Redemption at last. Andres has finally found the fighting game he’s been waiting for in Capcom’s SSF2 Turbo Revival!
The original Super Street Fighter II Turbo is a game that isn't very well known to non-SF fans. With a home port going only to the 3DO (aside from a few imports), many believe the final version of the venerable Street Fighter II was Super Street Fighter II, which was ported to the SNES and Genesis. This is quite sad, as SSF2 Turbo is known as one of the best, if not the best, 2D fighting games of all time. Featuring a cast of extremely well-balanced characters, varying game speeds, and a brand new secret character in the evil Akuma. Now, Capcom has taken this classic game, given it a spiffy new outfit, and brought it to the GBA.
From top to bottom, the game oozes quality. For starters, the game itself is as perfect a port of the original SSF2 Turbo as one can ask for on the Game Boy Advance. Even hardcore fans of the game will be hard pressed to find any details missing from the original game. Bright backgrounds, colorful characters, and quality animation all combine to provide a visually pleasing package.
Sound effects and voice samples are clear, spot-on from the original game. The musical compositions accompanying each character’s stage are instantly recognizable to those who have played the series before. The music has a synthetic quality to it, but some songs sound even better than the originals. Favorites such as Ken’s Theme, Cammy’s Theme, and Balrog’s Theme are all there.
The controls are very responsive, and Capcom went to great lengths to try and accommodate this six-button fighter to the four-button Game Boy Advance. The weak and medium punches and kicks are mapped to the face buttons, while strong punch and roundhouse kick are mapped to L & R respectively. For those that may be unsatisfied with this button layout, Capcom allows you to configure the buttons to your liking in and out of gameplay. Also, they have included an ”Easy Command” mode that can be activated mid-match with a press of the Select button. This mode simplifies the d-pad movements needed to perform special moves.
If Capcom had left the port as has been described, it would still stand as an excellent port of an excellent game. Yet, they didn’t stop there. The presentation of the game has been revamped. From the title screen sequence to the Vs. game screens filled with beautiful new artwork, the game has been refitted with a spiffy new look that comes off absolutely beautifully on the GBA. On top of that, Capcom has added a helpful Training mode, and various Survival and Time Attack modes. Link play is also available for two players to fight head-to-head. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Capcom did not include any option for single-pak multiplayer, but that may be asking for too much.
Overall, this game is the total package. The best of the old-school Street Fighter games ported wonderfully to the GBA with a good deal of added extras. If you’re a fan of the original game, this is for you. If you’re looking for the best fighter currently on the GBA, this is what you’ve been looking for. Even if you’ve never tried any of the original Street Fighter 2 games, I couldn’t think of many better ways to introduce yourself to the series. Here’s to hoping Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper surpasses this great effort by Capcom.