Value is subjective, and in the world of video games, this rings especially true. For some, the idea of paying for Switch Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers might seem like a no-brainer, a chance to relive classic arcade battles on a modern console. But for others, including myself, the price tag attached to this nostalgic package feels like a punch to the gut.
Is Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers on the Nintendo Switch truly such a rip-off that it deserves a complete avoidance? After spending time with it, the unfortunate conclusion is yes. The asking price for Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is simply too high to recommend it to anyone seeking value for their money.
What exactly do you get for your investment? Essentially, you’re getting a slightly tweaked version of Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, a game originally released in 1994. Alongside this retro gem, Capcom throws in two “new” characters that are more like remixes, a bizarre and largely unplayable first-person motion control mode, a superficial two-player co-op mode, a basic color editor, and online multiplayer. That’s the complete roster of features for Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers.
While it’s crucial to acknowledge the brilliance of Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, a true titan of the fighting game genre and arguably one of the best ever created. Despite some balance quirks (Sagat, we’re looking at you), it remains a beautifully animated, deep, and rewarding fighting experience even today. Its legacy is undeniable and its core gameplay is timeless.
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers markets itself as the definitive edition of Street Fighter 2, but it feels more like a cobbled-together experiment. Key features that fans expect are missing. There’s no speed select option to adjust the game’s pace, a staple for veterans. Arcade mode is stripped of the beloved bonus stages that punctuated the classic experience. Visually, players are forced to choose between the original, pixelated graphics or the updated, and widely criticized, HD visuals from the nine-year-old Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix. This older HD Remix, developed by Udon Entertainment, is known for its jerky animations and arguably less appealing art style.
Considering the inclusion of Udon’s HD art, one might assume Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is simply a port of Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix to the Switch. However, this isn’t the case. Notably absent are the balance adjustments expertly crafted by competitive fighting game guru David Sirlin for the HD Remix. Instead, Capcom has implemented their own set of tweaks. These include the addition of grapple breaks and adjustments to combo timing, making it slightly more lenient. While these changes might register with hardcore fighting game enthusiasts, for most players, The Final Challengers is essentially Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo running on the Nintendo Switch.
Moving on to the “new” additions, we have Evil Ryu and the awkwardly named Violent Ken. Evil Ryu, familiar to Street Fighter lore, is essentially a blend of Ryu and Akuma, borrowing moves from both iconic characters. Violent Ken’s backstory involves brainwashing by M. Bison, granting him Psycho Power abilities. In practice, Violent Ken is just a faster, more aggressive version of Ken with purple fireballs, a dash, and a unique two-hit overhead attack. Calling Violent Ken a genuinely new Street Fighter character requires a level of delusion only Bison’s brainwashing could induce.
The less said about the first-person mode, “Way of the Hado,” the better. It’s a motion-controlled disaster reminiscent of the worst Wii waggle experiences. Give it a try out of morbid curiosity, then promptly forget it exists. Buddy Battle, the two-player co-op mode, is similarly shallow. Two players team up against the computer, sharing a health bar that regenerates slightly between rounds. While co-operative combos are possible, the novelty wears thin quickly. It’s a fleeting distraction for a commute, nothing more.
Lastly, there’s the color editor. This feature allows players to alter the color palettes of character sections to create custom looks. It’s not a costume editor, merely a palette swap tool. It offers some brief amusement, and undoubtedly, some will use it to create visually offensive Street Fighter abominations. As a demonstration of the game’s lack of soul, I even crafted a Zombie Guile using the color editor.
It should be abundantly clear that Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is a major disappointment. As a dedicated Street Fighter fan, the hope was for Capcom to deliver a truly special entry for the series’ Nintendo Switch debut. If the aim was a definitive Street Fighter 2 experience, it could have been so much more. A faithful port of Super Turbo at a reasonable price would have been sufficient and welcomed by countless Street Fighter enthusiasts.
However, the true source of frustration escalates to anger when considering Nintendo’s pricing strategy. Asking full price for what is essentially a 23-year-old game with added online play is outrageous. To put it in perspective, modern, feature-rich fighting games like Injustice 2 on PS4 can often be found for a comparable or even lower price. Even Street Fighter 5, a more recent title, is significantly cheaper.
While some might point to the cost of Nintendo Switch cartridges as a justification for the high price, this argument is irrelevant to the average consumer. Whether it’s cartridge costs or corporate greed, the bottom line is Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is overpriced in both physical and eShop formats. A digital-only release at a budget price would have been a more palatable and consumer-friendly approach.
The Final Challengers has one minor saving grace: its inclusion of an arcade mode. Ironically, Street Fighter 5 launched without an arcade mode and still lacks a proper one years after release. Yet, here we have Street Fighter 2 on Switch with a functional arcade mode. A bizarre twist of fate.
In many ways, Street Fighter is a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch. A retro-themed release on the console makes inherent sense. The Final Challengers boots up quickly, with lightning-fast loading times. The vision of players engaging in nostalgic battles using Joy-Cons in casual settings is appealing. However, the fundamental issue remains: someone has to pay the exorbitant price of entry. That person shouldn’t be you, and it certainly won’t be me. Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is a nostalgia trip best left untaken at this price.
