Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max (PlayStation Portable)
Let’s get this out the way quickly: Alpha 3 Max is the best portable version of Alpha 3 available. It’s even one of the best ports of Alpha 3 among the numerous ports of the game. It has everything that its big brother consoles have and then some, with the massive final updated roster that each successive entry has introduced, and improvements made to the different established modes.
The graphics are nice and large, and the music is still as top notch as ever. But there is a catch because there always is: This is only available for the PlayStation Portable. So, if you can track down that defunct system, get this to have it on the go and have a blast as only one can with Alpha 3 in its final form glory. It’s worth a look just for the complete roster alone.
Score: 4 out of 5
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Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PlayStation 2)
This collection of Street Fighter Alpha games is sublime, especially if you have a PlayStation 2 laying around. It features all the Alpha games, remixes and arranged versions, the Alpha 2 Gold revision and a nice port of Super Gem Fighter Mini-Mix. The best part of the collection is that it plays nicely in every game. It plays like a dream and handles well with a good PS2 controller or joystick.
Even better is the included Hyper Street Fighter Alpha, which allows pitting different Alpha characters against each other using that specific game’s mechanics and rulesets. Think Alpha 2’s Rose versus Alpha 3 V‑ISM Rose. That’s the hidden draw of the game, one that’s not advertised and that you won’t discover without time invested. However, with smooth play and convenience much like 30th Anniversary collection, this is a must buy for the PS2 collection.
Good but not great. That’s what Street Fighter Alpha 2 represents for me. I don’t hate the game these days. After a mature return to the game after many years spent adoring Street Fighter Alpha 3, I can honestly say the game is a good setup for the king of the hill that is Alpha 3.
Because Capcom has advised that Street Fighter Alpha 2’s story supersedes Alpha’s story, we’re not rehashing anything here. Just know that everyone is after M. Bison at this point because he’s up to no good as he always is and will be, and Akuma enters the chat because he supposedly killed Ryu and Ken’s master Gouken. Everything that happens in Alpha 2 sets Alpha 3 up in a way that explains why M. Bison is so powerful by the end of the series and why he’s significantly weaker during Street Fighter II. It’s compelling even if you’re a casual fan of Street Fighter.
The graphics haven’t made a significant leap between Alpha games and yet they somehow look cleaner. They’re chunkier and larger, and you can tell they’re getting closer to the Alpha 3 streamlined version that became the hallmark of the Street Fighter experience in the early to mid-2000s before the advent of Street Fighter IV.
Thankfully, while there isn’t a big leap forward in the look between games, there is a sizable improvement in the soundtrack of Alpha 2. Quite a few tracks stand out and it’s worth hunting down the playlist because there are some gems. It’s still not at the Alpha 3 level but it’s getting there if you need reassurance.
What I didn’t care for in Alpha has improved in Alpha 2: how it plays. The play feel has improved with the introduction of Custom Combos, and while clunky to execute, it’s a nice change of pace for the series. They’re in their infancy here so don’t expect the absolute dominance of Alpha 3 V‑ISM but they are cool to see and it’s satisfying to get them to work consistently in play once you know what you’re doing. Watching high-level play shows how Alpha 2 is meant to be played, and it demonstrates Alpha 2’s strengths: Nuanced strategy and a clean engine.
Alpha 2 does have its quirks, though. Sometimes the game just doesn’t feel quite right and by that I mean, I don’t like how it feels sometimes. It can simultaneously feel slow and sluggish but then it course corrects and the game plays like a dream. Combos work but then sometimes, I struggle to get things going. I can’t place my finger on it, even years later, but there’s something off about Alpha 2 but I’ve learned to accept it for what it is and overall just accept Alpha 2. It may be because I didn’t start the series until Alpha 3, but Alpha 2 doesn’t always feel right. I still prefer to play Alpha 3 in every respect, but acceptance of Alpha 2 is a sign of maturity.
Alpha 2 is the midpoint of the Alpha series and that’s OK. It’s got its growing pains but the growth is there and it’s still regarded as a strong fighting game. Alpha 2 has value and as the middle child of the series, it’s got a lot to offer and a certain charm that brightened by the fact that Capcom learned its lesson and seemingly learned to count to three. Alpha 2 is a good bridge to greatness.
Street Fighter Alpha sets the tone for spinoff franchise
I promise I can see the potential in the original Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dreams. I can look down from my high perch of love for Alpha 3 and accept that the series came from somewhere. After all, every series must have a start. But it’s a long hard stretch to say it’s an all-time great start.
Street Fighter Alpha establishes the series’ story: After Ryu wins the first World Fighting Tournament (as depicted in Street Fighter), he returns home to find his master Gouken murdered and sets out to get revenge. At the same time, Chun-Li, Guile and Charlie — along with other various members of the cast such as newcomer Rose — work together to take down M. Bison, who is working to establish his empire and achieve world domination. Know two things about the story: One, it’s a sequel to 1987’s Street Fighter and a prequel to Street Fighter II; and, two, its storyline is supplanted by Street Fighter Alpha 2. Capcom deployed this strategy with the Darkstalkers/Vampire series as well, which was coincidentally created around the same time as Alpha. And this isn’t the only instance of crossover concepts, either.
Alpha plays and feels much like early Vampire as well. The new additions of multi-level super combos and air blocking are here, too, and like Vampire, represent an upgrade from the days of Super Turbo. But, as much as I like the upgraded mechanics, I don’t like how Alpha plays. It feels clunky and slow with a molasses edge to the movesets. While the series did eventually improve with time and speed adjustments, it’s painfully obvious here that it needed a speed boost.
Alpha also resembles Vampire in presentation. The graphics are nice and big, and the sprites are nicely drawn. It’s an early version of the Alpha 3 presentation that we’ve come to know and love, and it’s pleasing to see it here. The music isn’t at the Alpha 3 level yet, but there are a few tracks that might make you tap your toe.
What I wanted from the first game in the Alpha series shows up later in the final game, but the start isn’t terrible. It needed some work and given that Alpha 2 made improvements on this solid foundation in Alpha, I think it’s safe to call this the beta of the Alpha series.
There was a time when all the early generation Street Fighter games weren’t available in the same place. Us old-timers had to own multiple systems and collections on those systems to complete the library of fighting street games. But then along came the 30th anniversary of the landmark fighting game franchise and wouldn’t you know, Capcom thought it prudent to offer a bonanza of Street Fighter. Whether or not it’s a bountiful buffet is still up for judgment.
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection aims to do one thing: Give you all the Street Fighter you can shake a stick at. Included out of the box are: Street Fighter, all versions of Street Fighter II (including Tournament Battle, exclusive to the Nintendo Switch); Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter Alpha 2 and Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper; and, Street Fighter III: New Generation, 2nd Impact: Giant Attack and 3rd Strike. This essentially covers all the bases for early Street Fighter, which is great. Give me everything in one package and let me choose what I want to play. But alas, there is a catch: All the versions included are the arcade versions of the games. That means, for example, with Street Fighter Alpha 3 you aren’t going to get World Tour Mode. Whatever you received in the arcade is what you’re getting here so I hope you like the vanilla versions because that’s what’s served here. That’s not a bad thing if you love Street Fighter, and it’s the smart solution because including the home additions would have pushed this collection to double discs or more.
The package is fine graphically. The games included are going to look exactly what they way they did when they were released, which is exactly how they should here and isn’t the focus. What should be the focus is the surrounding package and it’s nice. The graphics look clean, and menus are inviting. However, I do have a gripe with the menus: Capcom is in dire need of a copy editor. I found at least one error in the text (Akuma’s bio in Super Street Fighter II X for the curious), and this isn’t the first time I’ve found this type of thing (there’s an error in Super Street Fighter IV’s text as well).
As a former professional editor, this type of thing in video games gets on my nerves. Capcom is a billion-dollar company; hiring a copy editor to spell check the menus and text shouldn’t be a problem. It reeks of sloppiness, though I shouldn’t be surprised as this is the same company that refuses to translate the board game in Project Justice or the dating sims in both versions of Rival Schools. But I digress. The presentation is good, and it looks fine on modern systems.
The music is the same as the graphics: just as you remember it and perfectly fine. There is a sound test and that’s helpful if you don’t already have any of the tracks in your music collection. There are a few remixes in the menus that you may not have heard before, but there isn’t anything noteworthy like say Mega Man X Legacy Collection. The extras are mid, though some of the artwork and the official timelines provided are neat. It’s just that there isn’t a lot of it and there should be with this many games included.
And just like the presentation, the playability is just as good as you remember. I was able to finish several games in the arcade mode — once I adjusted the difficulty, which is a godsend — and everything felt great even with a PlayStation 4 Pro controller. I also jumped online to test the netcode, and it was decent. However, with the superior Fightcade now in full swing, fighting online with 30th Anniversary has been made irrelevant.
This is the collection to end all Capcom collections for their fighting games. Yes, Capcom insists on releasing other collections with these games, but this is a good stop gap if you want the mainstream stuff all in one place. Come for the nostalgia and the convenience and maybe stay for the extras. Three decades of Street Fighter should be a spectacle to behold but it’s lacking in the knock your socks off draw-ins. It’s still a rad street fight, however.
A new stage of history Soulcalibur returns to its roots
It’s been a long time since Soulcalibur was good. And I mean, really good, where it’s about the fighting and the locales and the sick character designs. Because make no mistake, Soulcalibur hit a brick wall right about the time of the fourth entry. Seriously, no one asked for Star Wars draped all over Soulcalibur, yet there we were with Yoda and the gang making themselves at home in the series known for its sword and sorcery. But then something happened: Someone on Project Soul said, “you know what would be great? Returning back to the thing that made us successful in the first place: Soulcalibur.” And here we are with the sixth entry and it’s a return to form.
Soulcalibur VI is essentially a retelling of the second game in the series, Soulcalibur. The evil sword Soul Edge has fallen into the wrong hands throughout history, and it has now found its way into the embrace of one Siegfried. Sigfried, having lost his tenuous grasp on sanity and reality in general, has transformed into the Azure Knight, better known as Nightmare, and begun wreaking havoc on the world in this demonic possessed guise. There are those who seek the sword for righteous reasons and those who seek it for greed and glory, but the sword must be stopped. Because it’s a retread of Soulcalibur, not too much has changed story-wise. The entire cast of the game has returned with some new folks sprinkled in for good measure. This is fine because that cast was legendary and set the standard for future entries.
But what if you wanted to do a little something different this time around? The excellent character creator has everything covered. This mode is so well done and such a time sink. I spent at least two hours making a reasonable facsimile of the Capcom’s Ruby Heart — my favorite pirate — and it was painless and easy to do, even with the default offerings. This creator mode has been around a long time in Soulcalibur — since the third game — but here it’s refined and polished. I spent more time here than anywhere else, and what I wanted to make was only limited by my lack of ideas.
Despite lacking in skill with Soulcalibur over the years, I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of jumping into fighting. I have had an extended absence from the series, but I could still pull off moves and combos with old favorites like Mitsurugi, Cervantes, Ivy and Voldo. The fighting felt polished and clean, much like older entries, which is critical in drawing in someone like me that hasn’t really played much since Soulcalibur II.
Another good nostalgic draw was the presentation. Soulcalibur as a series has never lacked in the aesthetics department, and this game is no different. It looks nice, with good character models and enticing backgrounds. Because it’s basically a remake, the backgrounds are references to previous stages but with a more modern cleanup job applied. I absolutely loved the original Soulcalibur’s look and still do, and this version does good in reminding me of why that is. While not quite as groundbreaking in its graphics as the arcade and Dreamcast port were 25 years ago, they’re still quite breathtaking and beautiful.
And, there isn’t too much to dislike about Soulcalibur VI. I’m not fond of the AI difficulty, which seems a little too spotty. A few matches felt like rubber banding in the second round if I won the first round, but then if there was a third round, the AI would just stand there and let me wail away. That’s weird in a fighting game, but then again, most Soulcalibur entries felt that way in the beginning of the series. I just wish that was fixed by the sixth game.
Overall, Soulcalibur VI tries to make up for the missteps of the past with a solid re-imagining and return to its roots. Though it’s been five years since release and no new content has been on the horizon, it’s a still a viable fighting game for those who haven’t dived back into the world of souls. The soul still burns in this rehabbed and reformed sequel.
Devilish dancing demon There’s blood on the dance floor with Konamix
As a devout Dance Dance Revolution fan, I’ve made it clear that quality DDR is non-negotiable. And what I mean by that is, a mix has to be good. It has to have DDR originals, maybe a few quality licenses and the interface has to be workable. DDR Konamix, a North American port of DDR 4th Mix, is a semi-decent solution to a real problem.
Konamix plays like every other early pre-SuperNova version of DDR. Stepping on arrows in time to a song is refined by this point, so it’s nothing new, and scoring also remains the same as DDR 1st Mix through 3rd Mix. So, really the most important aspect of this mix is the songlist, and there are some gems here. Some of our favorites appeared here for the first time in a North American release, such as PARANOiA Rebirth and SUPERSTAR. The 52 songs in the tracklist are all Konami originals, hence the name, and that’s a boon because that immediately makes the list worth playing and makes up for a few weird issues.
But how does it play? In terms of DDR mix playability, it’s not user friendly like later mixes. The timing is highly suspect, and adjusting that feature in the options is stilluseless. Because of the differences in frame rates and modern televisions, trying to play this is a fool’s errand because it’s almost so off that you’re never going to do well. The weird timing issues mean a lot of Goods, Greats and Boos. Also, the interface is obnoxious until you choose to use All Music. With everything unlocked, the All Music option makes the game tolerable.
With a lot of flawed options and playability issues, DDR Konamix isn’t exactly a must-have. However, only because of the Konami originals should you buy this; some of these beauties are rare enough that you’d need to import Japanese mixes to see them again. While I have a nostalgic fondness for Konamix because it was my first exposure to modern DDR, I would only consider this mix if you want to be called a DDR master.
Mediocre prehistoric origins Dinosaur platforming mechanics does no favors
For whatever reason, I used to be enamored with Chuck Rock. Maybe it was the colorful graphics, or it was the “charming” platforming. Whatever it was, it isn’t here in modern gaming and with critical hindsight now, I can safely say it should have rolled back under the rock it slithered from.
There isn’t much to the threadbare bedrock of Chuck Rock. You, Chuck, are a prehistoric meathead who isn’t capable of more than a few words and grunts. You’re tasked with retrieving your kidnapped wife, Ophelia, from your love rival, Gary. You traverse through six stages, gut bumping dinosaurs and other creatures, lifting heavy rocks to solve puzzles and eating various foods to replenish your health. Occasionally, you’ll fight a boss who tries to keep you from your beloved and eat you. Just about everything is hostile and there are many natural obstacles threatening you on the journey.
It seems, however, that no one mentioned that the actual gameplay was the real threat here. For starters, nothing does anything well. Chuck is lethargic and aimless without a true sense of purpose. I get it, he’s a caveman, but that gimmick falls flat fairly fast. He’s a chore to control in a hop ‘n’ bop that’s aping Super Mario World, and it’s aping the terrible parts while trying to be cute.
While the graphics are nice, knowing what’s a hazard and what is useful isn’t the easiest to discern. Some items blend well, and some enemies look like they could be helpful items. It’s a shame considering the graphics are clean and deeply hued with a comic book ink feel. Chuck has a nice sprite and matches well with the concept as do the dinosaurs. However, while they look nice, nothing nice can be said about the soundtrack. It’s monotonous and boring, and there’s nothing that stands out. It’s boring and goofy, much like the gameplay and the concept, which does nothing to endear anyone looking for a nice solid early Super Nintendo or Genesis platformer.
What we have here is a failure to capitalize on an established platformer. Mario set the standard a year earlier with the excellent standard-bearer Super Mario World. Core should have taken a look at that and emulated what they saw. They didn’t, and we’re stuck with something that, while cute, is nigh unplayable in some spots and a chore in others. Let’s be glad that with a better discerning eye, I learned to leave some games in the Stone Ages.
Now, y’all know I love me some Mario. I’m a Mario girl and have been for a long time. A whole issue devoted to him and his exploits aside, there are few mainline Mario games that I haven’t played and enjoyed. As a connoisseur on all things Mario, his leap to 3D was not one of my favorite things to experience because of the surprise condition of motion sickness. So, imagine my happiness when the series took the sidestep to start producing 2D games again. Nintendo’s first entry, New Super Mario Bros., was a warm-up if not a practice session for something greater.
The story starts pleasantly enough with Bowser kidnapping Princess Peach for the millionth time. It’s standard fare for Mario games at this point and it’s serviceable enough because that’s what you’re supposed to do in Mario games: save the princess. But there’s something different here: a newer style of graphics and play mechanics to whet your appetite for that “new” in the title. The game looks cleaner and brighter as compared to the last 2D outing — Super Mario World for the SNES — and Mario is more defined. Yes, you’re still in the Mushroom Kingdom but it looks newer. The way you play is also new. Mario’s getting around a lot better in modern times and it started here with a new butt stomp, wall jump, triple jump and new power-ups in the Mini Mushroom, Mega Mushroom and the Blue Koopa Shell. These power-ups are welcome additions to the Mario repertoire and are fun to use.
My main gripe comes from the new mechanics, however. While I love that Mario moves well, sometimes he moves almost too well. I had the same issue here as I did with the later Wii version: Mario slides around entirely too much. I have to keep in the back of my mind to undercompensate and overcorrect with running and jumping movements constantly, and it’s a bit much to keep up with while trying to play well. When I want Mario to stop running, it should be instantly. There shouldn’t be extra frames of stopping. Also, some of the jumps don’t feel as clean as they should if we’re basing it on the known Mario standard. It’s all a little too loosey-goosey for my liking and makes clean play a little bit more of a chore than I’d care to do. Later entries have cleaned this up, but it’s obvious here and I can cut it some slack because it has been fixed. Just know that it’s part of the “new” experience.
New Super Mario Bros. has the Mario charm the series is known for as well. It’s fun to play and discover new secrets and see the new concepts work out in a series that puts in the work to innovate and stay relevant. This first game was the stepping stone for the phenomenal New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and you can clearly see where it’s going in terms of the total package. It’s not an insult to say this was the practice run and that practice makes perfect, especially if you’re New Super Mario Bros., and you’re compared to other mainline Mario games, and you sell 30 million copies as the best-selling DS game of all-time. Clearly, this is a mega Mario hit and good starting point for the 2D throwback of the franchise.
Long ago, bubble popping took hold of my interest, right about the time I started getting hair on my chest and some sense acquired when it came to good quality video games. And wouldn’t you know it, my late great mama — the dearly departed GI Mama — also divined that she was a fan of the bubble-popping nonsense that I’d brought home for my Super Nintendo. Alas, my tastes had to grow so we looked for more bubble-popping nonsense and found there was a sequel or two to the madness. What apropos popped up was Bust-A-Move 2.
Now, let’s not get it twisted: This is the same old Bust-A-Move you’re used to playing if busting bubbles is your thing. Nothing is drastically different than the formula established in the original game: You pop clusters of like-colored bubbles in an effort to clear established puzzles. This basic premise was set up in the first game for the SNES and it hasn’t changed, no matter the iteration. But what has changed somewhat is the presentation. In this version, there is an illuminated map puzzle path that your character can choose, and decisions have to be made to get to the end puzzle. The decision to include a visible path structure is a nice step forward, but still needs some payoff to be a gamechanger.
Slightly different yet familiar are the graphics. Bust-A-Move 2 hasn’t really changed all that much in the looks department. There are some new graphics for the backgrounds during puzzles, the characters are more defined and the bubbles themselves are more crisp and deeper hued to pop but that’s about it. It looks OK for an N64 puzzle game, but there are others out there doing a lot more with the same console resources, such as Magical Tetris Challenge.
The soundtrack is a little more bubbly than the original but has a little less charm than the first game. The songs are slightly catchy, but not nearly as memorable as the first game’s 16-bit organ-inspired schtick. However, what you’ll really notice that’s different is the addition of voices. Now, your character and the opponents make a little noise when they achieve a combo. It’s cute, even with the shrill squawking that shows up in the menu.
But let’s be honest, what you came here for was to learn if the puzzle gameplay is up to the standard established by the first game. Yes, it is, and here’s why: Not much changed. No crazy weird mechanics shoehorned in, no missteps in how the bubbles bank or strange concepts cobbled together (aside from the sticky platforms that inexplicably start showing up halfway through the story mode) make appearances here. You can be rest assured that it’s the Bust-A-Move that we all know and love.
My beloved late GI Mama once declared Bust-A-Move a cheating game while I was molly whopping her in a versus mode run. She said she’d see me in the sequel. Well, the sequel here is just enough justification to wait for that rematch in heaven when my time comes. It’s nothing new but then again, sometimes sticking with the establishment is the best idea when it comes to bubbles part deux.
Capcom tends to tread a lot of the same ground these days. Whether it’s “getting back to their roots” with Street Fighter’s modern versions or returning to the past with a lot of upgraded collections, Capcom sure has a way of reminding you that, yes, they made Street Fighter and a bunch of other fighting games. The question is do we care? Yes and no, if this current collection is to be judged.
I will admit that, despite being a strict Mortal Kombat old head, I am inclined to speak up about my favorite genre in fighting games and how it relates to Capcom. This collection, filled to the brim with nothing but Capcom fighters, aims to show that Capcom had some hits and memorable properties. Fighting Collection features 10 entries: Vampire/Darkstalkers 1–3, Vampire Hunter 2, Vampire Savior 2, Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness, WarZard/Red Earth, Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition, Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix/Pocket Fighter and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, with the North American or Japanese versions available for play. In all cases, these are arcade rom versions gathered together in one spot and you can freely switch between them on free play. Collection-wise, this is a top-tier package for those who love fighting games made by Capcom. Mainstream money maker that’s still around today? That’s Hyper Street Fighter II. Obscure weird fighter that no one even knows that Capcom made it? Take your pick from Cyberbots and WarZard. Cutesy, chibi fighter that unabashedly mocks its maker? Puzzle Fighter and Pocket Fighter have that on lock. Defunct series that should still be a thing, but Capcom doesn’t pay attention? All of the Vampire you can possibly shake a stick at satisfies that requirement. There is literally something for everyone here. But the question is, do you want it, especially now that you know what’s available here? As earlier, yes and no.
While the presentation is top-notch, the actual assortment of the games involved is a mixed bag. Gentle readers, I just compiled and created an entire issue devoted to Vampire (Editor’s note: That’d be Issue 46. Go download it now if you haven’t.) and its inner workings and the history behind the series. Knowing that, please explain to me why I have Vampire burnout and why I had it before I did that issue because of this collection. Capcom does this song and dance every single time Vampire is whispered somewhere by some unsuspecting gamer who loves the series and wants to see it once more have its day in the sun. I wrote an entire column in that previous issue discussing the need for a Vampire revival — a new game, not an old rehash — and how we were never going to get that because Capcom does the series dirty constantly.
Well, wouldn’t you know it, Capcom pulled a skunk out of their hat by including all of the Vampire games here. It’s like they said, “Well, you asked for more Vampire. Here, be satisfied that we released all of them finally in North America and shut up.” You know, I’m slightly happy but I’m more offended than anything else. Because, as you should have read by now gentle reader, Capcom is never going to give us a new Vampire game without there being some weirdness attached. And because this collection sold “OK,” — not great, just OK — you know we aren’t getting a new game. Because it didn’t set the world on fire in sales doesn’t mean the demand isn’t there. But I digress. Everything else in this collection has been released in some way, shape or form in either region, so it wasn’t necessary for their inclusion, either.
What I would have preferred to see are Rival Schools, Project Justice, Star Gladiator and Plasma Sword. These are defunct Capcom series that they also like to act like they didn’t create. Rival Schools and Project Justice are especially egregious because while they’ve been ported to PlayStation Network, we haven’t gotten a full, unaltered port of either game. A modern translation of the board game and simulation mode in both games is not that hard, but I digress again because we know we are never getting it. It’s a shame because this collection as pulled together in 2022 could have used some better curation.
While I love Capcom fighting games, I’m OK about this collection. It’s nice to have these in a modern package for modern consoles but I’m not enthused about the behind-the-scenes foolishness that could have been avoided with better curating on Capcom’s part. There are some heavy hitters that could have been included immediately that would have made it a better package, and the extras included could have been better also. However, it’s not a terrible package and is infinitely useful and valuable to the fighting game population so it’s not a total wash. Capcom could collect better, though.