DESCRIPTION

Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha takes the long-standing series into the third dimension with eight original Street Fighter combatants and 12 new fighters making their debut (a total of 23 including hidden characters). Among the veteran staples are Chun-Li, the limb-endowed Dhalsim, Ryu, and the all-American Guile; newcomers include an experienced Shadowloo guard named Crackerjack, the enigmatic Skull-o-mania, and an amnesia-stricken Kairi. As always, each character features his and her own unique special attacks and combinations.

There are seven gameplay options including the Arcade, Team Battle, Survival, Watch, Versus, Time Attack, and Practice modes. Although veteran Street Fighter fanatics may feel right at home with the controls, those unfamiliar with the series may want to practice before jumping into the fire. Practice comes with two different modes — Training and Expert; Training familiarizes you with basic and special attacks and Super Combos, whereas the Expert mode features a chart listing all the basic characters. The objective is to execute each fighter's special moves, combos, and Super Combos.

The Arcade mode is a single-player romp through a series of fights using your favorite characters. Each character has a reason for entering the tournament; by overcoming all obstacles and opponents, that fighter's conflict will be resolved at the end of the game. Team Battle features two teams (a human and computer-AI opponent) of five combatants in a heated elimination battle. Whoever eliminates the other team's fighters wins! Survival is a one-player rumble against an infinite supply of computer-controlled fighters. Your objective is to eliminate as many fighters before your health meter is totally depleted. Winning individual rounds is important as your health will be somewhat replenished.

For those who would rather watch two fighters beat each other up, the Watch mode is a cinematic feature that allows you to adjust camera angles and create your own "movie." The Time Attack features three different courses (A, B, and C) that will test your ability to conquer foes in a designated timeframe. Finally, the Versus mode pits you and another human player in a head-to-head battle for bragging rights!

Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha also has an ending collection screen that allows you to view any character's ending at any given time, provided you've finished the game with them. Options include sound and button configurations and a ranking screen that informs you on how well you're doing. So what are you waiting for? Get in there and kick some butt Street Fighter style! ~ Brad Penniment, All Game Guide