Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition

When the Nintendo 3DS hit the market, Capcom was among the first to bet on its stereoscopic screen in grand style. Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition was part of the console's launch lineup and thus became the very first full-fledged Street Fighter in your pocket that was not merely a trimmed-down version, but a true port of the ambitious fourth-generation fighting game.

The core of the game remains faithful to its arcade and console predecessors. You will find a complete roster of over thirty fighters from Ryu and Chun-Li to characters added in the Super edition, an elaborate system of Focus Attacks, EX moves, super combos, and devastating Ultra Combos. Capcom became famous for building its combat system on readability and depth at the same time: even a beginner can manage a few blows, but mastery of timing, animation cancels, and reading the opponent runs deep.

Two essential innovations were added on the 3DS. The first is the so-called Dynamic View, a camera behind the fighter's back that uses the console's 3D effect and offers a striking close-up view of the fight. The second is the ability to map special moves to the touch screen, which makes the game accessible to players who do not want to wrestle with the precise input of quarter-circle motions on the small D-pad. For veterans, the classic side view and manual input remain.

The development context is key here. Street Fighter IV in 2008 practically resurrected the genre of 2D fighting games, which until then had been languishing, and returned it to mainstream attention. The 3D Edition carried this wave to the handheld and showed that even a demanding tournament fighter could work on the go. The game also supported local and online matches, so players could test their strength outside the campaign against the computer.

Culturally, Street Fighter remains one of the pillars of the entire esports and tournament fighting-game scene, whose events like EVO are watched by thousands of viewers. Having a full-blooded version of this saga right at the launch of a new Nintendo console was reason enough for many to buy it, and the game is still considered one of the more solid launch titles of the 3DS.

Why play: A full-fledged Street Fighter IV in your pocket with clever use of the 3D effect and touch controls that ease newcomers in without stripping away depth for veterans.