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STREET FIGHTER ZERO 3
Copyright © Capcom Co., Ltd. 1998, 1999
Sony PlayStation and Sega Dreamcast
Fighting
1-3 Players
T-1203M
¥5800
Available now in Japan
Where to buy
PlayStation FAQ
Dreamcast FAQ
—by Kenneth Lee
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When STREET FIGHTER ZERO 3 first hit the game market, it was regarded by
many to be the pinnacle of 2D fighting—not in terms of
epilepsy-inducing, flashy graphics, but in terms of pure game play. Soon
thereafter Capcom astounded the jaded home console gamers with a
near-perfect port of their fighter for the Sony PlayStation. And now, as a
new era of gaming consoles are ushered in, Capcom has seen fit to port over
their 2D fighting masterpiece onto the 3D powerhouse otherwise known as the
Sega Dreamcast. And with this port comes essentially a "110%" version of
the arcade original: All the frames of animation are in, all the extras
seen on the PSX port are also included, as well as a slew of even more
extras! And with this, STREET FIGHTER ZERO 3 for the Dreamcast is the
ultimate version to own, providing an entertaining romp down memory lane,
as well as the tightest, cleanest 2D fighting game engine in the world.
By now, most gamers know what to expect from STREET FIGHTER, and especially
ZERO 3, with its wonderful PSX conversion. The only main difference between
the Dreamcast version and the PlayStation one is that the DC version has
all the frames intact, almost no loading, internet support (not direct
dialup, but access to a website) and a few extra game play modes, with one
of the most important ones being the Vs. Dramatic Battle Mode, where you
and two other friends can battle it out 2-on-1, using any character (the
PSX version had this as well, but you had to 'reset' after every battle).
For those new to the scene, Capcom's STREET FIGHTER ZERO 3 is a wonderful
reunion of every single World Warrior from SFII to the present all in one
fighting game! It was originally planned as a final hurrah of sorts for the
series, but now rumors have it that the ZERO series may indeed go on. SFZ3
is a 2D fighting game, pitting 33 unique fighters against one another in
1-on-1 combat. And for those that missed out on the PSX version, what
Capcom essentially added to the home versions are the return of the classic
warriors, such as E. Honda, Blanka, Cammy, Fei Long, Dee Jay, T. Hawk,
Balrog (Vega in the USA), M.Bison (Balrog in the USA), and Guile, who have
been missing for many iterations.
The graphics are dead-on perfect translations of their arcade counterparts,
with all the frames and even more included (Capcom had to cut frames out of
the arcade version of SFZ3). All the characters are competently rendered
and the overall look and feel is very smart and well-polished. The sounds
are also spot-on, with a 100% remixed soundtrack, which is also one of the
best soundtracks to be released in a while—in terms of
quality—with crisp highs, and booming lows. On the system tested, even
without the subwoofer turned on, there were quite a few thumping lows that
only could be achieved with proper mastering.
Yet, the graphics and sound are not the main draw of the STREET FIGHTER
series: It is the game play. While Capcom's own spinoffs have surpassed
their originator in terms of wild, extreme and colorful 2D graphics, one
thing that has never been eclipsed is the sole reason for playing this
game: tournament-level, solid game play. With the standard 6-buttons at
your disposal, the gameplay allows no room for total slop, or
'button-mashing,' which is an ever-present bane of many fighters today.
SFZ3 provides many hours of play, allowing beginners to hop in and slowly
learn and providing enough depth for expert gamers to spend months to master.
In addition, the various extra modes (now a 'requisite' of fighters today),
provide even more fun, such as Team Battle, Survival, the awesome Dramatic
Battle mode, and the most unique aspect: World Tour. Similar to the PSX
version, Capcom has picked up something from Namco's SOUL EDGE PSX game, in
having an 'RPG-like' quest mode, where you go from location to location
battling various opponents with a specified mission, such as beating three
opponents using only one life bar, etc. By clearing each mission, you gain
"experience points," which help you level up your character. As your
character progresses, you gain new "powers" called "ISM Plus," that give
you added benefits not normally found in the regular game, such as a super
bar recovery, where your super bar constantly fills up. You can then
permanently add that character to your roster and use them for all the
other modes of the game! Or take that character over to your buddy's house
and battle it out there.
All-in-all, this is the ultimate version of STREET FIGHER ZERO 3. While it
may be the perfect edition, it also seems to be finally showing its age.
While not as impressive, SNK's THE KING OF FIGHTERS: DREAM MATCH 1999 (also
for the Dreamcast), has features and ideas that now seem sorely missing
from Capcom's offering, such as the ability to dash, or have variable
jumping, or even the wonderful personality exuded from the KOF fighters.
And in addition, with Namco's SOUL CALIBUR (also reviewed this month)
arriving on the Dreamcast, SFZ3 is no longer the sole king of fighting
games. But don't get me wrong, STREET FIGHTER ZERO 3 for the Dreamcast is
an example of gaming done right: A solid fighting game, with high
production values, and just downright addictive, fun gameplay. It is the
best 2D fighting game in the
world. 
Rating: 9.0/10 |
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