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Street Fighter Alpha Anthology: A Classic Combination Pack
review
game: Street Fighter Alpha Anthology
four star
posted by: Laurie Taylor
publisher: Capcom
developer: Capcom
ESRB rating: T (Teen)
genre:
platform:
keywords:
date posted: 07:24 PM Fri Jul 7th, 2006
last revision: 07:24 PM Fri Jul 7th, 2006



Click to read.Summer often means a lull in new game releases, but it can also mean new releases of existing, established games in new packages and Street Fighter Alpha Anthology is just that. The Street Fighter Alpha Anthology is a great summer bargain for all gamers and especially fans of the Street Fighter series and for those who enjoy fighting games. Street Fighter Alpha Anthology compiles five Street Fighter classics onto a single convenient disc: Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold, Street Fighter Alpha 3, and Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix (previously released as Pocket Fighter).

Street Fighter itself is a legendary series in terms of its individual titles and in terms of its impact on gaming. The Street Fighter Alpha anthology showcases some of the reasons for that legendary status with five Street Fighter classic arcade games. In its many iterations, Street Fighter has always relied on a solid fighting system and a set of classic characters, which is expanded in some of the games. The Street Fighter Alpha Anthology games all feature classic Street Fighter characters. Each iteration has different characters and each has different combos and moves, but all still rely on the classic Street Fighter formula.

Each Street Fighter game in Street Fighter Alpha Anthology allows players to play in arcade mode, playing against the game to eventually beat the game; versus mode, playing against another player; and training mode, where players can practice the many special moves and combos. All of these modes are important to the Street Fighter games, fighting games in general, and especially for new players. Many fighting games can be won through button pushing; however, the Street Fighter games have always shown exactly how playing fighting games is more skill than luck. New players need training modes in order to learn the different moves and evened skilled players need practice given the variety of characters and ever-increasing number of moves in the Street Fighter Alpha games in this anthology.

The Street Fighter Alpha Anthology manages to capture the classic essence of Street Fighter and arcade gaming in a convenient bundle. At a time when gaming itself is expanding into longer games, online gaming, and so many other avenues, Street Fighter\'s classic simplicity-which belies its underlying complexity-is a needed reminder of some of the older game design avenues that gamers still need and want to pursue. After all, new and old gamers are also always in need of games that can be played multiplayer, that can be played quickly, and that take time to learn because players-and gaming-needs different levels of difficulty. While easy games are needed for some players, more difficult games are also needed, as are games that can span levels of easy to difficult. Street Fighter games, and those on the Alpha Anthology all prove this, embody the clich? of being easy to learn and difficult to master.

While video games often over-release sequels and remakes without including improvements, the Street Fighter franchise differs. The Street Fighter games began with a solid fighting system and have since continued to hone the already excellent system throughout the many sequels. Street Fighter Alpha Anthology repackages five already excellent games in a convenient package for new players, and at a fair price ($29.99 new). As new game prices promise to continue to rise-especially with the PS3-new and existing gamers need quality games at affordable rates and classic anthologies like this are one possible avenue that can please game companies and gamers alike.

While the Street Fighter games have an inarguable place in the history of gaming, and while these games are excellent, they are still repackaged games. As repackaged games, they can\'t fairly be ranked on the same level with new games, and the game rating above reflects that. However, as a classic anthology at a bargain price, Street Fighter Alpha Anthology is a phenomenal set of games.

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