Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (3DS Review) by Carl B.

Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
System: Nintendo 3DS
Release: March 27, 2011

March 28, 2011, by Carl B. - The last Street Fighter title to hit a Nintendo console was part of the Street Fighter II series, but since then, not a whole lot has changed with the series. Later iterations of the franchise were still traditional arcade-style fighters, with little to no new gameplay mechanics added to the formula. Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is a port of the PS3 and 360 versions of Super Street Fighter IV, which is an expansion of sorts to Street Fighter IV. Again, the core gameplay mechanics remain largely the same compared to previous Street Fighter titles, but does the enhanced presentation granted by glasses-free 3D offer enough to make Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition a fresh experience?

Unlike ports of HD games the Wii has received over the years, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (henceforth referred to as SSFIV3D) has every game mode, challenge, and character from the PS3 and 360 versions of Super Street Fighter IV. SSFIV3D even offers some features that can only be done on the 3DS, not counting the glasses-free 3D.

2D image of Nintendo 3DS game.
The appeal to this version of SSFIV is obviously the 3D effect made possible by Nintendo's 3DS. While cut-scenes and intro movies aren't in 3D – which is very strange – every menu and battle is. For menus, selection options are presented on the foreground, while anything in the background such as images or models appear deeper into the screen. Battles are absolutely gorgeous in 3D, as character models are in the front of the screen, and stage backgrounds go deeper into the screen. The effect is so authentic that I've caught myself staring at my character's model several times, getting lost in the immersion that glasses-free 3D creates. The best part about it is that out of the multiple hours of SSFIV3D I've played, I have never once experienced eye fatigue or soreness. I've even played for several hours straight, and I always keep the 3D slider on full blast with the game. It's absolutely amazing. Some sacrifices had to be made to maintain a stable frame rate, however. In the HD versions of the game, stage backgrounds are animated, and pedestrians and animals in the background can even react to things going on in the battle. With SSFIV3D, backgrounds are completely static; however, with 3D on, the depth of objects in the background really make players feel like they're right in front of the action. The frame rate never slows down from its stable 60 frames per second with 3D off and 30 frames per second with 3D on.

Classic arcade mode is present in SSFIV3D, and allows players to battle against different AI controlled characters which differ based on the fighter they select to play as. One really cool feature with arcade mode is that it allows players to turn on Internet match requests, meaning that when they're battling an AI opponent, they can be taken out of that battle at any time and placed into an online match with someone who meets the filters applied. This mode can be turned off if players want to romp through arcade mode offline, but it's a nice touch to seamless jump-in and jump-out online matches. Internet play is a huge part of SSFIV3D, and thankfully it does not disappoint. Out of the more than 30 online matches I've played, I have never experienced any lag, and finding an opponent to fight is quick and simple. Players that want to apply specific filters for matches can do exactly that in the custom match option, and players can also challenge their online friends to a battle at any time. All sorts of stats for battles are tracked, along with battle points and player points that chart how good a player is in online battles.


2D image of Nintendo 3DS game. Pictured: 3D Versus mode.
One big addition to SSFIV3D is the 3D Versus mode. Instead of battling on a 2D plane, the camera shifts to a diagonal view behind the player's character. This mode gets really intense with the 3D slider turned on all the way, and like the rest of the game, it never hurt my eyes. 3D Versus can be played offline or online, and stats from this mode are added to the traditional mode.

SSFIV3D is a hardcore arcade fighter at its core, and this is certainly carried over into the game's controls. To execute the variety of special attacks and combos the 30-plus characters have, players must carry out specific button presses and Circle Pad moving. To appeal to players who aren't as proficient at arcade fighters, Capcom has incorporated a "Lite" control scheme where players can assign two special attacks, one special combo, and one ultra combo to the touch screen. One tap of the icon will initiate the attack, thus throwing away the need to perform long sequences of button pressing. To do a special combo or ultra combo players will have to wait until their character's meter fills all the way up, just like with the traditional "Pro" control scheme. Competitive players have no reason to worry, however, as they can filter out the Lite control scheme and only battle against people who use the Pro control scheme in online matches.


2D image of Nintendo 3DS game. Pictured: StreetPass figurine battles.
StreetPass and SpotPass are both fully-featured in SSFIV3D. With StreetPass, players can put together a team of different fighter figurines – each with different stats – and when they walk by someone who also has a figurine team set, they do battle. If a player's team wins a battle each figurine will gain experience points to level up, and players can even unlock various rewards such as titles and icons. SpotPass allows Capcom to send various updates including downloadable content straight to a user's 3DS, and it will download automatically.

The Verdict

Sound
14/15 - A fantastic soundtrack that compliments the game's intensity.

Graphics
19/20 - The 3D effect in SSFIV3D is simply stunning, and in all my time playing I have never experienced eye soreness of any kind. Static backgrounds are certainly a bummer, even with the 3D effect on.

Appeal
20/25 - A fully featured online mode will keep fans coming back, as well as the clever use of StreetPass and future updates via SpotPass. Even with all the features crammed into the title, the core game is still a port.

Gameplay
37/40 - Fast, arcade-style battles are for the faint of heart, but the new Lite mode gives the game a level of accessibility no other Street Fighter title has.

Overall
90/100 - Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is a by far the most fully-featured launch game on the Nintendo 3DS. A robust online offering, fun use of StreetPass, intense battles, and an amazing 3D effect that doesn't hurt the eyes makes the game a must-get for early adopters, even though it's a port.