The daddy of fighting games makes itself comfortable on the iPhone
While Focus moves can be executed with a single button press, Ultra moves are slightly more difficult to pull off, requiring some serious dexterity. After a bit of practice however, they’re very doable, and the game offers plenty of ways to get better. Dojo mode is perhaps the most interesting addition to the game; a variety of challenges split into different categories based on skill level. There are 5 levels to work through, each with their own lessons. The intention here is to turn amateurs into Street Fightermasters. Far from a shallow selection of tutorials, the Dojo actually features the majority of the content the game has to offer.
The eight character roster makes for a fairly short arcade mode, made all the more disappointing due to the fact there are no unlockable characters. Ryu, Ken, Guile, Blanka, Chun-Li, Dhalsim, Abel and M. Bison are all you get, and it’s not looking likely that Capcom will furnish the game with extra characters in the future. A better model would have been to release the game at say £2.99 (£5.99 is a steep price point indeed), and charge £0.99 for each extra character. That way, players could build there own roster, adding to it as they wish. Maybe next time, eh Capcom?
Upon completing the single player tournament, the game rewards players with a glimpse of some footage from Super Street Fighter IV, although similar footage can also be viewed from the Special option of the main menu. There is of course the multiplayer mode to add life to the game, which will be the main reason players keep coming back to it. The versus mode is solid for the most part, and the frame rate holds up well here too. Time will tell how well multiplayer fares in the long-run, as I've only had a very brief amount of time with the game fighting against human fighters.
I expected Street Fighter IV on the iPhone to be bad. Really bad. With this preconception floating round my head as I played the game, I was pleasantly surprised by how competent it was. The controls are largely successful, the character models look fantastic, and there are a variety of interesting features tied into the package. If you’re a Street Fighter fan with an iPhone, this is well worth picking up. Be under no illusion though; fighting games aren't designed with a touch screen in mind, and although competent, Street Fighter veterans won't find much of a reason to bother with the game. It's just awkward in comparison to the console versions. That said, Street Fighter IV on iPhone can still be considered a success, and Capcom really do deserve a medal for pulling it off. I thought it couldn't be done, and I'll happily admit I was wrong.
- Sound: 8
- Graphics: 8
- Gameplay: 7
- Longevity: 6
7
Good
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2 comments
Buy Meds Online / 30th May 2010
You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your opinion.
Yael Trad / 12th Mar 2010
i agree, sfIV is a success, they really made it! i downloaded it for free to try it but im gonna buy it =) as a street fighter fan, i recommend the game. great review btw. now waiting for SC to be released!