Street Fighter III: Third Strike
Street Fighter III: Third Strike is actually the third version of Street Fighter III (hence the subtitle “Third Strike”). Street Fighter III introduced a lot of changes that hardcore SF fans didn’t really like - such as introducing an almost entirely new cast of characters and ditching most of the classic characters – and as Capcom addressed the complaints they released new versions of the game. Third Strike is Street Fighter III at its best and that is why it was included in Street Fighter Anniversary Collection.
Street Fighter III introduces a lot of different tactics not seen in previous SF games. You can press the D-pad toward (or downward) a split second before you get hit to parry their attack to create an opening for your own counterattack. You also build up a super meter as you fight which allows you to launch super art techniques and “EX” versions of special moves. You have to constantly be thinking as you play SFIII so you use the right moves and counters and you preserve your super meter for when you really need it. It is like a chess game where you use feet and fists rather than pawns and knights and the result is one of the most enjoyable fighters ever.
Graphics and Sound
Graphically, both games featured in Street Fighter Anniversary Collection are still looking pretty good despite their age. Street Fighter II is still a solid looking game filled with bright colors and distinct characters. Just don’t go in expecting Guilty Gear X2 or Marvel vs Capcom 2 quality visuals. Street Fighter III: Third Strike, on the other hand, is one of the best looking 2D fighters ever. The characters are big and surprisingly detailed and feature some of the smoothest and most detailed animation ever. Third Strike is simply gorgeous and is a joy to watch.
The audio is also pretty good for both games. You can choose from different soundtracks for Hyper Street Fighter II (which I recommend since the default “arranged” soundtrack is horrid) and the sound effects are very solid. Character voices change depending on which version you choose, which is a nice touch. The only problem is that the announcer is the happy-go-lucky one from Super SFII which is a major step down from previous announcers. Street Fighter III also sounds very good overall and actually features one of the better announcers in fighting game history. The music features a lot of hip-hop, which might be a turn off, but still sounds good.
Bottom Line
If you are a serious fighting game fan, you need to own a copy of Street Fighter Anniversary Collection. For less than $30 you get a solid remixed version of Street Fighter II along with one of the greatest 2D fighters ever in Street Fighter III: Third Strike along with some bonus features so how can you go wrong. You can also play these games online which ups the value of this disc even more. Street Fighter Anniversary Collection might not have everything hardcore Street Fighter fans wanted, but what Capcom did include is pretty darn good and worth the price of admission. I highly recommend it for a purchase.
