"Street Fighter Alpha on GB? Can they do that?"

The answer to my own question is yes, they can. Now, can they do it well? No, they can’t. I was rather skeptic of this game when I first read about it, and after playing it I can confirm that skepticism: Street Fighter Alpha for the Gameboy is not good.

Gameplay: 3/10
How fun can a six-button fighting game be, when you only have two buttons to use? The GB controller scheme is just all wrong for a Street Fighter game. A long time fan of the series, and owner of the PS version of the original SFA, I have memorized a good deal of character moves and combos throughout my 7-8 year Street Fighter addiction. When I picked up my trusty little Gameboy and tried to pull of some of the classics, a Dragon Punch, a Hurricane Kick, a classic Hadouken Fireball, I was frustrated and sorely disappointed. It’s as if the unresponsive controls take your command as a mere suggestion as to what will actually happen on-screen.

Graphics: 3/10
The Street Fighter series has reached a new all-time low as far as visuals go. I know, it IS the Gameboy. But, I don’t care you can NOT play a Street Fighter game and get any true enjoyment out of it while you have to look at a screen with blocky characters on it. At least the graphics do something to salvage the visuals of the original moves and combos. The stagnant backgrounds resemble nothing of a true, lively Street Fighter background.

Audio: 3/10
Little beeps and blips are terrible to begin with. But when they replace the normal driving, upbeat music and enjoyable sound effects of a real Street Fighter game, it’s just wrong. One of the best parts about a Street Fighter game is hearing you character taunt another; or hearing the crunch of your opponent’s face as it hits the pavement. Those are nowhere to be found in this title.

Replay Value: 2/10
If you can suffer through this game once, I don’t see why you could ever want to touch it again. With elements such as SFA3’s World Tour Mode, I can’t see how you could ever get ‘hooked’ to this game when its just fighting, fighting, fighting... with no truly satisfying reward.

Overall Score: 2/10 (not an average)

This game is horrible, just horrible... avoid it if you can. Better luck next time, Capcom.

~Gilgarash (gilgarash@hotmail.com) – 3 July, 2000

Reviewer's Score: 2/10, Originally Posted: 07/04/00, Updated 07/04/00