Street Fighter IV for iPhone and iPod Touch Review: Any Takers?

App Name:	Street Fighter IV
Platforms:	iPhone, iPod Touch
Publisher(s):	CAPCOM
Genre(s):	fighting
Release Date:	March 10, 2010
Price:	$4.99
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I cringe when remembering my past experiences with the Street Fighter franchise. Mostly, I recall days sitting in the basement and getting schooled by the neighbor kid. He was so quick with those fireballs, and you have no idea how frustrating it is getting electrocuted with every attempted punch or kick. The long and short of it: one-on-one fighters were never my thing. And they’re still not, but even I find CAPCOM’s latest release on the iPhone to be a whole lot of fun. Go figure.

This version of Street Fighter retains most of the basic features I recall from its console predecessors. There is a solo mode, and under its umbrella the tournament, free-sparring, dojo, and training room options. And then there is the versus mode,  allowing players to engage in combat using Bluetooth. CAPCOM also throws in a stylish introductory video that opens the game, along with a “special” video segment that can be accessed through the main menu. While these videos are nice to look at, I expect they mean more to those who have a deeper history with the eccentric cast of Street Fighter characters (I’m talking to you, neighbor kid. I hope you got a life by now). There are eight characters to choose from, and several difficulty levels, further layered by handicap options.

It all comes together nicely. Once in the combat arena, a joystick is positioned in the lower left of the screen, and four buttons on the lower right (punch, special, force, kick). These are the ingredients you’ll combine to form the vast list of basic and specialty moves unique to each character. The controls are intuitive enough that someone like me can have an enjoyable experience right off the bat. And it’s great to see more developers making excellent use of on-screen joysticks. It’s hard to imagine just how well this works until you try it out for yourself, and Street Fighter IV is no exception.

Once you get acquainted, CAPCOM has done a great job of taking you deeper. The “command list” is always available from the pause menu, and this is where you can learn the really crazy moves that require multiple directions and buttons. But this doesn’t have to be an academic learning experience. The “dojo” mode walks you through learning these moves in an entertaining, challenging way. So, while you master the game’s controls, you’ll also be conquering the dojo. It’s a nice motivation to learn more moves and get better.

Adding spice to the experience is the “revenge meter.” This determines when you can unleash those jaw-dropping special moves. There is also a save replay option, so you won’t forget the best matches and KOs.

Only a few drawbacks should be considered before shelling out the 10 bucks Street Fighter costs. Mainly, be aware that this is not a game with a lengthy campaign. The tournament mode can be completed on normal difficulty in under 15 minutes. Also, there have been many complaints that eight characters isn’t enough compared to other versions of Street Fighter, but nothing is stopping the developer from releasing DLC in the future. The 10 dollar price tag may be a bit steep, but not if you’re content with a primarily multiplayer experience with plenty of replay value.

CAPCOM did an impressive job translating this classic to the iPhone. The hardcore fan may find areas where it lacks compared to the console versions, but Street Fighter IV still offers pulse-pounding action that will leave you gripping your iPhone/iPod Touch extra tight until the last KO.

Street Fighter is currently available in the App Store for $9.99. (App Store)

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Devin Wieland

 

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