Street Fighter Alpha
by Capcom for the Sony Playstation
Price: $59.95


	In a video game world full of 3-D Virtua Fighter clones and blood
drenched Mortal Kombat rip-offs, few companies have remained committed to the
2-D sprite-driven fighter.   Within an increasingly corporate-driven home
arena, many publishers find it easier to generate profits and justify their
existence by attempting to cash in on the current craze (which presently seems
to be "3-D anything") than by bringing a solidly designed and executed original
title to market.  

	Fortunately there are a handful of publishers who remain dedicated to
producing quality fighting games, games with true play depth and identifiable
characters, each with their own unique graphical presentation.  Among these
companies is Capcom, who have just released Street Fighter Alpha, perhaps the
greatest arcade game ever made, into the 32-bit home market.

	The game begins with an attractive and beautifully drawn introduction
featuring Ken, Ryu, M. Bison and Rose.  Although the intro is not
arcade-perfect, featuring only one character and one background of actual
gameplay as opposed to the multiple characters and backgrounds of the arcade
intro, this aspect is forgivable when one considers the difference in RAM
between a $2000 arcade game and a 32-bit home console.

	After watching the introduction the player is then allowed to choose
his gameplay options.  And what a plethora of options Capcom has included in
this game.  Besides the requisite choices between Arcade and VS. mode and the
ability to edit your button configuration, time limit, etc., we have been given
THREE options that help push the replay value of this already classic game
above and beyond any fighter in existence.  

	First is the option to choose between the original arcade music and a
new arranged soundtrack, which is far less fruity than the original. 
Additionally, there is a training mode in which you can practice your combos
against a computer opponent, who will even block your combos if they can be
blocked.  You can also  allow the computer opponent to be constantly jumping
and ducking, forcing you to perfect your moves even more.  If you are truly
serious about your gameplay, this is the greatest gaming gift you could ever
receive.  And if you ever do pull off that 23-hit combo you can SAVE the round
on your memory card and forever relive your glory. 

	Finally, you can now set the speed from normal up to level 2 Turbo,
allowing you to basically play the game as fast or as slow as you desire. 
Also, the bug in the arcade version which made it impossible for a human player
to perform Adon's level three Super Combo has now been corrected. However,
there is one additional note.  All of the boss codes from the arcade version
have been changed in the home version, which means there are a whole new set of
secrets to discover. 

	Graphically, the game is IDENTICAL to the arcade version.  All of the
frames of animation are there for every character, and all are drawn in the
same somewhat fantastical style reminiscent of Darkstalkers.  While there is a
somewhat surprising lack of backgrounds (some characters, such as Ryu and Guy,
share palette-swapped settings) and a virtual lack of multi-level parallax
scrolling, these were also features of the arcade version and therefore are
nothing to be surprised about.

	In the audio department, the sound and music are also exact to the
arcade version.  The sound quality is absolutely amazing, and the voice samples
and sound effects are thundering and crisp.  As mentioned before, Capcom had
also included the ability to choose between the original arcade soundtrack and
a new arranged soundtrack, which is a bit heavier and more serious sounding
than the original music.

	On to gameplay, which is where the Street Fighter series has always
shone.  The gameplay depth in Alpha is amazing.  The gameplay is simple yet
elegant, player movement and blocking are performed logically with the
directional-pad or joystick and the button layout is familiar and effective. 
Each character has their own unique special moves and Super Combos, which add
tremendous personality to the title.  I have a personal affinity to
air-blocking, which is also of great usage, especially with the addition of
more airborne special moves.  The combo system, however, is of a level
unreachable by any current fighter.  Unlike the three-button 47 hit combos of
Killer Instinct or the "hold down the block button and press high kick and low
punch at the same time while standing on your head" combo systems of some other
gorefests, Alpha's combo system emphasizes sound basic strategy and mastery of
control, and the addition of a practice mode aids all who are in search of true
mastery. 

	Control is also perfect, allowing the player to customize their button
configuration as desirable.  The control is not only perfect when using a
joystick, but also when using the standard Playstation control pad.
Each move is easy to learn and the hits register solidly and consistently,
making the game a joy to play, easy to learn and impossible to master.

	In conclusion, Capcom has taken the greatest fighting game of all time
and brought it home in a 110% perfect arcade translation.  The choice of music,
the addition of a practice mode, and the tweaking of an already classic arcade
game make this a masterpiece, a must-own, and quite possibly THE BEST
PLAYSTATION GAME EVER.  Period.  Buy it now, play it , master it, and wait for
part 3.  Painfully. 


Street Fighter Alpha
Publisher:	   Capcom
Producer:	   Capcom
Availability:  NOW
Price:	   $59.95

Graphics:	 9
Sound:	10
Control:	10
Difficulty:	10
FUN:		10

Overall:	97%

copyright 1996 by Matthew J. Tunis

Matthew J. Tunis
you can e-mail questions or comments to:
mjt7506@ritvax.rit.edu