When it comes to different modes Street Fighter Alpha 3 is second to none. On the first screen alone there are some
fifteen different things to do, which can be a little overwhelming the first
few times you play the game. But as you
explore the game's menus you find a
lot of exciting modes that cater to people that want to play for a long time
and those who only have a few minutes.
No matter what type of mood you're
in, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max has
something for you.
The game has your standard arcade mode, which unlocks each
characters animated ending. Then there's
Survival and Training, which work pretty much as they do in every other
fighting game. But if you really want to
mix things up you can fight two different computer-controlled opponents at
once. Or maybe you would rather have a
partner on your side going against another person? Well, you can do that too. In fact, you can play this game in just about
every way imaginable.
But when it comes to single-player treats, there is none
sweeter than the World Tour mode. This
is a lengthy game that has you traveling all over the world fighting under
specific conditions. The computer will
do everything it can to prevent you from winning, including giving you
handicaps (less life, weaker attacks, shorter timers, etc.), but if you can
overcome the obstacles your character will level up and go on to fight another
day. This mode is great fun on the go,
and fits perfect in this PSP title.
This wouldn't be a Street Fighter game if it didn't have
exciting two-player matches, and Capcom wasn't about to disappoint their
fans. The wireless support (this game is
Ad Hoc only, much to my disappointment) is flawless, the game is just as fast
and exciting with multiple people as it is against the computer. Not only is the game extremely responsive,
but it also comes with a number of ways to play the game with friends, making
it a great party game for those who remember playing these types of games in
the arcade.
The game does have a few quirks that you need to get past in
order to have a good time, one of which is the way the game feels. There's no doubt that the graphics look
exactly like those in the arcade, but the PSP's D-Pad does not do a good job of
recreating that arcade joystick feel. No
matter how long you try, this portable game is never going to feel like the
arcade version … but after you get used to its control it ceases to be a
problem. Give it a few games and you'll
be able to pull off just about any move you want without any pain or problems,
a mighty feat for a portable fighting game.
Although it might not look like it at first, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max offers a
whole lot of content ready to be discovered.
Earning the endings to the nearly 40 different characters alone will
take you more hours than you would care to admit, and that's not even looking
at all the other ways you can play the game.
If you can get past having to re-learn the controls on the PSP you will
find Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max to
be one of the most rewording games you can play for Sony's portable
system. If you're a fan of 2D fighters
then there's no reason you should avoid this game, it's just the type of game
your system has been yearning for!
B | Forget Darkstalkers, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max is the must-own fighting game on the PSP. In many ways this is the best version of the game yet, despite having a few quirks associated with the system's D-pad. If you can get past that you will find a highly rewarding game that is hard to put down! |
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