Super Street Fighter II: Turbo Revival is Capcom's version of the arcade classic game from the mid-90's. It has already successfully been transferred onto other platforms such as the SNES and PSX, however this is the first attempt at putting a Street Fighter game on the Game Boy Advance.

In case you aren't aware the basic premise of Street Fighter games are one-on-one fights with various ugly opponents. Each of the 16 fighters has their own strengths and weaknesses so fighting each one requires different tactics to succeed. Some are huge and strong, but less nimble. Others (especially the female fighters) are very agile but lack strength so have to resort to different moves to win. Defeat them all to become champion street fighter - simple!

This GBA version offers four modes of play which I'll cover off separately.

Arcade Mode

This is the primary single player function. You choose who you would like to represent as your fighter (remember each fighter has their own strengths and weaknesses) and then let the action begin. The GBA will determine who your opponent will be. When you enter the fight arena the first thing you may notice is the background. Each fight is in the home location of your opponent. The Red Indian is in an American location, the Jamaican is at a beachside café, the Russian on a navy ship, etc. The fights are based on three rounds of action. Win two rounds and you're the winner. The action is in a 2D side-on mode. The on- screen instruments provide you with information on yours and your opponents vitality and also both fighters super-combo status (more on this later).

The actually fighting is carried out using all 4 buttons on the console. A is used for light and medium kicks and B is used for light and medium punches. Hold the button longer for a stronger kick or punch. The Left and Right shoulder buttons are used for heavy punching and kicking. The control button is used for forward, backwards, jumping and crouching. I'm not up to scratch with the original arcade version but apparently there were 6 available buttons for performing various moves. The lack of two buttons means special moves are harder to execute, and rely instead on combinations of keystrokes which can be cumbersome due to the size of the console. On easy mode the keystrokes required are less than the other modes which is bizarre really. The difficult of the level should be determined by the fighting action and not the buttons you need to press to execute moves.

Anyone onto the action itself. The fighting sequences are really well performed. The fighting arena is small so the action is concentrated within the confines of the screen. The action is swift and the responsiveness of the fighter excellent. Punches and kicks are expertly delivered, and the on screen vitality bar keeps you up to date with how you're doing (although the time spent on the floor makes this easy to work out anyway!!). As mentioned previously the ability to perform special moves can make fighting trickier, but you do get used to it in the end. Keep an eye on the special combo gauge as well. This increases with the number of successful attacks performed (don't forget this applies to both fighters). When activated you can unleash a special attack which will really make your opponent feel the heat.

In this mode win the best out of three and you'll be presented with your next opponent from around the world. Lose and you get the chance of a re-match. Points are gained during fights, Get to a certain level and new fighters are released for you to use or fight against.

Training Mode

Similar to Arcade, but you can choose your opponents yourself in order to perfect those oh so important special moves required to ensure defeat. No points are scored here, it just does what it says on the tin.

Vs Mode

Similar to Arcade but this time using the link cable you are actually fighting against an opponent being operated by a friend, rather than the systems AI. This option does require two cartridges which is a shame, but if you are able to find someone else who owns the game, it really does open up a new angle of fighting.

Survival

Strange little extra where you test you fighter skills against objects such as falling barrels or trashing a parked car. Can be a good training aid, but limited appeal compared to the main event.

Overall the gameplay is excellent. Fights are well contained, slick, fluid and fairly short, meaning you can tackle many opponents in a single session. The graphics are excellent, and even with the rapid movements of the fighters the on-screen definition is perfect. Background scenes and crowds give some atmosphere, especially when you add in the sound effects provided by them. Talking of sound the actually fighters sound is also excellent with grunts, groans and the sound of punches and kicks being landed perfectly performed.

This is a definite Game Boy Advance classic, and shows other poor attempts at fighting games how it should be done.

Reviewed by AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).