We’ve had our grubby mitts on Street Fighter IV for a while now and so Nacho and I decided to forgo the traditional review format and have a casual (non-sexual) chat about the newest entry in the iconic franchise. Everything from technical aspects of the game to Cammy’s ridiculously toned butt is up for discussion. Take a look at our conversation to check out what we think and let us know in the comments what YOU think about Cammy’s ass your experience as well.

WRIXEL: Dude I just want to say that I hate the endings. Wtf, they should’ve just taken them out.

Nacho: The in-game scenes are way better than any of the animated endings.

WRIXEL: I think that’s the only thing I really find wrong about the game

Nacho: They are so mediocre.

WRIXEL: Yea. Did you beat it with Blanka?

Nacho: I beat the game with everyone.

WRIXEL: DUDE wtf was BLANKA’s ending? Seriously it was horrible.

Nacho: Here’s the thing about the endings, not only are they poorly animated, but there’s ZERO context.

WRIXEL: Most of them are more of a joke than anything else.

Nacho: I won’t lie though, when I first put the game in I got goose bumps. It’s been a long time since I’ve played an SF game. It was kind of exciting.

WRIXEL: Very true. What do you think about the jpop intro? I like it, but it’s generally hit or miss with ppl.

Nacho: Ummm, the song is a bit catchy, but after you hear it during the menu screens for the 1000th time, you get sick of it.

WRIXEL: “I can feel it coming over meee.”

Nacho: Although, I think one of the best things about the game is that you can run a custom playlist and it automatically takes out the background music, which I don’t think is great. So, that pretty much alleviates the music problem. Playing SF to Prodigy is great. “Smack My Bitch Up” is a good fightin’ song,

WRIXEL: You know, I still haven’t found that option, does the 360 have that?

Nacho: Yeah, you can do it for 360 as well.

WRIXEL: Oh shit. new prodigy album is out too, right?

Nacho: Oh yeah it is. Haven’t heard good things, but I’ll check it out anyway.

WRIXEL: “Smackkk my bitch up!”

Nacho: “OW!”

WRIXEL: Yes, definitely a good song. I can’t even type the next part of the song. Wouldn’t know how to spell it.

Nacho: It doesn’t have that many lyrics. “Chase my bitch up, smack my bitch up!”

WRIXEL: Then it’s got some weird-ass sound effects after that.

Nacho: yeah, I never tried to spell sound effects. Prodigy sound effects are particularly hard to spell.

WRIXEL: Sorry. I digress.

Nacho: Anyway, I remember when they first showed off the game, I thought SF was dead. The art style put me off.

WRIXEL: Really? I liked how they OKAMI’ed it out.

Nacho: I was so used to the anime style of the Alpha and Vs. series, but they did an awesome job. Well, I saw Ryu and I almost shit myself (in the bad way). Then I saw Ken, I was like “meh”.

WRIXEL: I don’t know… I still think the Ryu 3D model still looks kind of retarded.

Nacho: Then it somehow grew on me and when I first saw it in Chinatown with you in motion, I was pretty much floored.

WRIXEL: Yeah. It Looked sick in motion. That was defintely an eye opener. Seeing pictures does not do this game justice.

Nacho: Then my Zangief got destroyed T.T

WRIXEL: LOL. You got close though. He wasn’t expecting that shit.

Nacho: You should see me now. I’m a piledriving machine.

WRIXEL: By the way, I joined a Gamestop tournament and a Zangief cleaned house

Nacho: Zangief is actually a very solid character, as are all of them really. Some are weaker than others, but you can’t really go wrong with anyone.

WRIXEL: Do you think the game is imbalanced though? In rhe right hands I think Akuma / Gouken are definitely over powered.

Nacho: Well, there’s all this “character tier” stuff that people flame each other over, but I think the bottom line is that every character has a decent chance vs. any other character. Some more than others of course. I haven’t fiddled too much with Gouken (who is a badass by the way), but Akuma has always been really strong. Then again, you have to remember that he takes damage like a bitch. He has the least life and stun of any character

WRIXEL: True, but still a full revenge meter (Raging Demon) does almost 50% damage. Crazy.

Nacho: It does more actually, but in all honesty it’s tough to land, haha

WRIXEL: I’ve seen some sick people on XBL pull that shit out of the air, but yeah.  What do you think about El Fuerte?

Nacho: He’s so cool, but I’ve only just gotten my skills up to an acceptable level with Zangief and Akuma.

WRIXEL: wish you had an Xbox so i could destroy you

Nacho: XBOX FANBOY!

WRIXEL: PS3 FANBOY

Nacho: SONY 4 LIFE!!!!

WRIXEL: Neverrrrr!

Nacho: So let me ask you, how did you feel jumping into SF4 after not playing an SF game for a while? I think the last thing we probably both played was Marvel vs. Capcom 2

WRIXEL: Actually, it felt weird.

Nacho: I missed out on the whole Third Strike thing.

WRIXEL: Third Strike was hard. The learning curve was ridiculous and I couldn’t do a parry for the life of me.

Nacho: Here’s the thing, Street Fighter is a hard fighting game. It always has been. The vs. games were always much easier

WRIXEL: True, but I really think IV got it right in terms of bringing in casual and hardcore players

Nacho: Have you made any attempts at the combo challenges?

WRIXEL: Dude! The 5 stage combo challenges are HARD. I can’t pull them off.

Nacho: They are ridiculously hard, but once you mess around with them for a while, it’s do-able. I totally cleared Akuma’s and Zangief’s.

WRIXEL: Holy shit. I can’t do Akuma’s. Fucking Xbox controllers. I should have never sold my joystick.

Nacho: Sucker! Although I was raised on playing SF with a controller, once I got used to the joystick, it was like butter. (I got the Standard MadCatz stick by the way readers). That brings up another cool thing though. There’s such high level stuff in the game, but you don’t NEED it to compete.

WRIXEL: Still, I sold my stick for like $150 so I’m not too sad. I’m going to get one once it comes out again.

Nacho: …..

WRIXEL: ……

Nacho: And you call yourself a gamer? That’s a sin.

WRIXEL: yo, whatever, I’m a business gamer.

Nacho: Fucking suit! I keep it real.

WRIXEL: hahaha

Nacho: how’s your online experience been so far?

WRIXEL: Pretty damn awesome. XBL makes it soo stream lined. Like I’m playing in the arcade with the smelly teens who forgot to shower.

Nacho: oh, yeah with the arcade interrupt on? well, I think as far as playability goes, the online is awesome. 3-4 bars of lag out of 5 gets you a really smooth game

WRIXEL: i’ve Never lagged over XBL which is amazing.

Nacho: my only gripe is that you don’t have large lobbies like in HD Remix. it’s kind of cool to be able to hang out with a few people and spectate some matches. Maybe that can change that though with a patch

WRIXEL: yea I agree, I honestly thought the game would have big lobbies and a messaging system or something, I remember reading about being able to set up tournaments in game

Nacho: that’s coming soon via patch

WRIXEL: hooo shit

Nacho: hasn’t been any word yet on an exact release

WRIXEL: thats cool

WRIXEL: maybe we’ll have an online wriXeL tournament

Nacho: of which I won’t be part of because you’re Microsoft’s whore!

Nacho: j/k I love you

Nacho: not really

WRIXEL: haha

WRIXEL: you can be in charge of the PS3 tourney

Nacho: so have you been able to wrap your head around the focus attack system?

WRIXEL: yea its pretty complex but i get it now

WRIXEL: its COCK diesal in the right hands

WRIXEL: so you can basically absorb 1 hit and counter with an UNBLOCKABLE hit

Nacho: you don’t absolutely NEED to use it, because if you play a good methodical SF2 match, then that basically translates to a good SF4 match, but focus opens up SO many options that it’s worth your while learning.

Nacho: it was a bit awkward for me at first, but now I have a real good grasp on it

Nacho: and I’m like 3 weeks in

WRIXEL: takes a bit of learning but its much easier than the parry in SF3

Nacho: that seemed a bit too hardcore, which probably explains why SF3 never really hit mass market like other SF games

WRIXEL: i still cant link my combos into a focus attack though

WRIXEL: yea SF4 is def great for the casual gamer

Nacho: I’d choose my words carefully

Nacho: it’s not really a casual fighting games by any means, BUT

Nacho: I think a casual gamer can jump in and still have fun

Nacho: there is a LOT of depth

WRIXEL: yes, well put

WRIXEL: Its MUCH better than, say SOUL CALIBER

Nacho: ugh, soul calibur. I could never wrap my head around that game as nice as the HD boobs were

WRIXEL: haha

WRIXEL: did you play the new one?

WRIXEL: you can DAMAGE ARMOR and clothes come flying OFF

WRIXEL: wtf? !

Nacho: yeah for a month and then I gave up on it

Nacho: SF4 is going to keep me going for a long time

Nacho: to me, nothing feels as good as a street fighter game

WRIXEL: yea i was worried about this one

WRIXEL: but everything feels right

WRIXEL: (except the god awful anime endings)

Nacho: yeah, if you’v played a street fighter game (and who hasn’t) you’ll feel right at home.

Nacho: let us never speak of those abominations ever again

WRIXEL: Agreed

Nacho: what’s your favorite ultra?

WRIXEL: hmm

WRIXEL: lol Fei Long got a pretty awesome one

WRIXEL: where he does like a flying bruce lee kick

WRIXEL: hahahah

Nacho: good pick. all the ultras look fantastic, but fei long’s is badass

WRIXEL: M bison has a pretty good one too

WRIXEL: he takes you for an aerial ride and stomps on your face

Nacho: honestly, I really like them all

WRIXEL: eh, Ryu’s isn’t that great

WRIXEL: same as alllllll the other games

WRIXEL: still the graphics are so good it makes everything worht while

Nacho: right, so what did you think of the english voices?

Nacho: I laughed so hard I had to change them to Japanese. they are terrible

WRIXEL: You can CHANGE them ?!

WRIXEL: wtf

Nacho: you idiot, haha

Nacho: yes!

WRIXEL: LOL

WRIXEL: im gonna change mine right nowwww

Nacho: after you beat arcade mode once, you can change the voices to japanese

WRIXEL: gtfo

Nacho: and you can even choose by character which voice you want to change

WRIXEL: sorry i was too busy looking @ cammy’s virtual boobies

Nacho: have you seriously been playing with english voices this whole time?

WRIXEL: yess i have 8(

WRIXEL: i actually like Cammy’s voice

WRIXEL: its nice and British

Nacho: this kind of brings me to my next fond memory of SF, but you’ve been playing on english

Nacho: yeah hers is a rare case that fits her, but…

Nacho: I always would remember the death voices in SF games and if you turn your game to Japanese, M.Bison’s death voice is the BEST

WRIXEL: lol

WRIXEL: remember DeeJay?

Nach0o0o: it’s so dramatic, much like Guile’s old “OOH AHH!”

WRIXEL: LOL

WRIXEL: hahahahha

Nach0o0o: do you want me to ruin M.Bison’s for you?

WRIXEL: YES

WRIXEL: hahah

WRIXEL: ill prob play after we do this

Nacho: just listen to it for yourself and tell me afterward

WRIXEL: (loading up my xbox now)

Nacho: it’s great

WRIXEL: anything else you didnt like about the game?

Nacho: the sound is great in the game too though. what with the camera angle changes in the ultras and the sound of the fighters, it’s really an experience

Nacho: honestly, very few complaints on my end. just the lobby thing I mentioned early and the terrible anime scenese

WRIXEL: yea me 2

WRIXEL: the sound effects are awesome

WRIXEL: the subtle sonic booms

WRIXEL: SONIC BOOM

Nacho: a fierce punch rocks your socks off

WRIXEL: btw C. Viper is cool

Nacho: yeah, I’d really suggest playing with the JP voices, haha

Nacho: she’s really technical

WRIXEL: i just changed it to JP voices

Nacho: she seems more like an SNK character, but she’s cool nonetheless

Nacho: what’s great also, is that all the old SF2 favorites all feel just like they used to, which is pretty amazing

WRIXEL: one thing i dont like about the game

WRIXEL: yea Ryu feels like RYu

Nacho: even some of the old combos work

WRIXEL: yea

Nacho: in fact, I think all of them do as far as I know

WRIXEL: like the fierce uppercut

WRIXEL: into dragon punch

Nacho: yeah fierce into dragon punch

Nacho: exactly

Nacho: they really kept it old school with this one

WRIXEL: you notice how you can

WRIXEL: do a dragon punch of the floor

WRIXEL: and interrupt anything?

WRIXEL: thats kinda annoying sometimes

Nacho: that’s always been in street fighter though

Nacho: those reversals on wakeup

Nacho: the biggest adjustment I had to make for SF4 was the fact that jumping is actually risky since there is no air block like in the vs. games

WRIXEL: yea but sometimes with Ken its ridiculous

WRIXEL: YESSS

WRIXEL: no air block

WRIXEL: i forgot about that

Nacho: that really changes the entire game

Nacho: my main strategy in vs. was to just dash, super jump forward and charge everyone, but that will get you killed so quickly in SF4

WRIXEL: yea man, btw just heard the japanese sounds. M BISON, NANDE, LOL

Nacho: it’s fucking great

Nacho: I told you

WRIXEL: hahahah

WRIXEL: so basically to sum it all up

Nacho: also, Zangief’s “Final Atomic Buster” doesn’t sound right unless it’s in Japanese

WRIXEL: lol

WRIXEL: i gotta go play a few rounds

WRIXEL: but bottom line

WRIXEL: the game delivers

Nacho: Capcom really did Street Fighter justice with this iteration

Nacho: minor gripes aside, the game is fantastic

WRIXEL: and damn it looks so good too (looking at it right now)

Nacho: I stared at Cammy’s ass for 30 minutes earlier

WRIXEL: hahahahahahah

WRIXEL: i do that all the time

Nacho: also, if you do Sakura’s kick she flashes her panties (yes, something is wrong with me)

WRIXEL: hahah

WRIXEL: yea cammy’s got some serious fan service going on

Nacho: also, if you’re not a sellout (like someone) I would recommend one of the MadCatz sticks

Nacho: they feel great and really improve your game if you want to put some time into the game

Nacho: when they become available again that is

WRIXEL: yeaa

WRIXEL: I wanted the $$ to much

Nacho: Quiet you, So how do you feel about our first review chat?

WRIXEL: pretty good, how about you?

Nacho: I don’t think we should see each other anymore :\

Street Fighter 4 National Tournament.

I got up this morning, played on XBL for a bit, ate some food, walked my dog and then took a trip to my local Gamestop. It was around 1:45pm and I had noticed that a couple other contestants had also arrived early. After standing around for a couple of minutes the tournament started. Everyone was kinda loitering around but once the 1^st battle was called everyone got serious.  The Gamestop we played at didn’t have a lot of contestants so it wasn’t as hectic as I thought it would be.

“Where the battle went down”

While the 1st two contestants were fighting it out, I got a chance to talk to some of the other players.  We all talked about how the tournament scene has changed in the past couple of years and our opinions on the new SF4.  Before I knew it, I was up to battle “Adam C.” Although I had practiced earlier, it just wasn’t enough.  Adam demolished me.  Adam actually makes custom joysticks so if you are need of some high quality goods he’s your man.  Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to get everyone’s name but I did manage to get the names of the 2 people who are going to round 2.

The tournament reminded me of the arcades back in the 90s. My older brother was the one who got me into street fighter and I’ve been hooked ever since. We would search around the house for loose change just to have another chance at vanquishing M. BISON. I haven’t been to a Street Fighter tournament in a REALLY LONG time and it was really awesome to chat it up with gamers. Playing some SF4 and discussing the good ‘ol days was one of the highlights of the tournament. I think gaemstop made a really smart move with this tournament and I hope to see more in the future.

Best of luck to Hannibal & Guilbecto!

Speaking of joysticks,  mine JUST came in the mail….

wow it looks pretty…

If you ever want to battle me, my XBOX Live tag is:

“Echo Nova X”