Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers (Nintendo Switch) Preview

At the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, Capcom hit hard with a superb iteration of its fourth mainline Street Fighter, with Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition receiving high praise from all corners of the globe, and selling well beyond initial expectations. Sadly, though, that 2011 release was to be the last on a Nintendo format, with both Ultra Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter V bypassing Wii U and 3DS. Virtual Console releases were all that remained.

Attempting to rectify the matter, and appease Nintendo fans, Capcom is trying to do something different for Nintendo Switch. Rather than merely port Street Fighter V, instead the company is trying to tap into the nostalgia of older Nintendo fans, resurrecting the multi-million selling second series entry, and it is indeed a smart idea that works brilliantly in its execution. Jumping back into the arena during the demo play felt like the years had rolled back and the good ol' days had returned, with classics such as Guile, Blanka, and Chun-Li all there, present and correct, complete with all of their traditional moves, and all within a familiar setting that simply had a more polished look than the SNES could possibly have ever coped with.

Being the 30th Anniversary of Street Fighter, this is exactly the right time to tap into the memories of those that played back in the Super Nintendo days, whilst also drawing in more casual fighter fans of today thanks to the added elements (grapple breaks) and re-balancing in general (combo timing), as well as the visual facelift, to help this look retro enough, yet not so archaic that it would put newcomers off.

Even after just a few rounds, it was clear that the old '90s Street Fighter II charm was still as ever-present as before, and the inclusion of Violent Ken (from SNK vs. Capcom) and Evil Ryu (from Street Fighter Alpha 2) may seem trivial but they do add some spice to proceedings. Old school fighting fans and newcomers, alike, get ready for the battle of your life when Ultra Street Fighter II lands on Nintendo Switch this year.