All Hail the King.

After over 10 years since its last TRUE sequel, Street Fighter is back this week!! If you dont remember, let me re-learn you, back in the early 90's SFII DOMINATED the arcade scene. Great characters, awesome gameplay and very simple to learn, but difficult to master. It was the foundation for countless fighting games to come.

Street Fighter 4 has been out in the arcades and in Japan for almost a year now. In fact, the local arcade has had a few machines since last Summer. I overheard a rumor that they were open on Labor Day for 24 hours just because of this game. Yes, that is how BIG this game is.

BUUUUUT, this wasnt the SF us pre-super video game console kids grew up with. The game itself cost about $2.00 to play, so dont put just one quarter up on the machine thinking that thats your ticket to being next. Theres no more trying to peer over someones shoulder to see who's playing. They presented this on a 40 inch HD flat screen, meaning you should come with impeccable quarter circles because EVERYONE will see your ass getting kicked.

For fans of Street Fighter II, youre going to LOVE it. Its a huge upgrade visually and strategically. The home console version is just like, if not better, the arcade version. With the online capabilities that almost ALL video games have these days, you wont have to go to your local arcade, although that experience alone is priceless, and battle the masses for your chance to play. On top of that, they'll be additional content that you'll be able to download later on. In other words: your social life has fallen below non-existent.

Welcome to the club.


-MNatti