SSF2 Turbo HD Remix 1.1

Just like Dhalsim to start off the match with a cheap shot.

Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD remix, or simply HDr as it is currently called within the fighting game community, has recently come out with a major patch for both the PS3 and 360 versions. The patch fixed some gripes with the game allowing it to run much closer to the way it was intended.

So here is my review of Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD remix 1.1 (I can see some of our staff rolling their eyes so far back in there head they may fall out… yes Dan I am talking about you). HDr 1.1 is carefully based on what most of the fight community considers the best fighting game of all time. So is it possible to improve on near 2D perfection?

The visuals have been completely redrawn by UDON, whom is responsible for the current Street Fighter comics and all other new official art. With crisp colors, sharp anime style lines, and whole new sprites, the graphics are amazing. The backgrounds also got a major update by UDON; though the movement of the spectators is limited to fist pumps and basic waves (the man choking his chicken has remained in tact if not toned down a little). If one is not careful they might focus too much on the background and forget about the foreground only to be painfully reminded of why they were there in the first place. The artistes at Overclocked Remix have put their own spin on the music giving it a needed fresh sound. The knock out’s and other sound effects have gotten revamps as well.

Ken never saw it coming... and he was so young and beautiful.

New Modes

HDr 1.1 gives the option of using Classic Mode or HD remix mode. In Classic Mode the moves set can be chosen from the original 94 release of SSF2T or even from SSF2. In HD remix mode many of the move sets have changed, often being simplified and the fighters have been toned down or up to make match ups more even. In HD mode Akuma (originally the hidden character within the game) is selectable without the codes, though is hidden from from view on the selection screen. In both modes the music and fighter sprites can be returned back to arcade originals, though there is no option to return the background art to it’s non-HD roots; but I doubt many people miss it too much.

In the dip-switch menu players now have the ability to tweak very specific options within the game. For example you can set the percentage of chance that the first frame of Blanka’s horizontal ball is un-blockable. These settings will most likely only apply to veteran players but should keep up the replayabilty of the game.

The practice mode gives an unprecedented new option: allowing players the see the normally hidden hit boxes. This makes new combos extremely easy to figure out.

Multiplayer

The Multiplayer is the real jewel of this game. With both local and online matches one is never left wanting for a human opponent. Online play has very few problems with lag, though many of the more experienced players have noted that certain characters have a much greater advantage with lag compared to others. The player matches which allow six players to take turns watching and challenging the winner, bring back some of that old arcade feel. A ranked match pairs you with a random opponent whom you face off against in order to try and climb the leader boards. In tournament mode up to eight players face off in a single round elimination tournament in which all seven of the other slots may be reserved for invited friends. One of the biggest problems with tournament mode is the fact that if your match is over there is no option to watch the other matches, which makes losing very harsh indeed.

Players not currently battling are only allowed to watch health bars of the other combatants. One should be warned the skill level online is amazing, which is both inspiring and very frustrating. There is no skill matching so you are just as likely to face a noob as you are to face the current head of the leader board. Even reasonably veteran players end up getting their pixeled rear-ends handed back to them more often than not. I recently spent three hours playing this game with out a single online win often just being happy when I got a single hit in, and I have been loyally playing since the SNES SF2. I should also note that Akuma has has been banned in the upcoming EVO 2K tournament, the world championship of fighting games, (http://evo2k.com ) meaning that the fighting community as a whole feels that he is still not balanced fairly, and is listed in most tiers as being completely broken.

You'd think people would stop wearing such flammable clothing to their super street fights.

Controls

If you are one the lucky few to have a joystick for the 360, the controls are almost completely seamless. But for those like me that have yet to drop the current $150-400 required to buy a stick on eBay (one of few places left) you are put at a great disadvantage. The mushy 360 D-pad is basically completely useless for 2d fighting games, but the left thumb stick helps… some. Note: With the surge of new fighters, custom stick building has become very popular recently. I am in the process of building my own stick (much like a Jedi builds his own lightsaber). I will post a journal of the process on this site when I complete it.

HDr 1.1 gives a strong feeling of nostalgia without feeling dated. With superior graphics, only the slightest hint of internet lag inspired hiccups, unlimited reserves of online opponents, and with the potential for farther patches this game could still improve further. So if you like Street Fighter, or fighting games in general, HDr 1.1 is a sure buy.

For those that would like to see all the changes that the patch provided click here.