One of these days I swear Capcom is going to get it right. Someday in the future we'll have a Street Fighter collection that includes the original Street Fighter, Street Fighter Alpha 3 and maybe even an EX just for completeness's sake. Unfortunately, like the Street Fighter collections before, it this isn't that release. Regardless, fans of franchise will enjoy this title all the same. Street Fighter Anniversary Collection is a compilation of a sort of "Street Fighter II Megamix", along with a few extras, and a port of 2000's Street Fighter III: Third Strike. In the Street Fighter II package you select a fighter from Street Fighter II's roster and choose which game's version of the character you wish to play as (Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Super Street Fighter II, etc.). Due to the similarity of the Street Fighter II titles, the subtleties between character versions will most likely be lost on all but the hardest of core of Street Fighter fanatics. Something that anyone who played the original versions of these titles will notice is the new A.I.. When playing Arcade mode, the computer controlled character (who will always be the Super Street Fighter II Turbo version) is exceedingly difficult, yet another detail that makes this game more appropriate for fighting fans looking for a trip down memory lane than those looking to break into the genre. Gameplay modes are limited, but a friend to play with generally remedies the lack of variety. The options and extras included in the package range from "kind of cool" to "meh". Players have an option of soundtracks to use while playing: the old soundtracks from the original releases or a new "arrange" version of the soundtrack, both of which are great (or as great as you remember). To make up for the combination of the titles, the individual opening demos and credit sequences are included along with the PG-13 version of 1994's Street Fighter: The Animated Movie. The quality of the film's presentation leaves a lot to be desired, but the film itself didn't exactly merit a 5.1 Dolby presentation. While these extras are fun, a collection of promotional art and/or developer interviews would have been much more interesting and fitting for a release bearing the title "Anniversary". Everything that's been said about Street Fighter III: Third Strike is still true today: The game still stands as one of the deepest 2D fighters out there and quite possibly the best Street Fighter title to date. Despite the fact that the game is a straight port from almost half a decade ago, the graphics are still silky smooth and the sound and music are excellent. While Anniversary Collection may leave some wanting, there's no denying how well time has treated Street Fighter. Pick it up and re-familiarize yourself with the game that launched a thousand imitators.
Other Helpful Reviews for Street Fighter Anniversary Collection
Fans and newcomers alike will enjoy Street Fighter Anniversary Collection. Hyper Street Fighter II features all five versions of the Street Fighter II cast, a challenging single-player mode and fun multiplayer. There's a... Read Full Review
SF: AC is a great little title. Fans of old school street fighter II will love this. Though the Street Fighter II game is great. It's not the highlight of this disk. If you haven't played Street Fighter III: Third St... Read Full Review
