Die hard Street Fighter fans are in for a treat with the Street Fighter Anniversary Edition Controller. It doesn’t perform too hot, so don’t buy it expecting to use it every day, but it features a lot of little details and extras that collectors and fans will really appreciate. It isn’t perfect, but for under $30 it is hard to pass up the SF Anniversary Edition Controller.
What You Get
The first and most important thing that you have to know about this controller is that it is meant to be both a fighting game controller as well as a Street Fighter collector’s item. Each controller is individually numbered out of 35,000 so these are a somewhat limited run that collectors can appreciate. The controllers are available with Guile, Bison, and Akuma designs and each design features different colors and graphics on the packaging. In the center of the controller is a hologram that showcases a move for the character when the controller is rotated. The packaging for the controller is also special. It features nice looking artwork of the character on the front and also opens up to reveal a little window that you can see the controller itself through. The box is a work of art in itself and is very sturdy so it should stay in good condition for quite a while. Inside the box, in addition to the controller, of course, you’ll find a special Street Fighter comic by UDON. You get all of this for under $30 (I actually found mine at GameStop for $20) and I would have to say that it is worth it. This is a nice looking set that Street Fighter fans should have in their collection.Controller Design and Construction
The only disappointing aspect of the Street Fighter Anniversary Edition Controllers is that the controller itself is only average. It was designed and laid out so that it would be a good alternative to using a standard controller for fighting games, but the execution is only so-so. The triggers have been moved to the shoulders, the control sticks have been removed entirely, and the black and white buttons have been moved up in line with the other face buttons. This button layout puts all of the buttons in easily accessible positions which, in theory, would make it perfect for fighting games. The execution, however, leaves a lot to be desired. For starters, the buttons feel cheap and lightweight and aren’t quite as responsive as a standard controller. Also, the D-Pad feels loose and some people have complained that it doesn’t register diagonals correctly (they’ll be trying to jump up and forward and instead jump straight up, for example). I didn’t really have this problem, so it could be hit or miss depending on how you like to play. Finally, the controller itself is very, very light and feels really cheap and flimsy. I have no doubt that someone could easily snap it in half in a fit of frustration.
Performance
As far as performance goes, the controller is pretty much run of the mill. I think that some people will really like the new layout as it really is perfect for fighting games, but the overall feel of the controller is too flimsy and the buttons aren’t always as precise and responsive as most serious fighting game fans will want. It won’t really hinder your experience, but it won’t improve your performance over using a standard Controller S so there really isn’t any point in using it. It gets the job done and is fine for most players, but it isn’t a viable alternative to coughing up the dough for a real arcade stick.Bottom Line
This controller, despite its flaws, is pretty easy to recommend. If you are a Street Fighter fan, you need to have one of these in your collection. For under $30 you get some really fancy packaging that you can be proud to display along with a comic book and a controller. The controller itself isn’t going to win any awards for performance, but this set isn’t really about the controller so its deficiencies are forgivable. Street Fighter fans and collectors owe it to themselves to have one of these in their collection.
