

This negates the attack and any damage the player might have taken, allowing for an easy counter-attack. The Parry System allows players to stop oncoming attacks by pressing forward instead of back, at the exact moment the attack makes contact with the player character. As mentioned, players typically have to push backwards on the analog stick/directional pad to block oncoming attacks, decreasing the amount of damage inflicted. The biggest addition to the gameplay is the Parry System. Also, instead of having to memorize three different button combinations for super moves - players get to pick one at the character select screen and stick with it for the entire match. Rather than wait for the gauge to max out and use your finishing move, Street Fighter 3 was one of the first titles to allow players to perform a more powered-up version of a regular attack. The super bar that's expected of any fighting game these days has been tweaked from previous Street Fighter games - in that you don't have to use it only for super combos. A couple of unique additions are in this game, though. Punches and kicks ranging from light to heavy, moving back to block, quarter-circle forwards, and so forth. In terms of gameplay, this is your standard Street Fighter fare. That's not to say the entire roster is uninteresting - if the popularity of Ibuki and Makoto are anything to go by, there are still a decent amount of fighters to enjoy. A couple of them, like Necro and Remy, are mostly copies of familiar faces (in their cases, Dhalsim/Blanka and Guile, respectively), while others, such as Q, aren't unique enough to really stand out. Instead, the majority of the roster are all new, unrecognizable characters. Outside of Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, and Akuma, none of the famous characters from Street Fighter II are present. Perhaps part of the problem, regarding Third Strike's lack of acknowledgement, from most Street Fighter fans is the roster. Now that it's been rereleased as Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition, perhaps a new generation of gamers can rediscover the classic brawler. Yet the game that came in between the two, Street Fighter III, is often overlooked - at least outside of the tournament scene.

Where as, newer gamers will say Street Fighter IV, which showed that 2D-style fighting could still work with 3D graphics in the current generation, and helped revive the fighting genre on modern consoles. Older gamers will point to Street Fighter II, the one that truly kicked off the fighting genre in gaming - with memorable characters and innovative gameplay. When people talk about the best game in the Street Fighter series, chances are you'll get one of two answers.

Smillie Reviews Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition
