Is it ironic that Capcom couldn't give this
game away when it hit the SNES and Genesis, but the GBA version is being bought
up quicker than GTA
III on the PS2? Ok, maybe it isn't selling that well, but at least these carts
aren't going to be buried alongside E.T. for 2600 in some New Mexico
desert. A few changes have been made to the game, but most of these are
cosmetic, and hardcore fans will feel right at home with Super Street Fighter
2 Turbo Revival (Yes, that is the incredibly long and overdone official title of
this one). Playing Street Fighter II with a measly two face buttons can prove to be a problem. Attempting to use the shoulder buttons with them is even more difficult. Two of the attacks can be performed by holding the button down, the remaining four are controlled by the face and shoulder buttons. This is really the only major flaw the game has and it's not really Capcom's fault. What can be blamed on Capcom are the sometimes unresponsive controls, rendering some special moves impossible. There is an option to make the controls simpler (i.e. a fireball attack can now be performed by pressing forward and punch), but the challenge levels drops significantly with this feature turned on. Extras have been added including survival modes, bonus stages, and time trials. All of these open up special features not available in other versions.
All of the front end artwork has been redesigned, new intro and
all. All of the actual in game sprites have remained the same, but the backgrounds have
been toyed with on a few stages. Ken now fights in a SF Alpha-style stage,
and Guile fights on a bridge in which a Harrier jet checks out the action. The stages that
are reminiscent of their originals have minor changes (Balrog's stage no longer has the
two women walking back and forth for example), but the vast majority are flawless
translations. Minor bouts of slowdown can occasionally hinder the experience, but these
are rare occasions. Speed freaks can relax, the game definitely lives up to the
"turbo" name in it's title.
The voices in the game sounds incredibly well done for a
portable, but the music is sacrificed. To compare, the voices sound ripped out of the SNES
version and music is taken from the Genesis version. All of the tunes are recognizable, so
it's not a major issue, but a little more work could've made this one sound perfect. All
of the original kicks and punch sounds have also made the transition to the small screen.
Beyond the control flaws, this is a near perfect port. This makes not only a great showcase title, but the replay value has been significantly increased that to the added features. Definitely a wise purchase, but make sure you pick up two copies. The vs. mode is outstanding with the only problem finding a decent light source to see both screens.
