Street Fighter II Turbo

Final Fight 2 (SNES)

Pub Dev: Capcom | August 1993 | 10 MEGS — ***Pub & Dev: Capcom | August 1993 | 10 MEGS***

Final Fight, originally released in 1989 in the arcade, was a huge success for Capcom. It was ported to the Super Famicom in Japan just in time for the Christmas season of 1990, and it came out stateside for the SNES in September 1991. Although an impressive early SNES game in many ways, the port was somewhat butchered. Namely, it lacked a 2-player co-op mode, Guy was M.I.A., an entire stage was cut out and of course, censorship because Nintendo early ’90s. In the late summer of 1993, Capcom attempted to rectify matters (and cash in) when they released a sequel, Final Fight 2, exclusively for Nintendo’s 16-bit system. It might very well be the first SNES game to have an exclusive sequel with the first game being an arcade port. (I certainly can’t think of an earlier example of such off the top of my head. If you can, then comment below). Unfortunately, Guy and Cody are sadly nowhere to be found, but on the bright side there’s now a 2-player co-op mode. Was Capcom able to strike gold, or were they simply looking to make a quick buck based on the brand that was Final Fight? Let’s head over to Metro City and find out…

OK heres the real box art. The first one was a fan box — Here’s the real box art. The first one is a fan box

The North American box is a little shady. Damnd, an old boss from the first Final Fight, can be seen on the box but he never appears in Final Fight 2. Also, there’s a green mutant peeking from underneath the sewers. There was no enemy close to this in the actual game. Ah, the ’90s. Bless your heart.

"Still got my royalty checks!" — *“Still got my royalty checks!”*

STROLLING DOWN MEMORY LANE

The above was originally written on RVGFanatic (the first version) on November 21, 2012. That date marked the 22 year anniversary of the Super Famicom. As I write this now, the Super Famicom is now nearly 28 years old and counting. Wow, if that doesn’t make me feel old! Well, as the picture above states, I suppose I owe you a story…

It was a trip that haunted me and has never left... — It was a trip that haunted me and has never left…

December 1991. I was 8 years old on vacation with my family and friends in Lake Tahoe. Back in the day my family formed a strong friendship with four families. Together, between 10 parents and 16 kids, we had some of the most legendary sleepovers in the history of mankind. 11 boys and 5 girls, ranging from birth dates of 1978 to 1986, staying up late doing whatever it is that boys and girls do. We rented out a HUGE cabin where all 26 of us stayed. It was INSANITY. One of the guys, Tommy, brought along his newly acquired Super Nintendo with copies of Super Mario World, F-Zero and Final Fight.

I couldn't believe it. Home alone in the cabin from hell — I couldn’t believe it. *Home alone in the cabin from hell*

A very bizarre and peculiar thing happened on that trip. Something so strange that it haunted me throughout my childhood. That Sunday morning, my mom decided to let me sleep in while everyone else filed out for breakfast. I woke up to an empty cabin with weird odd noises coming from every which direction. If only those cabin walls could talk, who knows what ghastly and terrible secrets might be shed? I tip-toed downstairs, calling out the names of my family and friends. All the while knowing deep down that no one would answer my cries. No one living, anyhow.

Indeed, all I heard back in response was the loud hissing and groaning of the creepy cabin. Suddenly a cold chill swept up and down my spine as I knew something wasn’t right…

After braving my way to the kitchen at long last, I found a note taped to the fridge.

Steve,
Everyone woke up early except for you and we went out to get breakfast. You stayed up so late last night and you need the rest. Make yourself some Honey Nut Cheerios, and don’t watch too much TV. We’ll be back soon.Love,
Mom

I couldn’t believe it. My mom actually left me home alone in the middle of nowhere — OK not quite, but still! Did she not watch Home Alone?! I remember opening the fridge and seeing an ice cold can of 7 Up, my favorite soda back then. Oh how I wanted to grab that bad boy and chug it. But alas, I was not about to use the bathroom. There was no way in hell I would risk having to saunter down that demonic looking hallway that stood between me and the bathroom…

I felt a grim presence that dreary December morning... — I felt a **grim** presence that dreary December morning…

Ever feel a presence in the room with you? That someone, or something, is watching you? That’s how I felt on that cold dreary December morning of 1991. But being a resourceful kid, I believed that spirits would never mess with you if you had the TV or radio playing. Any kind of noise would ward off evil spirits. They would only attack those who were alone in silence. So I promptly turned on the TV to watch WWF Wrestling Challenge for the hour. It wasn’t long before I spotted Tommy’s Super Nintendo lying on the floor. This was my chance! The older kids hogged the system the night before, leaving me out in the cold. I fired up F-Zero first and then played Final Fight until everyone came back from breakfast. Part of me was ecstatic to see them again as I was no longer alone in this cabin from hell. But something funny happened during my first SNES experience. It made me forget about all my fears and worries. Instead it transported me to the future of video gaming, where you could snap a guy’s neck in two and soar 200 feet across a race track suspended high above a futuristic city — all in stunning graphics and sound. And ever since that fateful December morning nearly 30 years ago, I’ve been a Super Nintendo fan for life.

Family, friends and SNES made Christmas '91 special — Family, friends and SNES made Christmas 1991 rock

THE STORY GOES…

THE FIGHTERS

Sadly, Cody and Guy are nowhere to be found

Usually billed as 6'7"... Haggar's gained 3 inches — Usually billed as 6’7″… Haggar gained 3 inches

Honestly, did anyone really like Maki? A bit forgettable — Honestly, did anyone really like Maki? Meh…

Tenant at Haggar's home? Hey, I ain't judging — Tenant at Haggar’s home? Hey, I ain’t judging

ROUND 1: HONG KONG

Guile also makes a background cameo later on

Oddly (and regrettably), weapons in Final Fight 2 are more detrimental to you than they are to the bad guys. That should never be the case. There seems to be a split second delay when trying to use weapons, and I definitely do better when fighting with just my bare hands. The sound effect for the weapons are also incredibly weak. Nowhere near Capcom’s usual quality. Shocking and disappointing, which is sort of the theme throughout this game.

Haggar’s piledriver now rotates in mid-air and looks a lot more fluid and impactful than it did in the first game. At least Capcom got something right here.

Capcom milking a franchise? Never.... — Capcom **milk**ing a franchise? Never…

Censorship strikes again. Won Won looked even nastier in the Japanese version — he wields a deadly meat cleaver there.

ROUND 2: FRANCE

"OUI THIS, BITCHES!" — ***“OUI THIS, BITCHES!”***

And he looks GREAT in his second 16-bit outing — And he looks *GREAT* in his second 16-bit outing

Andore and Abobo were my two favorite goons to beat up as a kid. There’s just something satisfying about destroying the snot out of a towering titan with a jacked up physique.

Oh yeah, ALL DAY, son! — Oh yeah, ***ALL DAY***, Abobo!

This technique carries over from the first Final Fight — This technique carries over from the first game

Punch, punch, press up and punch. It’s an instant 3-hit combo ending in a throw that protects you and dishes out extra damage to any surrounding bad guys. In a pinch? You can do this after one punch instead of two. A staple of the Final Fight franchise, I wish all beat ‘em ups featured this handy technique. No need for grapples, although you can still do that if you want.

You’re on a midnight stroll looking for some thugs to trash and you spot some lackeys loitering around. Sometimes you can even sneak in a hit or two before they come to their senses. Truly a beloved staple of the genre!

"MIKE HAGGAR DON'T PLAY THAT, PUNK!" — ***“MIKE HAGGAR DON’T PLAY THAT, PUNK!”***

You have to show them that you’re really not scared
You’re playing with your life, this ain’t no truth or dare
They’ll kick you then they beat you then they’ll tell you it’s fair
So beat it, but you wanna be bad

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, BEAT IT!
No one wants to be defeated
Showing how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right

JUST BEAT IT, BEAT IT, BEAT IT!

The Street Fighter games and the original Final Fight did this a thousand times better. From the weapons sounding weak and lacking impact to the way the car is animated as it’s being destroyed, this car bonus stage comes off as a very weak homage. Shame, Capcom. SHAME!

ROUND 3: HOLLAND

Mines are scattered throughout this stage. Holland is my favorite level in the game because of that and the boss, Bratken.

Sorry, I cant help it — Sorry, I can’t help it

They told him don’t you ever come around here
Don’t wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fire’s in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it!

You better run
You better do what you can
Don’t wanna see no blood
Don’t be a macho man!

Standing 6’7″ and weighing in at 434 pounds of muscle, Bratken is a psychotic overgrown boy who loves toys. He was bribed to join the gang by being locked in a room filled with toys. But now he’s bored and wants to get out. Looks like he just spotted you, his next teddy bear victim. It’s too bad the rest of the game isn’t as interesting as this.

Love his, ahem, smashing entrance. Not the best animation though as dude is a bit stiff. But hey, that’s probably from being cooped up in his little cell there more than it is lazy programming on the part of Capcom, yeah? Right…

DarkStalkers was the shit! — *Darkstalkers* was so freaking badass

ROUND 4: ENGLAND

[Gotta love women who can -Ed.] — *[Gotta love a woman who can -Ed.]*

No one ever accused Final Fight 2 of being original. I love how Andore looks when he’s being thrown. Seeing his big old carcass flying around the screen like that is real sweet and satisfying.

I'm a sucker for these sort of backdrops — I’m a sucker for these sort of backdrops

Most of Final Fight 2 possesses a desolated and bleak look but this stage is the lone exception.

I never liked this clown. The look, the aesthetic, even his name Philippe. It just came off as very generic and forgettable to me. Give me Clown from Fighter’s History any day!

Fighters History Dynamite — *Fighter’s History Dynamite*

Round and round he goes Where he stops... Nobody knows — Round and round he goes
Where he stops…
Nobody knows

This bonus round is damn hard. Props if you can complete it.

ROUND 5: ITALY

But did you ever say that to Haggar, hmm, Carlos? — But Carlos, did you ever say that to Haggar?

This is particularly hazardous as you don’t have a whole lot of wiggle room and as I stated earlier, the weapons in this game suck. A beat ‘em up where weapons are useless is a crime. That’s a plain simple fact.

Who knows why Capcom dropped the "o" — Who knows why Capcom dropped the “o”

Capcom made a few glaring omissions with the SNES port of the first Final Fight. One of which was taking out a stage that featured Rolento at the end. I guess in their quest to fix past errors, Rolent came back for Final Fight 2. Love the shadows that trail him. Still shots does this no justice. You have to see it in motion to truly appreciate it.

Can't deny this was a nice little nod to Final Fight fans — Can’t deny this is a nice little nod to *Final Fight* fans

Welcome back, Rolento — Welcome back to the ~~fold~~ fire, Rolent(o)

ROUND 6: JAPAN

We come to our final stop, Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun. And, apparently, the Land of the Rising Haggar. Hmm. I’ll leave it at that.

Andore’s design was inspired by Andre the Giant. The 7’4″ 500 pound giant was a major attraction in the world of professional wrestling. Rest in Peace, big guy.

WrestleMania III (1987) — *WrestleMania III* (March 29, 1987)

OK not really obviously, but these guys are annoying

He blocks a lot and is a pain to put away.

Carlos is so tough that his sword is mostly for show. He’ll whip it out though in a tight spot. The sword, of course.

Sick entrance for an otherwise forgettable final boss

But ah, if only it were that simple. With Belger rotting away in some ditch, the new head honcho is a weird looking dude that goes by the name of Retu.

"HEY BARBIE -- THAT CAN BE ARRANGED!" — ***“HEY BARBIE — THAT CAN BE ARRANGED!”***

As the boys are busy trash talking, ~~Tung Fu Rue~~ Genryusai hangs precariously in the air.

Classic bad guy from Fatal Fury — Classic bad guy from *Fatal Fury*

More decent fan service on Capcom's part — More decent fan service on Capcom’s part

A dramatic ending to a rather dull, pardon the pun, final fight.

The text above was inspired from the final two lines of John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN. Speaking of which, I had a chance to see the original Halloween in theaters back in 2012 when it had a special one night only showing. I can’t wait for the definitive sequel this coming October!

Fear not, Belger fans. He would later return to the series as Cyborg Belger in Mighty Final Fight, and then once more in Final Fight Revenge.

Final Fight 3? Naaah, Capcom would NEVER milk a franchise… oh who am I kidding? Let’s face it, they’ve produced more sequels than most horror movie franchises!

And Guy did return... in Final Fight 3 — And Guy did return in *Final Fight 3*

Good stuff here from Super Play Magazine

SAVE ME MAYBE?!

Obscure video game fact: Mike Haggar has a twin. The Haggar we know and love died in Final Fight 2 (as you can see here). That explains the ponytail Haggar sports in Final Fight 3…

Hmm. No, of course Im just joking — Hmmm. No, of course I’m just joking

Dont be cruel and let them die! — Don’t be cruel and let them die!

"SERIOUSLY, MAN?!?!" — *“SERIOUSLY, MAN?!?!”*

"WHEW! I owe you one, bro..." — *“WHEW! I owe you one, bro…”*

TRICKS AND SHENANIGANS

Interesting note about the 2-player mode: you can hit your buddy but the damage inflicted is minimal. A fun little trick is hitting both your partner and a boss character simultaneously. You can hit your friend repeatedly without them falling over, and bosses can get caught in this endless loop. Your friend takes very little damage per hit while the boss will take normal damage. You can easily abuse this system. There’s also a code to play as the same character. Press Down, Down, Up, Up, Right, Left, Right, Left, L, R at the title screen.

Final Fight 2 offers four difficulty levels. The easier ones are a joke but Expert is downright brutal, with enemies requiring a hundred hits before perishing. You can only unlock the full ending if you can beat it on Expert (which features a nice Guy cameo). On a final note, there is some text in-between stages but no pictures to go along with them. It reeks of lazy programming and a lack of attention to detail, something very uncharacteristic of Capcom back in the ’90s.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Final Fight 2 received mixed reactions. Oddly enough, despite being previewed twice by EGM, it was never reviewed. However, in EGM’s bi-monthly affiliated sister publication, Super NES Buyer’s Guide, Final Fight 2 received ratings of 85, 85 and 92%. GameFan, notorious for handing out high scores like free condiments, was split with their thoughts on this sequel. They gave it ratings of 70, 78, 84 and 93%. The 23% differential in the 70% and 93% ratings makes it one of the biggest scoring discrepancies in GameFan’s history. Super Play rated it 75%, which by their standards is a fairly respectable score especially for a beat ‘em up (a genre they often rated on the lower side). Most gamers seem to agree that Final Fight 2 is slightly above average at best, and at worse, kind of dull and not too good.

One of the largest scoring gaps in GameFan history

Not bad, considering its coming from Super Play — Not bad, considering it’s coming from Super Play

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Final Fight 2 was one of those sequels that my brother and I highly anticipated back in 1993. We loved the first Final Fight but hated that we couldn’t play it together. Final Fight 2 promised to fix that glaring omission. While the 2-player mode is nice, there’s a bit of occasional slowdown. But that’s not the worst offender. The game, for some reason, is missing the magic of the first Final Fight. Even if you forget about comparing it to the original and judge it strictly on its own, it’s honestly kind of drab. There’s nothing particularly lousy about Final Fight 2, but it just lacks the magical ingredients that made the original so fun and endearing. Final Fight 2, in a lot of ways, really feels like a “direct-to-video” (or direct-to-SNES) sequel. And maybe that’s because it literally is. But Final Fight 3 proved you can be direct-to-video and still be good. Frankly, Capcom kind of went through the motions here and it shows.

That’s not to say Final Fight 2 is a bad game. But being decent yet disappointing sums it up best, and shows you the high benchmark standard that Capcom set with the first Final Fight. On the bright side, the visuals are pretty strong by late ’93 SNES standards, aside from some stiff animation and some backgrounds border on being a bit lifeless at times. On the down side, the music and sound effects are below Capcom par. Weapons are essentially ineffective. Carlos and Maki are generic enough to be forgettable as is the final boss. But although it lacks the polish you expect from a firm like Capcom, there’s no denying that beat ‘em up fanatics will still find some level of enjoyment; it’s not incompetent or unplayable by any means. There are just so many better choices available on the SNES, such as Return of Double Dragon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time. I’m glad Final Fight 2 came out, but I’m disappointed with how it turned out. Oh well, at least Capcom got it right on their third try. After all, they say third time’s a charm…

Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 5.5
Gameplay: 6.5
Longevity: 5.5

Overall: 6.5

BONUS: MEGABITS AND ANNIVERSARIES

August 1993 was a big month for Capcom. They released two major sequels: Final Fight 2 (10 MEGS) and Street Fighter II Turbo (20 MEGS).

20 WHOPPIN MEGS! — **20 WHOPPIN’ MEGS!**

I remember thinking how cool 10 MEGS was because at the time SNES games were either 4, 8 or 16 megabits. A few were even 12. But 10? That was unheard of, and I think Final Fight 2 is the first 10 MEG game on the SNES. Games boasting 10 megabits were even harder to find than ones with 12.

In the same month Capcom blew our minds when they released the first ever 20 MEG game, Street Fighter II Turbo. What a time to be alive. Can’t believe it’s been 25 years. Happy 25th anniversary to Final Fight 2 and the SNES port of Street Fighter II Turbo!

Street Fighter II Turbo (SNES)

**Pub & Dev: Capcom | August 1993 | 20 MEGS**

Street Fighter II jumpstarted a revolution, no doubt. Likewise, there is no doubt that Street Fighter II Turbo refined said revolution. Many would even argue perfected it. Allowing you to use the four boss characters, in addition to adding new special moves for most of the fighters and the all-important speed factor, Street Fighter II Turbo has cemented its place in video gaming lore. The hype surrounding the release back in the summer of 1993 was palpable and surreal. I remember my brother buying this game on launch day and nobody in my gaming group was disappointed one iota. Looking back, it’s easy to see it’s not a perfect conversion of the 1992 arcade smash hit, but man, back in those olden days it sure felt pretty damn close to perfect. You have to remember that home consoles back then weren’t close to being as strong as arcade cabs. It’s amazing what Capcom was able to translate to the little ol’ 16-bit SNES. My friends and I wasted so many hours on this one. Good times.

MAKING A COMEBACK

With the recent news of Nintendo releasing the SNES Classic Edition, Street Fighter II Turbo is once again being brought back into the public consciousness. It’s the only fighting game featured in the package and if you could only pick one then Nintendo made the right call. Let the nostalgia commence.

THE STREET FIGHTER PHENOMENON

Seeing this back in the summer of ’93 was every kid’s dream come true. All 12 Street Fighters available at the tip of your fingers. Same character selects with no codes. Finally, no more excuses. Survival of the strongest. Many scores were settled and many bruises ensued. Even better, Capcom was cool enough to include both Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and Turbo in one package. Champion Edition allows you to control the four boss characters and select the same fighters. Turbo upped the ante by giving most of the original cast a new special move and added a speed setting. Many consider Turbo to be the definitive version of Street Fighter II.

Beat the bosses, BE the bosses. Brilliant, Capcom

Arguably Capcom's finest hour on the SNES... — Arguably Capcom’s finest hour on the SNES…

I still vividly remember to this day my brother rushing out to buy this game. I stayed at home counting down the minutes. Seeing my brother come back home with the Holy Grail firmly in his grasp was a moment of sheer euphoria. Experiencing the game in our living room, in all its 20 MEG glory, showing off the power of the SNES, it was crazy to see how far video gaming had come since the days of the 8-bit NES. Never was a system more aptly named than the SUPER Nintendo.

THE STREET FIGHTERS

The face of the franchise, this straight edge no nonsense warrior is all about the fight and nothing else. Some may call him a little vanilla, but Ryu is as solid and consistent as a rock. He’s the Leonardo of the crew, and I guess every franchise needs that one leading cat, eh?

Ryu’s stage is simply classic. Battle for supremacy on top of a private roof. A nearby dojo looms hauntingly in the background. Sadly, the moon is missing but back in 1993 none of us really cared. We were way too busy appreciating what we had.

Straight up two of the most iconic special moves in all of fighting game history.

Hurricane Kick can now be performed in mid-air.

Of course he was born on Valentine's Day — Of course he was born on Valentine’s Day

Every main protagonist needs a rival. Enter Ken, a flashier version of Ryu. Naturally, he’s a bit temperamental and one cocky son of a gun. Ken is perfect for those who want to control someone with Ryu’s moveset but has a little edge to their character.

There's nothing like seeing this on a Saturday morning — A sight that once dominated my Sunday mornings

Ken’s stage has always been one of my favorites. Being the complete opposite of Ryu in terms of personality, Ken wants a crowd to witness and worship his skills. Nothing gets him going more than humiliating his opponent in front of a packed house, or boat as it were. A pair of barrels propped to the right will shatter upon impact, adding insult to injury.

Similar moveset to Ryu but Ken’s Dragon Punch travels a bit farther.

Homie needs to cover up his junk better... — Homie needs to cover up his junk better…

The residential sumo grand champion, Edmund Honda is determined to show the world that a sumo champ can also be the world’s greatest fighter. I never much cared for Honda back in the day but over the years have come to appreciate him more.

Prepare for a blood bath [HAR HAR -Ed.] — Prepare for a blood bath *[HAR HAR -Ed.]*

E. Honda’s stage is awesome. I love the combination of colors used and that background mural is so bizarrely memorable. The best thing about this stage is when the fight is over, the mural lights up and the mural man flashes a sign at you. It’s bonkers.

Edmund uses his thick head to devastating results. “OOP OINK!” He also has the fastest hands around, unleashing hell in the form of a hundred hand BITCH SLAP. It’s been upgraded; Honda can perform it while inching toward his opponent.

Honda’s new move serves as a bit of an anti-air special, followed by a diving ass attack. Assack, perhaps.

Now with a fireball in tow -- the KIKOKEN! — Now with a fireball in tow — the KIKOKEN!

Many people think of Chun Li as being the first lady of fighting games. Other people have, AHEM, other thoughts about her but it would be inappropriate to cite said thoughts. You know her story. She’s out to avenge the death of her father who fell at the vile hands of M. Bison. She got arguably the best new move in Turbo as well. A fireball! Hey, it was a big deal back then.

Is that guy choking his chicken watching her? — He’s watching Chun Li while choking his chicken

He’s really got no shame, the git. Chun Li’s stage is another classic that is burned into my soul. Duke it out in front of a busy marketplace complete with cyclists passing through. Should you emerge victorious, you can then partake in buying some dinner or even get a haircut. All in a day’s hard work!

#NEVERSKIPPEDLEGDAY.

Remember what a big deal people made back in the early ’90s that Chun Li now has a fireball of her own? And on a side note, her annoying infamous head stomp returns as well.

"Quit blocking my barbershop post!" — *“Quit blocking my barbershop post, Chunners!”*

One of my favorite Capcom creations of all time

Ah, the tragic tale of Jimmy. The little boy who descended to the depths of a Brazilian jungle during a plane crash, only to be mutated and raised by the wild savages of the jungle. All that produced the beast you now see… BLANKA!

The music, the locals snapping photos to prove the existence of the beast, the savages cheering on from inside the hut packed in like a can of sardines, the giant clouds scrolling lazily by in the background, the giant anaconda wrapped around that decaying tree… this stage tells such a rich story and is perfection personified.

Blanka’s electric shock fits him so well. That x-ray animation is legendary. His rolling attack has been improved — Blanka no longer takes double damage if he’s hit during the attack.

Blanka’s new trick is a vertical rolling attack. It doubles as an anti-air move and it can also nail opponents on the way down.

Don't mess with a guy who wrestles with bears — Don’t mess with a guy who wrestles with bears

If Chun Li is the first lady of fighting games, then surely Zangief is the first muscle maniac of the genre. It takes a very skilled player to use Zangief effectively. I love how he wrestles bears for a hobby, and his scar-laced body is proof that he is certifiably a turnbuckle shy of a wrestling ring!

Held in the heartland of the USSR, factory workers take a break from the work grind to witness their beloved Zangief crush yet another poor victim.

Similar to Honda’s Hundred Hand Slap, the Spinning Clothesline can now move. It’s cool how a small change can actually make a big difference. His new move is a crushing German Suplex that would make ECW’s Taz proud!

Spinning Pile Driver still the most devastating move in the game!

Guile was always the "cool rebel" to us kids — Guile was always the “cool rebel” to us kids

There’s something cool about a good old American badass. Guile fits that role to a tee. He doesn’t have a lot of special moves but he makes each one count. Forget about Charlie, Guile is where it’s at!

Nothing like sending your foe through a crate — We called the guy in the middle there Cyclops…

Street Fighter II has some of the best stages in fighting game history. Guile’s is yet another example of such. The music of this stage is stuck in my head to this day, and it never gets old throwing your opponent through the crates.

Hadoken set the bench mark for all projectiles to follow, but I’d argue that the Sonic Boom is almost just as memorable. Remember how the jab version was so slow that it allowed you to bash your opponent’s head in with a well-timed back fist? You can’t do that with the Hadoken, that’s for damn sure!

Champion Edition tweaked the Flash Kick to hit two times. I was never a fan of this change. Thankfully, it’s back to the classic one hit in the Turbo edition. I’ve always been a huge fan of Guile’s Flash Kick. To me it’s just as iconic as the Dragon Punch and it looks way cooler.

[Very funny, NOT -Stretch Armstrong] — *[Very funny… NOT -Stretch Armstrong]*

Forever a perennial favorite of mine, Dhalsim was the first Street Fighter character I ever used. He was also the one I used when I perfected my brother’s annoying cocky friend at a 7-11 circa 1991. He had no answer for Dhalsim’s long limbs and his hubris was his ultimate downfall. Dhalsim and I have shared a lifelong connection ever since.

Seeing this brings back so many memories of 7-11

Yet another haunting stage. The elegant blue rug, the elephant god mural and of course, who could forget the elephants trumpeting at the end of each battle?

Dhalsim had the very unique ability of being able to stretch his limbs. This great gimmick was often copied in other fighting games from other companies. Hey, he was a trailblazer!

Teleportation is Dhalsim’s new special skill. Check out how he uses this new power to confuse, daze and nail his opponent!

Known for his signature fiery antics, he can spew a small fireball (Yoga Fire) or blow a larger one that is more short ranged but hits for more damage (Yoga Flame). The “on fire” animation is, no pun intended, seared into the memories of anyone who ever ventured through an arcade hall in the early ’90s.

In Japan he was originally called M. Bison

The first of the four boss characters, Balrog has always been the least interesting to me. He was a sign of the times; Capcom drew inspiration from “Iron” Mike Tyson.

Fighting under the bright lights of Las Vegas, combatants duke it out as strippers, pimps and tourists cheer the carnage on. Epic background.

Balrog’s two special moves consist of rushing punch variations. In fact, he is the only fighter in the game to never use his feet. It takes a skilled player to use him effectively.

The first time I ever saw Vega I remember thinking how cool he was. Vega to me seemed like a combination of Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers. It wasn’t long before I realized he was nothing more than a masked narcissist with a claw. Just a pretty boy, and nothing at all like those terrifying monsters of my youth. Needless to say, I didn’t like him as much then!

Remember the 1991 rumors of knocking off his mask? — You can knock his claw off, but not his mask

Dropped in the middle of an underground fighting world at an undisclosed location somewhere in Spain, the steel cage protects the spectators from the sheer chaos. But really, it serves as a tool for Vega to scale when things get too hot and heavy…

Vega’s rolling attack can connect several times and inflict a good deal of damage.

Nimble as a cat, Vega takes to the cage when all else fails. From here he can either pierce you with his razor sharp claw or catch you in an devastating overhead throw.

One of my favorite Capcom characters of all time — How many Asians you know are 7’4″?

In the first Street Fighter tournament, reigning champion Sagat was dethroned by a young warrior named Ryu. Ryu’s Dragon Punch left an enormous scar on his chest and ever since then the Thailand terror has been training 24/7, waiting for the perfect moment to exact his revenge.

Brings back memories of Jet Li's SHAOLIN TEMPLE — The chest scar, the eye patch… what a character

A giant Buddha statue oversees the battle as combatants wrestle to the death in this beautiful and serene stage. The temples in the backdrop remind me of the old 1982 Jet Li film, Shaolin Temple.

Sagat’s two Tiger Shots hits either high or low. Switch the velocity to keep your opponent on their toes.

Sagat’s Tiger Knee connects on the ground for up to two devastating hits, and doubles as an anti-air attack to boot.

Needing to counter Ryu’s lethal Dragon Punch, the deadly Tiger Uppercut came to life. His chest scar is a daily reminder of the pain and humiliation he suffered in the first tournament. Seeking vengeance, Sagat believes his Tiger Uppercut will be the difference maker.

Remember how much we hated M. Bison as kids when he was in Street Fighter II? And remember how much we wanted to control him just so we could pull off his Psycho Crusher? Street Fighter II Turbo made our dreams come true.

The sky paints such an ominous backdrop. Towering golden statues decorate each side of the stage which you can send your opponent crashing through. A massive bell that looks like it came straight out of a Bob Ross water painting rests center stage.

Scissor Kick can hit up to two times, one high and one low. Tricky and deadly!

Jumping high, Bison plants both feet into your skull and then flies backwards to smash your temple in with his tyrannical fist. OUCH!

You felt so badass screaming across the screen!

BONUS STAGES

Who could ever forget the first time seeing the car bonus stage? It’s an iconic gaming sight, and one that still resonates more than 25 years later.

Bricks don't hit back — Bricks don’t hit back

Bonus stages were a fighting game staple of the '90s — Bonus stages became a staple for the genre

THE MAN IN THE MOUNTAIN

When we were kids my brother and I believed that was none other than Dhalsim on the front cover showing off his new teleportation special move. Fast forward some odd 15 years to 2008, I posted my memories about this on a message board and everyone there told me “No, it’s just Honda and Sagat on the cover.” I wasn’t so quick to buy in, though, as I assumed everyone thought back in the day the same thing that my brother and I did. The debate somehow summoned the original artist of the SNES Street Fighter II Turbo cover into the fold. He claimed that the strange bald figure seen on the cover is NOT Dhalsim. I asked him who was it then, but he never got back to me. The mural man doesn’t look a damn thing like the bald guy we see on the cover. Strange. I guess we’ll never know for sure. But I still stand by my original statement… to me it was clever Capcom showing off Dhalsim’s brand new special skill. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! #childhoodconvictions

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

1993 -- what a time for a gamer to be alive — 1993 — what a time for a gamer to be alive

Street Fighter II Turbo was a smash hit with the critics. It earned Game of the Month accolades with EGM, posting scores of 9, 9, 10 and 10. GameFan gave it ratings of 98, 98, 99 and 100%. Super Play rated it a whopping 96% — the highest score they ever dished out. This port is widely considered as one of the BEST arcade to home translations on the SNES. In terms of top 100 lists, Nintendo Power ranked it #10, EGM had it at #5 and Super Play placed it at #2.

Street Fighter II Turbo ranked high on many lists — *Street Fighter II Turbo* ranked high on many lists

WHAT YOU, THE READERS, SAID

Which SNES Street Fighter game got the most votes? — Which SNES *Street Fighter* game got the most votes?

More than a decade ago, way back in February 2007, on my old original RVGFanatic website I ran a survey asking my readers to vote for their favorite SNES Street Fighter game. You voiced your opinion loudly. Now, more than 10 years later, the final results are in. Come on, you didn’t think I would lose those figures, right? Don’t answer that. While obviously not conclusive — this is one small sample after all — it’s interesting to see nevertheless. 10% prefer the very first one while 39% voted for Super Street Fighter II. It was no shock that Street Fighter II Turbo won the poll with a stirring 51% of the votes. I love all the SNES Street Fighter games (yes, even 1996’s Street Fighter Alpha 2) but Street Figher II Turbo to me will forever be the king.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Street Fighter II Turbo forever holds a special place in my heart. It gave me and my gaming crew so many fond memories over the years. For my money, it is without a shadow of a doubt the best fighting game on the Super Nintendo. At the time it blew all of us away. And while it’s true that it isn’t a perfect conversion of the arcade (nobody expected it to be), it still made for the perfect SNES fighting game. Even though there have been arcade-perfect ports of Street Fighter II Turbo released on other systems over the years, I still find myself coming back to the SNES version and having a blast. Maybe I’m a little blinded by nostalgia but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t still hold up well nearly 25 years later.

No, it definitely doesn’t.

Graphics: 10
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10
Longevity: 10

Overall: 10
PLATINUM AWARD

When you talk about Super Nintendo’s very finest, any discussion excluding Street Fighter II Turbo should automatically be null and void. It was a video gaming revolution — a special time we’re likely never to see again. I’m thankful I got to witness it first-hand.

Long live the memories — Long live the king