The third and final installment of Street Fighter II, appropriately subtitled Third Strike, was originally released in arcades in May 1999. Despite having a much smaller fandom than the Street Fighter II series, Third Strike has become an icon amongst fighting game fans. Thus, when Capcom originally announced Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition for Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, they were faced with a challenge. Were they to revamp the gameplay and character balance in an attempt to draw new buyers, or would they leave it untouched for the veterans of the game?
Fortunately, Capcom chose to leave the game exactly as it was in the arcade minus a few glitches that actually freeze the game, of course. This is sure to please longtime fans of the game since a truly arcade-perfect port has never been released on home consoles. As for newer players, Capcom has included a comprehensive trial mode, which can be used to learn the fundamentals of the game.
From basic parry training (a technique used to safely neutralize an attack), to combos, many of which are utilized in intermediate and high level play, Online Edition offers more than enough tools for new players. Completing this trial mode, or just playing the game in general, allows players to accumulate points, which can be used in what’s called the Vault. The Vault offers a plethora of artwork, as well as a remixed soundtrack exclusive to Online Edition.
While the aforementioned are certainly welcome additions, they’re ultimately just bells and whistles. After all, the true measure of any fighting game is its gameplay. New players may find that, when starting out, Third Strike plays similarly to games in the Street Fighter II or Street Fighter IV series. However, any similarities to those titles quickly fade should the player become more experienced. Mechanics unique to Third Strike, namely the parry system, add an entirely new layer to the risk/reward factor inherent in fighting games. With a general grasp of this technique, which not only negates damage but offers a safe avenue for a counterattack, one will quickly discover that projectile attacks are less effective in this game than they are in Street Fighter II or IV. Likewise, parries make jumping in on an opponent a far more viable tactic, assuming one can correctly guess when their opponent will attack. While all fighting games require a level of wit, assuming the players know what they’re doing, very few are as cerebral as Third Strike. The depth of this game arises largely from the fact that it requires active thought and risk management.
Aside from the gameplay itself, the other important aspects of this game are the online features, as the name would imply. What separates this game’s online multiplayer from others in the genre is its use of GGPO, a highly regarded netcode. The means by which GGPO maintains the illusion of lag-free gameplay are somewhat technical, but can best be described as a rollback system. In other words, whenever there’s a discrepancy between players’ controller inputs, the game will revert back to state in which they were in sync. Under optimal conditions, this transition occurs so quickly that it’s unnoticeable. However, when the connection between players is inadequate, a number of strange events can occur. For example, the in-game announcer may claim that a round is over prematurely. GGPO is by no means perfect, but more fighting games should definitely look to implement this netcode in the future.
Supplementing the solid netplay are a variety of game modes, including ranked matches, player lobbies and tournament mode. Ranked matches are handled simply: the game automatically matches a player up with an opponent of comparable skill. Player lobbies and tournament modes allow for a good degree off customization. As an example, a room creator can ban certain characters at their discretion. Best of all, however, is the ability to upload match replays to YouTube. Though the quality of said uploads is locked a 240p, it’s still nice and convenient feature. Overall, Third Strike’s online modes, while not revolutionary, are executed well.
For all the praise that can be given to this game, it is not without its faults. Perhaps the most noticeable is the imbalance amongst the game’s cast. Two characters in particular, Yun and Chun-Li, are far more dominant than their peers. Some may also be turned off by the game’s steep learning curve and stricter input timing.
Third Strike has become an essential part of history within the fighting game community. It is certainly a flawed game, if only for character imbalance alone, but it is a masterpiece nonetheless. Given the resurgence of fighting games, Third Strike may at last receive the attention it always deserved. At around $15, Online Edition is much more of a complete experience than many games currently valued at $60. Those with even a passing interest in fighting games would be doing themselves a disservice by not purchasing it.
-by Omar Castellon
