks, known as "Saving System" in the Japanese version,[17] is a new system introduced in Street Fighter IV. The focus attack is a move that allows the player to absorb an attack and launch a counter attack, and it is performed by pressing the medium punch and kick buttons simultaneously. There are two phases to the attack. In the first phase, the player will shift into a new stance, at which point he or she is able to absorb a single hit from the opponent. The second phase is the counter attack. The longer the player holds down the medium punch and kick buttons, the more powerful the attack will be. If the buttons are held for long enough the attack will be unblockable and cause the opponent to crumple slowly to the ground, allowing the player to follow up with a free hit. Attacks that were absorbed during the first phase of a focus attack still cause damage to the player; however, life lost from the opponent's attack will be quickly regenerated afterward. In addition, during the first phase of the focus attack the player may perform a dash either forward or backward to cancel the focus attack. Finally, at the cost of half the super combo gauge, many special moves can be canceled into a focus attack. By executing a focus attack during the special move, the animation of the move will be cut short and go instantly into the focus attack animation. This allows players with precise timing to cancel special moves into focus attacks, and in turn cancel focus attacks into the forward dash, resulting in new combo possibilities. If a special move is blocked by the opponent, the new system allows players to cancel the blocked move with a focus attack, and then cancel the focus attack by dashing backward safely away from the opponent. Ono has stated that this system was incorporated in order to shift the emphasis away from combos and toward a more realistic system he has compared to boxing, in which "the skill is in reading your opponent's move before he or she starts moving ... We haven't forgotten about combos and linked moves, but focus makes it so that you have to read your opponent."[18] The system aims to make ground attacks as viable a way of approaching opponents as jumping was in previous games.[18] The focus system is a core part of Street Fighter IV's gameplay.[19] [edit] Ultra CombosIn addition to the powered-up versions of special moves introduced in previous Street Fighter games such as Super Combos and EX Special Moves, the game also introduces a new type of powered-up special move officially dubbed the Ultra Combo. Ultra Combos are long and cinematic moves featuring a lengthy combination of punches, kicks and other fighting techniques. Just as there is a Super Combo gauge, there is also an Ultra Combo gauge (officially known as the "Revenge Gauge" or "Revenge Meter"), but whereas the Super Combo gauge fills up when the player hits their opponent or performs a special move , the Revenge Gauge fills when one takes damage from their opponent (similar to the K Groove featured in Capcom vs. SNK 2). Along with the Super Combos, Ultra Combos are one of the only times the camera breaks from its normal fixed position to show a more dynamic, cinematic view of the gameplay.[19] [edit] CharactersChronologically set between the Street Fighter II sub-series and the Street Fighter III sub-series, the playable character roster of the arcade version includes the cast of the original Street Fighter II (all twelve characters, including the four Shadaloo Grand Masters) and four new characters. Akuma from Super Street Fighter II Turbo also appears as a hidden playable character, as well as a secret opponent, for a total 17 playable characters. Additionally, the game includes two CPU-only characters: Seth as the game's standard final boss, and Gouken as a secret opponent, which makes for a total of 19 characters. Returning characters in the arcade version
New characters
Bosses and hidden characters
[edit] DevelopmentBefore producer Yoshinori Ono pitched the idea to Capcom R&D head Keiji Inafune, the prevailing attitude around Capcom was that a new numeric entry to the Street Fighter series would not be made. Initially, there was much resistance to Ono's pitch for a new Street Fighter game so many years after the original. However, in light of fan demand plus the positive reaction to Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting on Xbox Live Arcade, Inafune eventually allowed the project to begin.[19] This was Ono's first take on a new entry for the Street Fighter series as a producer, although he had previously worked on Street Fighter III 3rd Strike as a "sound management director" and previously produced Capcom Fighting Jam. The experience provided by Super Street Fighter II Turbo became the main influence for the Street Fighter IV development team.[27] The game runs on the Taito Type X2 arcade board inside a Taito Vewlix cabinet[7] and takes advantage of the Type X2's network capabilities and allows players in separate machines within the same LAN to fight each other. [edit] Home versionsStreet Fighter IV was also released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows, featuring additional playable characters, and a host of features not found in the arcade game. [edit] Additional characters The most notable addition in the home versions of Street Fighter IV are eight unlockable characters not available for selection in the arcade version. Firstly, Seth and Gouken, computer-only characters in the arcade, are now playable in the home versions[28]. Additionally, six characters from other Street Fighter games were added, adding up to a total of 25 characters, all of them playable.
[edit] Additional featuresHome versions also feature online play, downloadable content[29], a "Challenge Mode" that acts as a training module for players, requiring them to reproduce indicated moves or combos with successive levels of increasing complexity.[30] as well as selectable English or Japanese voices for the characters, making Street Fighter IV the first game in the series since the original Street Fighter to feature English voice acting for all characters. The game also offers a new opening cinematic scene featuring the song "The Next Door", by Exile, in both Japanese and English (depending on language settings), and animated opening and ending sequences for each character.
[edit] Windows version additionsThe Windows version of Street Fighter IV includes all the features found in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, plus some extras, that Capcom representatives say could make it "the definitive version" of the game.[3][34] The game features online play via Games for Windows - LIVE, with built-in voice chat and PC-exclusive achievements, but no cross-platform playability would be available with Xbox 360 players.[35] Also, the game features higher resolutions, and three new freely selectable visual styles, named "Ink", "Watercolor" and "Posterize".[36] There are also two bundles of the game: regular (game only, $39.99) and a bundle that includes the Mad Catz FightPad (with the Ryu design) that is currently sold separately for the Xbox 360 version. Those who pre-ordered the game at Best Buy received a DVD with an Eagle One animated comic (this is not the same as The Ties That Bind that comes in the collector's editions of the console versions).[6] Additionally, Svensson has stated on the Capcom Unity forums that the retail version uses disc-based SecuROM as its main form of copy protection for the North American release. The specifications for the game were released on May 15, 2009, and are considered relatively modest.[37] [edit] MarketingFor Western markets, three different packages for the game were prepared — the European release, the North American standard package, and the North American Collector's Edition. The contents of the Collector's Edition are nearly identical to those featured in the European version, and are the following:[38]
Mad Catz produced six controllers for the game, two Arcade sticks and a game pad each for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. These products include a basic model joystick, the "Street Fighter IV FightStick"; a heavier and sturdier stick, the "Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition'; and a six-button game pad, the "Street Fighter IV FightPad".[40] Meanwhile peripheral manufacturer Hori also produced two joysticks for the game for the Japanese/Asian markets based on previous joystick models produced by the company.[41] [edit] Downloadable contentThe console versions of Street Fighter IV support downloadable content, made available for download via Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace and Sony's PlayStation Network.[42] The first expansion pack, titled "Championship Mode", was released free of charge on April 24, 2009. It provides players with a replay mode, a new points system and an enhanced tournament matching system.[43] Championship mode is a game mode where a series of players compete against each other for ranking points. The higher the ranking, the harder the contest the player will participate in. The PS3 version of the download allows the player to vote on the parts of the recorded match they thought were "funny", "awesome", and "beautiful". The Xbox 360 version allows the player to download their recorded fights to the console.[44] In addition, five alternate costume packs are available for purchase. These costume packs include the alternate costumes already seen in the arcade version, and were released on separate dates following the game's launch.
A single package called the "Complete Alternate Costume Pack", containing alternate costumes for all 25 characters was made available for download on May 5, 2009 in North America, and May 8, 2009 in Europe. Although initially Capcom stated that there were no plans to add any additional characters to the game, wanting to focus on core gameplay values[46], Yoshinori Ono later revealed that unfinished versions of Dee Jay and T. Hawk (the only two missing characters from SSF2T) had been made, and given sufficient fan request for them, they could eventually get added into the game.[47] These characters eventually found their way into Super Street Fighter IV [edit] Related media[edit] AnimeStreet Fighter IV: The Ties That Bind is an animated movie directed by Jirō Kanai that was featured in a bonus disc included in the Collector's Edition of Street Fighter IV for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The plot begins Cammy's Team Delta Red task force who are investigating an energy anomaly. Chun-Li and Guile investigate the disappearance of well known martial artists in which they find Abel, a new mixed martial arts fighter. Crimson Viper is sent to capture Ryu on orders from Seth, who knows about Ryu's Satsui no Hadou and desires it for himself. [edit] ComicIn addition to the The Ties That Bind animated film included with the collectors edition of the game, UDON also published a 4-issue comic mini-series based on Street Fighter IV, with the first issue currently scheduled for February 18. The comic will focus on the new characters (Abel, Viper, El Fuerte, and Rufus) and their interactions with many of the series' mainstays. [edit] PlayStation HomeIn the PlayStation 3's online community-based service PlayStation Home, Capcom has released a Street Fighter IV themed game space. The space is called "S.I.N.'s Secret Base from Street Fighter IV". It has such features as Challenge Opponent which lets users do an action based on their fighting level in Street Fighter IV, as well as a shop with themed costumes and ornaments of all the characters from Street Fighter IV.[48] This space was released in the Japanese version on July 30, 2009, in the Asian version on September 24, 2009, in the European version on October 9, 2009, and in the North American version on October 23, 2009. In addition to the game space, costumes, and ornaments, Street Fighter IV also fully supports Game Launching in PlayStation Home which lets users set up multi-player games in Home, with advanced options, and launch into the game from Home. This feature was added on April 23, 2009.[49] [edit] Reception
Both the arcade and home versions of Street Fighter IV have received critical acclaim. The game received an aggregated score of 94 from Metacritic for its PlayStation 3 version[54] and 93 for its Xbox 360 version.[55] The arcade version of Street Fighter IV was voted Best Game of 2008 in Japan by the editorial staff of Arcadia magazine in the February 2009 issue of the publication. The game also won in the categories of "Best Graphics", "Best Production", and the "Reader's Choice Award". The character Ryu took the No. 1 spot in the magazine's "Top 20 Characters of 2008" in the same issue. The February 2009 issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine has rated the game 5/5, while the February 2009 issue of the Official Xbox Magazine has given Street Fighter IV a score of 9.5/10. IGN gave the game a 9.3/10, calling it an "irrevocably deep fighting game", but said that the anime cutscenes are "so poorly animated and tell you almost nothing about the story or the context for each character's participation in the tournament." Giant Bomb gave the game 5 out of 5 stars. Eurogamer gave the game 10/10 stating that "after over a month of playing Street Fighter IV almost daily, what has become quite clear is that it manages to appeal to a huge range of abilities and tastes without ever compromising its fidelity". Planet Xbox 360 was similar in its praise for the game, awarding it 9.1/10 and only finding fault with the Xbox 360's controller. Strategy Informer gave the game 9/10 saying "[Street Fighter IV] is truly one spectacular fighting game that proves Capcom's focal point — Street Fighter is back!". Some critics however criticize the difficulty of the final boss Seth, with Official Xbox Magazine UK calling him "cheap" at times, even on the easiest difficulty, and being "something of an anticlimax". GameTrailers also expressed a complaint over the lack of game modes, although due to the gameplay felt it was "more than enough variety to meet your expectations". According to Capcom, the console versions of the game sold out on its first day of release in Japan, with over 86,000 copies sold.[64] Within one week of Street Fighter IV's North American release, Capcom has announced that the game has shipped 2 million copies to retailers.[65] [edit] Super Street Fighter IVMain article: Super Street Fighter IV Super Street Fighter IV is the follow up/sequel to Street Fighter IV. The game was first accidentally revealed when the German version of GamePro magazine took pictures of producer Yoshinori Ono with the game visible on a TV behind him as well as a poster showing a bit of the new logo[66] Capcom officially hinted at the game when they opened a teaser site in their official Japanese website.[67] This new trailer, unlike Street Fighter IV trailers which featured sumi-e stylized graphics, features a style that tends to line-art graphics, as a reference to the way Super Street Fighter II characters' conceptual artwork was introduced.[68] Then on September 28, 2009, Super Street Fighter IV was officially announced to be scheduled for a spring 2010 release, for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Having been deemed as too large an update to be deployed as DLC, the game was made into a stand-alone title, but is intended to carry a price tag lower than that of a full retail game. Capcom also hinted at bonus features for people who already own Street Fighter IV.[11] The game is planned to feature eight additional characters, as well as tweaks and changes to the existing ones, such as new ultra combos.[69] Among the added characters are T. Hawk and Dee Jay[11], who were initially intended to be in the original Street Fighter IV but later dropped.[47] Also revealed was Juri, an all new character. A Korean Tae Kwon Do fighter, Juri works as a spy for Seth's organization, S.I.N., and has a ki-boosting device implanted into her left eye, called the "Feng Shui Engine".[70] [edit] References
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
Categories: 2008 video games | Arcade games | Capcom games | Dimps games | Fighting games | Head-to-head arcade games | PlayStation 3 games | Street Fighter games | Video game prequels | Windows games | Xbox 360 games | Games for Windows certified games | Fighting games used at the Super Battle Opera tournament | Video games with cel-shaded graphics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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