Monday 2 December 2013

Review: Street Fighter 2010 - The Final Fight (NES)

Street Fighter 2010 - title screen
Title screen of Street Fighter 2010 - The Final Fight (US version)
Street Fighter 2010 - The Final Fight (or 2010: Street Fighter in Japan) is not really a Street Fighter game. It has nothing to do with Street Fighter except in the US version the main character called as Ken (Kevin Stryker in te JP version).



It's a challenging platformer game, A very challenging platformer. It's difficult and rewarding and fun. Let's see the story (from the original US manual):

STORY

"Ken grew up in a world of violence. He mastered the martial arts at a
very early age and went on a global tour to challenge the greatest Street
Fighters of the world. He was victorious. Upon returning to his home
country he enrolled at Bargham University and began his life study in
the field of Cybotics. While at Bargham, he was befriended by a gifted
classmate named Troy. After many years, they perfected a revolutionary
discovery they named Cyboplasm.

This substance, when properly administered, could make a man several
times stronger than normal. This came at a good time, for mankind had
just perfected travel to the "frontier" of other worlds. Ken had no
interest in traveling to the new frontier, but he was glad their invention
could be helpful.

One day he came to their lab and found it nearly destroyed. His partner
Troy was killed, and their formula was stolen. The killer escaped to the
new worlds. Ken knew he must avenge his fallen friend. He now has a
very keen interest in the frontier.."

The story is not bad, also we get further information about the plot within the game. There are few cut scenes in it too.

PS.: I don't know, how the Japanese version's story differs.

7/10

GAMEPLAY

So it's a platformer and a little bit weird one. Ken (or Kevin) uses some kind of fist cannon, he can shoot forward, can shoot upward, he can shoot diagonally (by pressing down and B), he can jump and backflip and while he is backflipping, he can shoot downward. Also there is mid-air forward shoot, which can be done once, but it's stronger than the normal attack. Also there are two different power ups, one make the backflip better, it can damage enemies, the other one is some kind of energy orb defending your back. Also you can climb on walls, jump from them.

The stages has high variety. Some stages aer simple boss fights, in some of them you need to kill multiple enemies to advance, and there are scrolling stages too (both vertical and horizontal). As you kill enemies, your "OPEN" meter goes up. If it's full, a portal opens, you need to find and enter into it in 10 seconds. If you are late, you are dead and you lose 1 life. Bosses fills up the "OPEN" meter maximum.

Street Fighter 2010 - Portal
The Portal

Some enemies are tough, some of them can be defeated in one hit, but you need to learn the controls very well. It's easy to play, hard to master. Weapon power ups are the third kind of power-ups in the game, they're very often, and it can increase your fist cannon's range and power. If you die, you lose the power ups. They really make the game easier, but with good skills, they don't needed to beat the game which is fair.

Also you have unlimited continues and 5 lives to start with, still it can be frustrating but also if you like challenge, you just don't want to shut the game down, you want to be better and better and you'll get your reward.

In overall, it's a hard game with fun gameplay.

PS.: Last stage is really, really hard!!!

8/10

GRAPHICS

The graphics are pretty good for an NES game. There are totally different areas, there is high variety of colors, so it looks pretty good! There are different kind of enemies, huge, good looking bosses, It's great and pleasant for the eye. Also the animations are pretty fluid too. Sometimes there are little slowdowns, but it's bearable, not a big deal.

Street Fighter 2010 - Boss

8/10


SOUNDS AND MUSIC

Sounds are very good fit to this kind of game. The explosions, the hit sounds are all satisfying. The music in one word: BADASS. Really, the game has a great original soundtrack.



8.5/10

CONTROLS

Well, I explained it in the gameplay section. It's pretty fluid, easy to get used to it. It's nothing difficult except sometimes you need to press jump and up mid-air to hang on some platforms. Well, this is needed in rare cases and it's not necessary (but you'll take damage), but sometimes I had problems with it. Mainly, because you have to use this very rarely and there was no place to practice it. So I don't say, this ability doesn't work well, it does work well, just it needs practice. I remember how many times I died at second to last stage because of this.
Controls are good, but you need to used to it.

2010 - Street Fighter stage 3


8/10

RECOMMENDED TO REPLAY?

This game doesn't add anything new after you completed it, however only for challenge, I can recommend to play it over if you liked it. As I said, it's easy to play, hard to master, for a perfect run, you need lot of practice and patience. The game is very satisfying to complete.

6/10

In overall Street Fighter 2010 - The Final Fight is a really fun, challenging game. Yes, it's title is misleading, but if we don't look at it, we get a pretty solid platformer.

Recommended? YES, if you like challenge, NO if you get frustrated quickly. This game is hard, not recommended for everyone.

OVERALL SCORE: 8.0/10

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