Street Fighter IV

Street Fighter IV
Promotional poster for the original arcade release featuring Ryu, and the game's first four newcomers: Abel, Rufus, Crimson Viper and El Fuerte
Developer(s)	Dimps Capcom
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Director(s)	Takashi Tsukamoto
Producer(s)	Yoshinori Ono
Designer(s)	Hirotoshi Shiozaki
Programmer(s)	Ryosuke Nakano
Artist(s)	Daigo Ikeno
Composer(s)	Hideyuki Fukasawa
Series	Street Fighter
Engine	MT Framework
Platform(s)	Arcade,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,Microsoft Windows,iOS,Android
Release	Arcade JP:July 18, 2008 NA:August 12, 2008 PlayStation 3,Xbox 360 JP:February 12, 2009 NA:February 17, 2009 EU:February 20, 2009 Microsoft Windows JP:July 2, 2009 EU:July 3, 2009 NA:July 7, 2009 iOS March 10, 2010 Android JP:May 2012
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	Single-player,competitive multiplayer
Arcade system	Taito Type X2 Taito Type X3(Ultra)

Street Fighter IV(ストリートファイター IV,Sutorīto Faitā Fō)is afighting gamedeveloped byCapcomandDimpsand published by Capcom.It was the first original main entry in the series sinceStreet Fighter IIIin 1997, a hiatus of eleven years.

It was originally released onarcadesin Japan in July 2008 and North America in August the same year.Versions forPlayStation 3andXbox 360were released in February 2009.AMicrosoft Windowsversion was released on July 2009.A version foriOSwas released on March 10, 2010.AnAndroidversion was launched initially as an exclusive for certainLGdevices in May 2012,and was later made available for all Android devices on the Play Store by December 31, 2012, with a region restriction that made it available only in Japan.An updated version,Super Street Fighter IV,was released as a standalone title in April 2010.

Street Fighter IVreceived universal critical acclaim; receiving universally high scores from many gaming websites and magazines, it has often been cited asone of the greatest games of all time.It was followed bySuper Street Fighter IVandArcade Editionin 2010,3D Editionin 2011, andUltra Street Fighter IVin 2014. All versions ofStreet Fighter IVhave sold over 9 million units across all platforms.

Gameplay

An in-game screenshot showingAbelattackingRyuin the Crowded Downtown stage

ProducerYoshinori Onostated that he wanted to keep the game closer toStreet Fighter II.The battles inSFIVbegin with a short pre-fight intro, a small cinematic dialogue sequence which varies depending on the player's chosen character. A new system called Focus Attacks (Saving Attack for the Japanese version) has been introduced, as well as Ultra Moves. The traditional six-button control scheme returns, with new features and Special Moves integrated into the input system, mi xing classic gameplay with additional innovations.

The game arguably has a similar feel toSuper Street Fighter II Turbo,but also includes a few features fromStreet Fighter III: 3rd Strike.As inStreet Fighter III,throwing is performed by pressing both light attack buttons, while pressing both heavy attack buttons performs the character's personal action or taunt. Pressing both medium attack buttons performs a character's Focus Attack. Dashes and quick standing are also in the game.C. ViperandDan(with the air taunt) are the only characters who can perform a high jump.

It was intended that bonus rounds such as the car-smashing stage from earlierStreet Fightergames would return. Ono later stated that the bonus stages would not be in the arcade game, citing the reason to be that the time players spend on bonus stages is a time during which they have no chance of losing, which ultimately takes money from arcade operators.The bonus stages were later added inSuper Street Fighter IV.There are also Rival Battles which have a cutscene between two characters (which depends on who they are) before the battle starts.

Focus Attacks, known as Saving Attack in the Japanese version,is a new system introduced inStreet Fighter IV.The Focus Attack is a move that allows the player to absorb an attack and launch a counterattack, and it is performed by holding the medium punch and medium kick buttons simultaneously. There are two phases to the attack. In the first phase, the player will shift into a new stance, at which point they are able to absorb a single hit from the opponent. The second phase is the counterattack. The longer the player holds down the medium punch and kick buttons, the more powerful the attack will be. There are three stages to the charge.

• If the Focus Attack is held for a brief moment, no unique effects occur when attacking.
• If held for slightly longer, the character charging the Focus Attack will flash white, indicating that it will crumple the opponent (if they are on the ground).
• When fully charged, the attack will also ignore blocking.

Attacks that were absorbed during the first phase of a Focus Attack still cause damage to the player; however, life lost from the opponent's attack will be quickly regenerated afterward. In addition, during the first and second phase of the Focus Attack, the player may perform a dash either forward or backward to cancel the Focus Attack. Finally, at the cost of two bars of the Super Combo gauge, many Special Moves can be canceled into a Focus Attack. By executing a Focus Attack during the Special Move, the animation of the move will be cut short and go instantly into the Focus Attack animation. This allows players with precise timing to cancel Special Moves into Focus Attacks, and in turn cancel Focus Attacks into the forward dash, resulting in new combo possibilities. If a Special Move is blocked by the opponent, the new system allows players to cancel the blocked move with a Focus Attack, and then cancel the Focus Attack by dashing backward safely away from the opponent. Ono has stated that this system was incorporated in order to shift the emphasis away fromcombosand toward a more realistic system he has compared tobo xing,in which "the skill is in reading your opponent's move before [they start] moving... We haven't forgotten about combos and linked moves, but focus makes it so that you have to read your opponent."The system aims to make ground attacks as viable a way of approaching opponents as jumping was in previous games.The focus system is a core part ofStreet Fighter IV's gameplay.

In addition to the powered-up versions of Special Moves introduced in previousStreet Fightergames such as Super Combos and EX Special Moves, the game also introduces a new type of powered-up Special Move officially dubbed the Ultra Combo. Ultra Combos are long and cinematic moves featuring a lengthy combination of punches, kicks and other fighting techniques. Just as there is a Super Combo gauge, there is also an Ultra Combo gauge (officially known as the Revenge Gauge or Revenge Meter), but whereas the Super Combo gauge fills up when the player hits their opponent or performs a Special Move, the Revenge Gauge fills when one takes damage from their opponent (similar to the K Groove featured inCapcom vs. SNK 2). Along with the Super Combos, Ultra Combos are one of the only times (besides Zangief, E. Honda, Seth and Abel's command throws) the camera breaks from its normal fixed position to show a more dynamic, cinematic view of the gameplay.

Plot

Street Fighter IVtakes place after the events ofStreet Fighter IIand before the events ofStreet Fighter V(thus is chronologically set beforeStreet Fighter IIIwhich takes place in the future).

AfterM. Bison's survival following his encounter withAkuma,the S.I.N. corporation began another fighting tournament in order to draw out the most powerful street fighters on Earth to complete the BLECE project. Each World Warrior has their own reasons for entering this tournament, but S.I.N.'s real desire is to lure Ryu to them in order to analyze the Satsui no Hadō, believed to be the last piece of data needed to complete BLECE.

Gouken, having recently awakened from a coma after surviving an attack by Akuma which occurred between the events ofStreet FighterandStreet Fighter Alphaabout seven years before, knowing of SIN's interest in Ryu, starts looking for him to instruct to stop his Satsui no Hado development. He instructs Ryu and shows him a power known as the Mu no Ken (or Power of Nothingness), which is essentially the opposite of Satsui no Hadō, where calm and tranquility transcend human powers.

Akuma, knowing what Gouken has done to Ryu, has become driven with fury and has a fight to the death with Gouken once again, releasing everything from his Satsui no Hadō against all the power of Gouken's Mu no Ken.

It is revealed that Crimson Viper was a double agent, and she betrayed Seth, in addition to Juri who also wanted to see Shadaloo's total downfall, and set up the fight between M. Bison and Seth. Although Seth took over SIN, M. Bison managed to take on the consciousness of another clone thanks to the scientists at Shadaloo, and ends up with Seth.

M. Bison is behind the SIN, letting the plans go, while everyone thinks he is dead, and the Seth that the players find at the end of the game is revealed to be a clone, as the real Seth was killed by M. Bison.

Abel, who is a fighter with no memory, supposedly was saved by Charlie Nash and joins Chun-Li and Guile to destroy the SIN headquarters, so they manage to end this organization.

Characters

Main article:List of Street Fighter characters

Chronologically set between theStreet Fighter IIseries and theStreet Fighter IIIseries, the playable character roster of the arcade version includes the cast of the originalStreet Fighter II(all 12 characters, including the four Shadaloo Grand Masters) and four new characters.AkumafromSuper Street Fighter II Turboalso appears as a hidden playable character, as well as a secret opponent, for a total of 17 playable characters. Additionally, the game includes two more secret characters: Seth as the game's standard final Boss, andGoukenas a secret opponent, which makes for a total of 19 characters. The console version includes 6 more characters to the roster making for a total of 25, the returning characters are:Cammy,Dan,Fei Long,Gen,RoseandSakura.

Newcomers:

• Abel,a French fighter who utilizesfull-contact karate,Judoand Russiancombat samboto defeat opponents (note his kurtka). He is described as anamnesiac,a "man with no past" looking to defeat surviving members ofShadaloo.He is later revealed to be a prototype of Seth's model.
• Crimson Viper,a female American spy wearing sunglasses, leather gloves and a form-fitting suit with weapons she entered the tournament in order to "test" her skills.
• Rufus,an obese kung fu fighter, who seeks to fight Ken to prove himself as the best fighter in the United States.
• El Fuerte(Spanish for "The Strong One" ), a Mexicanluchadorand aspiring gourmet chef.
• Seth,also known as "The Puppet Master", is the new Boss character. He is the CEO of S.I.N., the weapons division of Shadaloo. His body has been modified using advanced technology. His Special Moves are techniques used by other characters.
• Gouken,the elder brother of Akuma, andRyuandKen's master, appears in the arcade version as a secret computer-controlled challenger in the end of the single-player mode, making his debut as a fighter in theStreet Fighterseries.

Development

Before producer Yoshinori Ono pitched the idea toCapcomR&D headKeiji Inafune,the prevailing attitude around Capcom was that a new numeric entry to theStreet Fighterseries would not be made. Initially, there was much resistance to Ono's pitch for a newStreet Fightergame so many years after the original. The gap from 2000 to 2008, sinceStreet Fighter EX3,the latestStreet Fightergame at that point, represented the longest time the series had gone without a sequel. However, in light of fan demand plus the positive reception toStreet Fighter II' Hyper FightingonXbox Live Arcade,Inafune eventually allowed the project to begin.This was Ono's first take on a new entry for theStreet Fighterseries as a producer, although he had previously worked onStreet Fighter III 3rd Strikeas a "sound management director" and previously producedCapcom Fighting Jam.The experience provided bySuper Street Fighter II Turbobecame the main influence for theStreet Fighter IVdevelopment team.

The original game concept, titledStreet Fighter IV Flashback,imagined in part byDavid Sirlin,the designer ofSuper Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix,never made it past the proposal stage.Flashbackwould likewise feature the 2.5D gameplay and a roster made of classicStreet Fighter IIcharacters plus Sakura and a few new characters. The game would have also featured a single-player mode with third-person 3D action (similar to this of theGod of Warseries) that focused on Ryu's backstory, as well as allStreet Fighterarcade games in their original forms and a 3D version ofSuper Turbo.Flashback's proposed easy control system was later used inTatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars,minus its titular "flashback" gameplay feature.

WhileStreet Fighter IVfeatures models and backgrounds rendered in 3D, the gameplay remains on a traditional 2D plane, with the camera having freedom to move in 3D at certain times during fights, for dramatic effect, similar to theStreet Fighter EXseries Capcom produced with Arika. Initially, the title had been developed to use 3Dhitboxes,but the testers felt it did not have the "pixel perfect" precision of aStreet Fightergame, and the game was therefore changed to use 2D hitboxes. Ono has also cited the arcade version ofArc System Works'Battle Fantasiaas the inspiration for the game's three-dimensional art style.Art director and character designer Daigo Ikeno, who previously worked onStreet Fighter III 3rd Strike,opted fornon-photorealistic renderingto give them a hand-drawn look,with visual effects accented in calligraphic strokes, ink smudges and ink sprays during the fights.

Street Fighter IV's musical score was primarily composed byHideyuki Fukasawa.The game's music consisted of new and old material created for it. Several music pieces (such as the themes for the returningSFIIcharacters) were rearranged forSFIV.While previousStreet Fightergames contained limited voice work,Street Fighter IVwas the firstStreet Fighterseries game to feature extensive voice acting. The game offers a choice between the original Japanese or an English dub.

The game runs on theTaito Type X²arcade board inside aTaito Vewlixcabinet.It takes advantage of the Type X²'s network capabilities and allows players in separate machines within the same LAN to fight each other.

Home versions

Street Fighter IVwas also released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 andMicrosoft Windows,featuring additional playable characters and features not found in the arcade game. Capcom later released aniOSversion on March 10, 2010.In March 2017 theXbox 360version ofStreet Fighter IVbecame compatible with theXbox One.

Additional characters

The notable addition in the home versions ofStreet Fighter IVare eight unlockable and playable characters not available in the arcade version. Seth and Gouken, computer-played characters in the arcade,and six characters from otherStreet Fightergames were added, to a total of 25 characters, all of them playable. The introduced characters areDan,Fei Long,Sakura,Cammy,GenandRose.

Additional features

Home versions also feature online play, six new stages, downloadable content,a Challenge Mode that acts as a training module for new and experienced players, requiring them to reproduce indicated moves or combos with successive levels of increasing complexity,as well as selectable English or Japanese voices for the characters (similar to the voice option settings in theSoulcaliburgames), makingStreet Fighter IVthe first game in the series since the originalStreet Fighterto feature English voice acting for all the characters. The game also offers a new opening cinematic scene featuring the theme song "The Next Door", byExile,in both Japanese and English (as "The Next Door -Indestructible-" which featuredFlo Ridain the extended version of that version) (depending on language settings), and animated opening and ending sequences for each character's story in Arcade mode.

The iOS version allows for bluetooth-based multiplayer between devices, but features only eight of the console version's characters and stages. The characters consist of Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Guile, Dhalsim, Blanka, Abel and M. Bison. In an update, two more characters were added: Zangief and Cammy. The most recent update features Sagat and an unlockable character, Dee Jay.

Windows version additions

The Windows version ofStreet Fighter IVincludes all the features found in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and some extras, that Capcom representatives say could make it "the definitive version" of the game.The game features online play viaGames for Windows – Live,with built-in voice chat and PC-exclusive achievements, but no cross-platform playability would be available with Xbox 360 players.Also, the game features higher resolutions, and three new freely selectable visual styles, named "Ink","Watercolor"and"Posterize".There are also two bundles of the game: regular (game only, $39.99) and a bundle that includes the Mad Catz FightPad (with the Ryu design) that is currently sold separately for the Xbox 360 version. Those who pre-ordered the game at Best Buy received aDVDwith an Eagle One animated comic (this is not the same asThe Ties That Bindthat comes in the collector's editions of the console versions).Additionally, Svensson has stated on the Capcom Unity forums that the retail version uses disc-basedSecuROMas its main form of copy protection for the North American release. The specifications for the game were released on May 15, 2009, and are considered relatively modest.

Benchmark version

There was also a benchmark version of the game that you could download to test whether your computer would be able to run it properly before purchasing the full game. The benchmark version boots into a menu similar to the actual release of the game, but with a few slight changes. The menu has an option called 'Loop Mode'. Which, judging from the name, loops the benchmark over and over again (assuming it's for commercial use). You can turn the mode on or off from the switch next to the option. The 'Start' option is replaced with 'Start Benchmark'. The PC Settings and Quit options are still there for either to change the settings of the game or to quit the program. The background is more stylized and the word 'Benchmark' has been put right next to the game title. At the end of the benchmark, you're given a run down of your test results, and a score to determine if your computer can run it or not. It's extremely similar to the Benchmark option in the Windows version of the game.[2]

Marketing

For Western markets, three different packages for the game were prepared—the European release, the North American standard package and the North AmericanCollector's Edition.The contents of theCollector's Editionare nearly identical to those featured in the European version, and are the following:

• A comic book style mini strategy guide byPrima(which also published a full strategy guide for the game in the U.S.), featuring artwork byUDON.
• A disc including the65-minute animated filmtitledStreet Fighter IV: The Ties That Bind(Tân たなる vướng,Aratanaru Kizuna),produced byStudio 4°Cas a prologue for the game, and a selection of the game's trailers (aBlu-raydisc for the PS3 version and game disc with the movie in 720p for the Xbox 360).
• A soundtrack CD (not in Europe).
• Crimson Viper and Ryu figurines (in the US release, PS3 owners got a Ryu figurine, while Xbox 360 owners got a Crimson Viper figure. In Europe, PS3 and Xbox 360 owners got both figurines in place of a soundtrack CD.)
• Five downloadable character costumes, which is known as the Brawler Pack that included alternate costumes for: Zangief, E. Honda, Rufus, El Fuerte and Abel.

Street Fighter IVdedicated arcade stick with eight action buttons

Mad Catzproduced six controllers for the game, two Arcade sticks and a game pad each for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. These products include a basic model joystick, the "Street Fighter IVFightStick "; a heavier and sturdier stick, the"Street Fighter IVFightStick Tournament Edition'; and a six-button game pad, the "Street Fighter IVFightPad ".Meanwhile, peripheral manufacturer Hori also produced two joysticks for the game for the Japanese/Asian markets based on previous joystick models produced by the company.

iOS version

An iOS version of the game was released on March 10, 2010. This, and subsequent mobile versions, retained many of the console version's features, but contained a simplified combo system and replaced the original game's 3D polygonal fighter models with 2D pre-rendered sprites. Additionally, the game also includedBluetoothmultiplayer and Game Center achievements, and was released with eight playable characters, though more have been added through free updates. This version is no longer available to download on the iOS store.

Later a version calledStreet Fighter IV Voltwas released for the iPhone and iPod Touch on June 30, 2011, which enabled online play.Another version calledStreet Fighter IV: Champion Editionwas released on July 12, 2017, which featured updated graphics and adds Poison, Ibuki and Dudley to the roster, increasing the total number of playable fighters to 25. An additional six fighters (Gouken, Rose, Elena, Juri, Guy and Evil Ryu) were later added into the roster through free updates.

Android version

On January 5, 2012, a version of the game calledStreet Fighter IV HDwas released forLG'sAndroid-powered Nitro HD and Optimus LTE phones.On December 30, 2012, the exclusivity was dropped and the game was re-released on Google Play, this time titledStreet Fighter IV,with a region restriction in place that makes it available only in Japan.On February 21, 2018, an Android port ofStreet Fighter IV: Champion Editionwas made available worldwide onGoogle Play.This version contained 32 playable characters, including Dan as a platform exclusive.This version of the game has had one million installs.

Downloadable content

The console versions ofStreet Fighter IVsupportdownloadable content(DLC), made available for download via Microsoft'sXbox Live Marketplaceand Sony'sPlayStation Network.

The first expansion pack, titled "Championship Mode", was released free of charge on April 24, 2009. It provides players with a replay mode, a new points system and an enhanced tournament matching system.Championship mode is a game mode where a series of players compete against each other for ranking points. The higher the ranking, the harder the contest the player will participate in. The PlayStation 3 version of the download allows the player to vote on the parts of the recorded match they thought were "funny", "awesome", and "beautiful". The Xbox 360 version allows the player to download their recorded fights to the console.

Additionally, five alternate costume packs are available for purchase. These costume packs include the alternate costumes already seen in the arcade version, and were released on separate dates following the game's launch. A single package called the "Complete Alternate Costume Pack", containing alternate costumes for all 25 characters was made available for download on May 5, 2009, in North America, and May 8, 2009, in Europe.

• February 17, 2009 (North America); February 20, 2009 (Europe): Brawler Pack including alternate costumes for: Zangief, E. Honda, Rufus, El Fuerte and Abel.
• February 24, 2009 (North America); February 27, 2009 (Europe): Femme Fatale Pack including alternate costumes for: Chun-Li, Cammy, Sakura, Rose and C. Viper.
• March 3, 2009 (North America); March 6, 2009 (Europe): Shoryuken Pack including alternate costumes for: Ryu, Ken, Akuma, Gouken and Dan.
• March 10, 2009 (North America); March 13, 2009 (Europe): Shadaloo Pack including alternate costumes for: Seth, M. Bison, Sagat, Balrog and Vega.
• March 17, 2009 (North America); March 20, 2009 (Europe): Classic Pack including alternate costumes for: Guile, Dhalsim, Fei-Long, Blanka and Gen.

Although initially Capcom stated that there were no plans to add any additional characters to the game, wanting to focus on core gameplay values,Yoshinori Ono later revealed that unfinished versions ofDee JayandT. Hawk(the only two missing characters fromSSF2T) had been made, and given sufficient fan request for them, they could eventually get added into the game.These characters eventually found their way intoSuper Street Fighter IV.

There was an update for the iOS version that added Zangief and Cammy to the roster. A second update added C. Viper and E. Honda whilst a third added Sagat and Dee Jay—the latter having to be unlocked. DLC is also available. So far, Ryu and Chun-Li each have one new costume each. Additional music, "Street Fighter IIArranged BGM ", can also be purchased to provide alternate in-game audio.

Related media

Anime

Street Fighter IV: The Ties That Bindis ananimatedmovie directed by Jirō Kanai that was featured in a bonus disc included in theCollector's EditionofStreet Fighter IVfor the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The plot, which takes place before the events ofStreet Fighter IV,begins withCammy's Team Delta Red task force who are investigating an energy anomaly. At the same time,Chun-LiandGuileinvestigate the disappearance of well-known martial artists. Meanwhile,Crimson Viperis sent to capture Ryu on orders from Seth, who knows about Ryu's Satsui no Hadou and desires it for himself.

Additionally, four promotional anime shorts featuring characters from the game were released.

Comic

In addition toThe Ties That Bindanimated film included with the collectors edition of the game,UDONalso published a four-issue comic mini-series based onStreet Fighter IV,with the first issue being released February 18, 2009. The comic focuses on the new characters (Abel, Viper, El Fuerte and Rufus) and their interactions with many of the series' mainstays.

PlayStation Home

In the PlayStation 3's online community-based servicePlayStation Home,Capcom has released aStreet Fighter IVthemedgame spacecalled "S.I.N.'s Secret Base fromStreet Fighter IV".It has such features as Challenge Opponent which lets users do an action based on their fighting level inStreet Fighter IV,as well as a shop with themed costumes and ornaments of all the characters fromStreet Fighter IV.This space was released in the Japanese version on July 30, 2009, in the Asian version on September 24, 2009, in the European version on October 9, 2009, and in the North American version on October 23, 2009. In addition to the game space, costumes and ornaments,Street Fighter IValso fully supported Game Launching in PlayStation Home which let users set up multi-player games in Home, with advanced options, and launch into the game from Home. This feature was added on April 23, 2009.Some trophies inStreet Fighter IValso rewarded Home rewards.

Pachislot Edition

On October 12, 2011, Enterrise released a pachislot version of the game in Japan. This version features all of the characters from the console release. The player plays as Ryu in the game's story, although other characters such as Ken or Chun-Li can only be played at certain points in the game. New to this version are 3D overworld segments where Ryu travels through some of the game's stages and destinations. The battle segments also return in this version, but unlike the arcade and console versions, the pachislot version's battle segments are now turn-based (similar toPokémon Stadium,its sequelandPokémon Battle Revolution). The Reg Bonus in this game features a new door-opening bonus stage that didn't make it into the arcade and console versions ofStreet Fighter IVand its updated versions. A sequel based onSSFIV: Arcade Editionwas released on March 22, 2016.

Reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	PS3: 94/100 X360: 93/100 PC: 91/100 iOS: 84/100 iOS: (Volt): 80/100 PS3 (Ultra): 83/100 X360 (Ultra): 84/100 PC (Ultra): 82/100 PS4 (Ultra): 71/100 iOS (Champion Edition): 67/100

Review scores

Publication	Score
1Up	A
Eurogamer	10/10
Famitsu	34/40 36/40 (Ultra)
Game Informer	PS3/X360: 9.25/10
GameSpot	9.0/10
GameTrailers	9.2/10
IGN	9.3/10
Play	95%
TouchArcade	iOS: iOS (Volt): iOS (Champion Edition):
X-Play	5/5

Awards

Publication	Award
Golden Joystick Awards	Fighting Game of the Year
Game Critics Awards	Best Fighting Game of 2008
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences	Fighting Game of the Year(2010)

Both the home versions ofStreet Fighter IVhave received an aggregate rating of "universal acclaim" fromMetacriticbased on the reviews of critics. The game received an aggregated score of 94 out of 100 from Metacritic for its PlayStation 3 version,93 out of 100 for its Xbox 360 version,and 91 out of 100 for its Microsoft Windows version.

The arcade version ofStreet Fighter IVwas voted Best Game of 2008 in Japan by the editorial staff ofArcadiamagazine in the February 2009 issue of the publication. The game also won in the categories of "Best Graphics", "Best Production", and the "Reader's Choice Award". The character Ryu took the No. 1 spot in the magazine's "Top 20 Characters of 2008" in the same issue. The February 2009 issue ofPlayStation: The Official Magazinehas rated the game 5/5, while the February 2009 issue of theOfficial Xbox Magazinehas givenStreet Fighter IVa score of 9.5/10.IGNgave the game a 9.3/10, calling it an "irrevocably deep fighting game", but said that the anime cutscenes are "so poorly animated and tell you almost nothing about the story or the context for each character's participation in the tournament."GameSpotgave it the best Fighting Game of 2009 in the Editor's Choice and Reader's Choice areas.Additionally,GameTrailersnamed the title as the Best Fighting Game of 2009.Street Fighter IValso won "Fighting Game of the Year" at the 2009Spike Video Game Awards.During the13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards,theAcademy of Interactive Arts & SciencesawardedStreet Fighter IVwith "Fighting Game of the Year".

Giant Bombgave the game five out of five stars stating that "Street Fighter IVcombines old and new in powerful ways, resulting in a game familiar enough to bring retired fans back into the fold while being different enough to appeal to the players who have stuck with the genre since day one. "Eurogamergave the game 10/10 stating that "after over a month of playingStreet Fighter IValmost daily, what has become quite clear is that it manages to appeal to a huge range of abilities and tastes without ever compromising its fidelity ".

The iOS version has been critically acclaimed as well. Gameplayershubgave the game a 97% score, indicating that the game had such polish it should lead the way for future games on the platform.

Edgeranked the game #14 on its list of "The 100 Best Games To Play Today", stating "SFIVopens up the genre to all-comers without ever compromising the system's depth or fidelity. "In the 2017 version of their all-time top 100,Ultra Street Fighter IVwas the only fighting game on the list.

Sales

The game topped the multi-format charts and set sales records in the UK, with 53% of sales being on the PS3.By March 31, 2009,Street Fighter IVhad sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions ofStreet Fighter IVsold 3.4million copies.It was also one of the most rented games of 2009.

Title	Year	Platform(s)	Software sales			Sales revenue (est.)
			Worldwide	Japan	Overseas (est.)	Japan	Overseas
Street Fighter IV	2009	PS3,X360	3,400,000	210,641	3,189,359	¥1,851,323,749	$197,875,335
		Steam	109,113 (est.)	—	109,113	—
Super Street Fighter IV	2010	PS3, X360	1,900,000	202,486	1,697,514	¥1,058,596,808	$67,883,585
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition	2011	PS3, X360	1,100,000	165,455	934,545	¥691,601,900	$37,381,800
Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition	2011	3DS	1,300,000	150,162	1,149,838	¥755,164,698	$45,982,022
Ultra Street Fighter IV	2014	PS3, X360,PC	1,800,000	81,661	1,418,339	¥358,410,129	$52,720,377
Total			9,709,113 (est.)	810,405	8,498,708	¥4,715,097,284($57,984,598)	$401,843,119

Updated versions

Versions ofStreet Fighter IVby platform

Game	Characters	Arcade	PS3/X360	PC	3DS	PS4
Street Fighter IV(2008)	19	Yes	No	No	No	No
Street Fighter IV(home release) (2009)	25	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Super Street Fighter IV(2010)	35	No	Yes	No	No	No
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition(2010)	39	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition(2011)	35	No	No	No	Yes	No
Ultra Street Fighter IV(2014)	44	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes

Super Street Fighter IV

Main article:Super Street Fighter IV

Released on April 27, 2010,Super Street Fighter IVis the first major update toStreet Fighter IV.Super Street Fighter IVincludes several new online game modes, five new stages, a new announcer and ten additional characters, as well as tweaks and changes to the existing ones, such as new Ultra Combos and additional costumes.Among the added characters are returners T. Hawk, Dee Jay,Adon, Guy, Cody, Ibuki, Makoto, and Dudley.The newly introduced characters areJuri,a Koreantaekwondofighter who works as a spy forSeth'sorganization, S.I.N.,and Hakan, a Turkishoil wrestler.The game also featured new intros and endings for all characters from previous installment.

The game was originally released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, later getting an arcade version with extended content. The arcade version was later backported to consoles in the form ofSuper Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition.A handheld version ofSuper Street Fighter IV,titledSuper Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition,was also released for theNintendo 3DSin March 2011, includingstereoscopic 3Dgraphics and new features.

Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition

Main article:Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition

An arcade version ofSuper Street Fighter IVwas released by Capcom in December 2010, titledSuper Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition.Arcade Editionadded Yun, Yang, Evil Ryu and Oni to the roster, as well as changes to the existing characters. TheArcade Editionwas later released as both a standalone game and as a downloadable update.In late 2011, a free balance update patch calledVersion 2012was released.

Ultra Street Fighter IV

A new update calledUltra Street Fighter IV(ウルトラストリートファイターIV) was announced for release in early 2014 at the 2013Evolution Championship Series.Before the release of the game, Capcom set up test locations to gather fan feedback that was taken into account for the final product.The game was released in Japanese arcades in April 2014,later being distributed for home platforms as both a paid downloadable update forSuper Street Fighter IVandSuper Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition,and as a standalone retail game.The update version for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 was released on June 3, 2014, with the full retail versions to follow on August 5. The PC versions (both digital and retail) were released on August 8,the PC port being delayed to get the console versions ready in time for the 2014 Evolution Championship Series.The PC version ofUltra Street Fighter IVwas the first game in the series to useSteamfrom day one, following the discontinuation ofGames for Windows – Live.

The update introduces six new stages, a different announcer and five new characters:Rolento,Elena,HugoandPoison(all four of whom had been featured inStreet Fighter X Tekken),in addition toDecapre,a member ofM. Bison's Dolls, who makes her first playable appearance in the series.It has been revealed that, despite some of the new characters having been recently featured inX Tekken,their gameplay mechanics are substantially different in order to match the game's pace.This brings the total number of fighters to 44. The game also adds a feature called "Edition Select" which, similarly toHyper Street Fighter II,allows players to select different versions of characters, based on their properties in pastStreet Fighter IViterations.The update also adds a "Ultra Combo W" option, which makes both of the character's Ultra Combos available simultaneously, at the cost of them doing reduced damage.

Alongside the usual balance changes, the update introduces some new fighting mechanics. The first is a new move called Red Focus, similar to the regular Focus move, but having more invincibility hits.Also new is a "delayed wakeup" technique, which allows a knocked-down player to slightly lengthen the time before the character gets back up.Finally, based on fan feedback, the update removes most unblockable setups.

On September 21, 2014, it was announced thatUltra Street Fighter IVwas getting a free DLC pack due for release in October, which, among other things, adds a new Omega variation to the characters, which gives them new moves and properties. For the PC version of the game, improvements were also expected in the online play experience.This download was finally released on December 15, 2014.

On December 6, 2014, it was announced at thePlayStation ExperiencethatUltra Street Fighter IVwould be ported toPlayStation 4byOther Ocean Interactive;the game was released digitally on May 26, 2015.The port became noted for containing a large number of bugs and glitches; while the PS4 port was originally scheduled to be used atEVO 2015,it was later announced that the tournament would revert to using the Xbox 360 version.On July 18, 2015, the Steam port of the game was free to play (until the next day) in celebration ofEVO 2015.Around the time of EVO 2015, Capcom's Peter "Combofiend" Rosas mentioned in a blog that Capcom and Sony have come to a statement that the PS4 port is now the definitive version. He stated that all major issues with the port have been resolved as well as the input lag being on par with the Xbox 360 port. Regarding Capcom Pro Tour events, all Western Capcom Pro Tour events would be migrating over to the PS4 port starting with VSFighting 5. He mentioned that Asian events will continue to use the PS3 port until the PS4 version's release.

During the18th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards,theAcademy of Interactive Arts & SciencesnominatedUltra Street Fighter IVfor "Fighting Game of the Year".

In May 2018,Ultra Street Fighter IVwas included as a pre-order digital bonus withStreet Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection,giving a total of 13 games in the original timeline of the series.

Notes

• Editorial staff ofArcadia Magazine(2008).Street Fighter IV Master Guide quyền の thư.enterbrain mook Arcadia Extra Vol. 69 (in Japanese). Enterbrain, Inc.ISBN978-4-7577-4513-1.

Further reading

• Hamilton, Andi (February 17, 2016)."KO'd But Forever Classic: A Eulogy for 'Street Fighter IV'".Vice.RetrievedAugust 31,2019.

External links

• Official websiteviaInternet Archive
• Street Fighter IVat US.PlayStation
• Official website(Pachislot version)
• Street Fighter IVatMobyGames