Not only is Street Fighter one of the most iconic gaming franchises for Capcom, it is one of the most beloved franchises in the gaming industry. With numerous versions of Street Fighter titles appearing on tons of platforms over the years, it was only a matter of time before the revered series would make its way back to Nintendo. With Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, Capcom went all out to take everything from the HD console versions and cram it into Nintendo's new handheld, the 3DS. There is a lot to like with Super Street Fighter IV; however, that does not mean that the game is without faults.

Hadouken!

Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition features 35 playable characters that are available as soon as you boot up the game. For fans of the series, the many familiar faces from previous games are sure to bring up fond memories from yesteryear. In terms of game modes, it is what you have come to expect from a Street Fighter game, including the likes of Arcade mode, Versus, Training, and a Challenge mode in which the player is directed to perform specific moves to proceed and/or complete bonus stages that can be found throughout the Arcade mode. Capcom has also included online play in an attempt to make the 3DS version as much like its console counterpart as possible. Not only this, but Capcom has included an insane amount of collectibles in the game, as well as an exclusive 3D camera mode. Needless to say, Capcom really poured a lot of care into the development of this game.

The controls in the 3DS version are nearly identical to what you find on the console version and are, of course, customizable. Strong attacks are mapped to the shoulder buttons, and the medium and weak attacks to the face buttons. What sets the 3DS version apart from any other version of Street Fighter are the four hot keys on the touch screen. While you do not necessarily have to use the hot keys, it really makes it a lot easier to pull of the moves that you would normally perform on a control pad. Though the touch screen does help, to an extent, remedy the difficulty one might have with the small control layout, there are simply going to be some moves that you will have to attempt to do without the assistance of the touch screen controls.

Visually, Super Street Fighter IV on the 3DS is stunning. The transition from its high definition console counterpart to the small screen was pulled off very well, making it one of the best looking titles available at launch. The character models are very well done, and look strikingly similar to what you can find on either the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. However, the stage backgrounds are mostly two dimensional and typically static compared to the three-dimensional active backgrounds found on the home console version. Even with this, the game, background included, still looks fantastic. The visuals, along with the great sound, make Super Street Fighter IV on the 3DS a wonderful experience for the senses.

The 3D mode in action.

As NWR's very own James Charlton mentioned in his initial impressions with Super Street Fighter IV, the 3D mode is a wonderful addition to the 3DS version. The mode really does emphasize the 3D effect, bringing a sense of depth that can only be found using 3D technology. While the fighting mechanics remain the same, the camera is placed slightly behind your character at an angle with his/her back partially to the camera. Although the mode is visually stunning, it can be a little difficult to judge how close you are for an attack and vice versa. For example, I am a fan of E. Honda and have played quite a bit with him in this mode. With that said, I am pretty familiar with the range of his strong punching attack. In the 3D view, but I still found myself making small misjudgments which would cause me to miss with my attacks more times than I would like to admit. I am no Street Fighter guru, but it seems that the standard view is a better suited for those who are hoping for a more accurate experience.

Online play is one of the greatest components of Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition. It is well put together, simple, and effective. Upon entering the mode, you are given the options of either a Versus Match or a 3D Versus Match. After choosing that, you can play a Quick Match against a random opponent, a Friend Match against someone on your Friend List, or a Custom Match, where you can choose the number of rounds, game time, and more. I was able to hop into the online mode without any hitches. The gameplay was smooth and I did not encounter any slow down or lag. To be honest, this is probably one of the best online experiences I have had on a Nintendo platform. The ease of use coupled with the functionality sets a bar that Nintendo and other third-party developers should take a look at.

That can't feel good.

Capcom was not kidding around when it came to in-game collectibles. There are 500 figures to collect, each different from one another. You gain points to purchase the figures from fighting in the various game modes. From the main menu, you can access your Figure Collection. From there, you are able to view the figures in your Album, purchase more figures, trade, and assemble a team for use in the Street Pass mode. Unfortunately, I have not encountered any other people who were hiding the game and their 3DS in their bags, so this is a feature that I have not been able to try out. Nevertheless, it is great that Capcom has worked so hard to provide so much extra content for players as well as utilize the capabilities of Nintendo's new handheld.

Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is easily one of the best launch titles available for the 3DS. With a great online system, a plethora of characters to choose from, beautiful visuals, and tons of options, there is truly a lot to like with this solid fighter. While the experience has it warts, Capcom has definitely served up a winner and is providing gamers with one of the best handheld fighting experiences on the market today.