Flash kicks, hulking slams and dragon punches; what more could you ask for in a 2D fighter.
THE GOOD
-Exciting multiplayer
-Exceptional controls
-Great cast of unique fighters
-Excellent graphics
-Wide assortment of special moves
THE BAD
-Cheap boss battles
-Gameplay is a little too slow
OVERVIEW
The Street Fighter tournament is where the best martial artists from around the world come together to fight in one-on-one combat. The champion of the tournament wins fame and fortune. However, most of the fighters have other agendas. There are eight playable characters along with four boss type characters which unfortunately are unplayable. Each of the playable fighters has their own unique fighting style from sumo wrestling to boxing and everything in between. Although the pace of the game is a little slow, Street Fighter II is still an addicting fighter.
GAMEPLAY
The main menu has the following options: Game Start, V.S. Battle and Options. The main story mode, Game Start, puts you on a quest to defeat all the remaining warriors in single combat to try and become the World Warrior. A match consists of a best of three rounds. The loser is eliminated from the tournament and the winner advances to his/her next challenge. Once you've defeated all the eight playable warriors, there are four tougher boss-type fighters to tackle. All-in-all the story mode offers a great fighting experience however, the four boss battles at the end of the game seem to have an inconsistent difficulty level. Even set to an easy setting doesn't correct this which is frustrating.
Street Fighter II has a rock solid control scheme. All your attacks and special moves work well and it's quite satisfying when you land your strikes. Most of the special moves are easy to pull off and are pretty effective. Each fighter has many different types of basic attacks which fall into three categories; punches, kicks and grapples. The only thing that Street Fighter II is lacking in this area is that the pace of the action moves a little too slowly.
The multiplayer aspect, like the single player mode, offers plenty of replay value. You and your buddies will have the chance to duke it out for the ultimate bragging rights. Stats are tracked and you'll be able to pick which level to fight on.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
Each of the uniquely themed stages offer a good amount of detail and background animation. The clarity in the character design is pretty impressive and the use of vibrant colors really standout. The graphics in Street Fighter II make the game enjoyable to watch and enhances the overall experience.
The sound effects are pretty good in this game; as a rule the deeper the sound the harder the hit which is gratifying when a roundhouse kick is landed. However, the music slightly undermines the feel of the game. Most of the soundtrack is boring and forgettable.
CONCLUSION
You can't deny that Street Fighter II is an addicting fighting game. Whether you're playing against the challenging computer or your friends, you're going to have a great time playing. I would recommend this game to all fans of fighting games. With solid controls, cool characters and effective special moves, Street Fighter II is a must-have.