Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Ah, the new digital age is certainly spoiling us rotten with high definition now being the standard in home entertainment technology. Going beyond the Blu-ray movies and satellite radio, games are also benefiting from HD as I clearly saw while playing the alpha build for Capcom’s newly revamped Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.

Anyone who purchased Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 on Xbox Live Arcade was invited to get a chance to play the alpha build via a link that allowed gamers to download a sample of the HD remix of Super Street Fighter Turbo. Whether you played it in the arcade or the Game Boy Advanced, Super Street Fighter II Turbo is regarded as a true fighting game classic that simply improved on a number of features of the original. Now Capcom wishes to release the classic game on Xbox Live Arcade with a new digital facelift.

Sadly, the build only included two characters to try out and they are the bandana-wearing Ryu and his long time friend and rival, Ken. This is fine seeing as the characters have enough moves and Super Combos to give us a taste of what the match up will be like in the single-player mode as well as the game’s online portion. That’s right, when the full game is released on Live Arcade you’ll be able to challenge players online so finally we can take to the virtual streets and challenge other players from all over the country.

Playing as Ryu, I met my skilled challenger by the docks where a handful of spectators cheered on in the backgrounds. Remembering the original fondly, I remember the docks arena but never did it look this good nor display a nice number of sharp and colorful details. Slightly distracted by the crisp new backgrounds, Ken sent a spiraling uppercut my way. It’s nothing new; really, the moves are straight out of the original SSFII Turbo. Shaking off the blow, I countered with Ryu’s Shinku Hadouken and then the fight became a full-blown brawl.

The preview allows for Player Matches but it also included Ranked Match (where you are ranked judging by your performance) and Tournament Mode. Of course, there was also the ability to go offline and have a friend pick up a second controller to challenge you one-on-one.

Seeing as this is but an alpha build, online the game flowed nicely with hardly many hiccups. This is a good sign, indeed, and after challenging my opponent to a rematch, the game displayed a sort of cut scene with the images of Ryu and Ken pumping themselves up for the fight. Again, the game flowed decently with just a stutter of two that didn’t distract the players. I’m sure that when the game is ready for download it will be as smooth as a baby seal.

My second day of playing the game, I managed to see another background, this one the tarmac of an airbase. I decided to test the game’s single-player portion with fellow reviewer, Nick Valentino, that took me on as Ryo. Surprisingly, the game ran smoothly and the controls were easy to pick up and start playing. The characters even move the same as the original and land blows with the same visual effects.

Speaking of visuals, the new graphics are simply gorgeous. Playing the game on an HDTV LDC, the picture is not only crisp but it’s also like watching an animated Street Fighter feature. The level of detail blows away images of the classic original in every way including the facial expressions of the fighters. Of course, Ken and Ryu are all we get in the preview build but we can only imagine what the likes of Chun-Li or Guile will look like in the newly remixed game. The backgrounds also look amazing, with backgrounds characters looking just as detailed as the fighters themselves. The game’s sound is also true to the original (“Hadouken!”) but just sounds better in a good sound system.

As a fan of the Street Fighter series, I’m really excited about Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and I’m fairly certain that longtime fans will definitely appreciate the game’s addictive nature and the fresh coat of HD-styled paint that make this one of the prettiest versions of the game. The preview build will continue until August 20 but we’re keeping an eye on Xbox Live Arcade for the release of this fighting game that proves that old school doesn’t mean it can’t look as good as it feels.