Nostalgia and fireballs in Street Fighter IV

By Edwina Gibbs in Japan

Feb 18, News.com.au

LINING up for an hour and a half may seem like a long wait to pick a fight, but for those in the gaming industry the unveiling of Street Fighter IV was a chance to throw a few fireballs down memory lane and try out some new moves.

Game developer Capcom, which will release the first version of the classic fighting game in almost eight years to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the original Street Fighter's debut, said it was hoping to draw back old fans of the game and hopefully their kids as well.

To that end, Street Fighter IV is most like Street Fighter II, the most popular version of the game that was released in the early 1990s, with the emphasis more on tactics and strategy than difficult gameplay techniques.

"Later Street Fighters became complicated and were very expert-focused. This is more accessible but still with plenty in it for experts," said Seth Killian, a Capcom events organizer and former Street Fighter champion.

A new Street Fighter movie is also in the works, rumoured to star actress Kristin Kreuk, best known for her role as Lana Lang in the Superman TV series Smallville.

The game, in which characters with their own special moves fight other combatants, has a six button layout that allows players to throw light, medium or hard punches and kicks.

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photo: Street Fighter IV ... fans waited for up to an hour and a half to play the new Street Fighter game in Japan / Capcom