Street Fighter without a functional multiplayer is like a peanut butter sandwich without jelly – really good but not great. Solo play is enough of a challenge to hold many users, but for scores more playing against friends, family or even random strangers halfway around the world was a massive part of the fun. Sadly this is all we ever saw of Street Fighter IV Champion Edition’s multiplayer mode.
Tested on three different devices (new iPad, iPad 4, iPod Touch 6th gen), on two different wireless networks, and with two different Apple accounts (one UK, one Canada), the issue persisted.
Whether in ranked or free games, it seems impossible getting matches to load even with no filters applied. That is the problem of finding a match in multiplayer. While all of these things do work really well, there is one big, glaring issue that is likely affecting the enjoyment of many players. Like all console transitions, it can take a bit of getting used to, but you’ll quickly be back in top form.Īll of this should add up to Street Fighter IV Champion Edition being a fantastic game, totally worth the price of purchase. Yet, if you’re playing on one of the newer, smaller iPads or an iPad mini, you could very well find the switch to result in an even more comfortable gaming experience than with a controller. The transition to on-screen controls might pose a challenge for some. There are head-locks and energy fields a plenty but no dangling eye-balls or gory dismemberments here. The violence is rough, but not overly graphic. The more you practice, theoretically the more successful you’ll be, even though often it can feel like the luck of the draw.
You choose your favourite fighter and bring them through the ranks by smashing buttons and strategically using special moves as best as you can. It’s the same, old Street Fighter we know and love.
The result is an excellent game in solo play. Given that playing Street Fighter is the closest most of us will ever come to a real, live street fight, it’s impossible to comment on their authenticity, but it couldn’t sound more like what we’d expect getting a roundhouse kick to the abdomen to sound like. The thuds, pows and pops sound just as you’ve come to expect. There’s just too many 16-bit games on the market. Clear, but not too clear, two-dimensional and, most importantly, just rough enough around the edges to bring you back to 1998 rather than 1989.įor many fan of retro games though, strong graphics simply aren’t enough anymore.
Firstly, apart from the stunning high-definition intro scenes and equally beautiful snippets when the characters enter revenge mode, the graphics emulate the Street Fighter series at its prime. The good news is, one significant issue aside, Street Fighter IV Champion Edition lives up to expectation. This is both the blessing and the burden of becoming part of pop culture cannon. However, make no mistake, the marker of whether Street Fighter IV Champion Edition is a success comes down to how long-time fans and enthusiasts feel when playing. The fun, accessible and highly addictive gameplay likely go a long way in keeping the series relevant and perhaps helping it attract new fans. From the characters down to the gameplay, it a mobile game largely intended for those with fond memories of the legendary series and the younger folks in their lives for whom they have passed down a love of Street Fighter. Street Fighter IV Champion Edition for iOS is an exercise in nostalgia. It’s probably best to get the obvious out of the way. Rather than splitting the combos and moves up into groups you'd have to work your way through, Super Street Fighter 4 allows you to choose individual moves you want to learn making for a quick and easy reference when you need to brush up on a certain move.Couldn't find a match in multiplayer even with no filters on.
While the trial mode in the original game, acting as a tool for learning the moves of each character, was incredibly useful for beginners and those wanting to brush up on their skills alike, it's been improved even more. The catch? The winner of the fight moves on, fighting the next person in line, making for a survival of the fittest.įinally, there is the new and improved trial mode. In this mode, up to eight players will take turns fighting each other to determine the best fighter of the group. While the causal player may not get much use out of this feature, it's quite useful for learning alternative ways to use and counter the various characters. This allows you to look back on fights that have taken place online in order to study the techniques of others.