In addition to the main arcade mode, you get the vs. mode, where you can have player and CPU controlled opponents in various combinations battle out against each other, there is a standard style practice mode and a challenge mode that sets goals for performing certain challenges such as learning a characters moves and there is a gallery and player/character stats pages to keep everyone happy so you can see just what you have achieved.

For the most part the game plays well with a hefty chunk of moves, options, combos and new features. The most interesting one being focus attack, where you charge up a deadly move and unleash it upon your opponent, charged long enough it is unblockable. Add in that you can abort a special move to perform one of these it offers a new level of tactics where you have to keep an eye on your opponent rather than just keep spamming the same attack pattern, which is kind of defeated at times by the AI.

Generally it is well pitched offering a graduated challenge curve but there are times when it just seems to have almost given up. Seth the όber end boss has multiple styles and is just too damn hard for mere mortals. As in SF2, if you win the first round of combat against Seth then the AI ramps the challenge up, usually to a level where you feel that the only way to defeat him is by pure luck – this includes the easiest mode. Even the original Bison gave you an impression that he could be defeated by graft and skill, Seth just pulls off move after move after move.

This is not restricted to just Seth but he is by far the worst offender. Sagat, C.Viper and Abel all do a great imitations of button spammers. It can get very tired of being anywhere near Abel and suddenly being grabbed and flung sideways – again.

The worst point though is in the "rival" matches. Some are horrifically difficult where as others are so simple you wonder why Sagat against Ryu is over quickly as Sagat unleashes a series of Tiger Fires and Uppercuts that leave no room to breath, whilst El Fuerte does a series of Benny Hill impressions against Blanka and gets mauled. Further more some of the choices of rivals are odd, such as Blanka's rival El Fuerte. It seem to be based on the latter wearing a mask and Blanka not liking that! Bewildering.

The new characters do however fit in nicely, El Fuerte, Rufus, Abel and C. Viper all have strengths and depths that work, I can see some becoming favourites. Their move sets are powerful, they have stories that work and some are just damn fun to play. As you would expect over time you can unlock other characters, slowly revealing the hidden faces, adding to how well you do elsewhere.

Anyone who has played any SF2 or 3 title will be able to pick up and play, the moves are mostly there and all it takes is to familiarise yourself with the configuration on the PS3 – though you can set it up to almost match the setup of the SNES games. In game responses are crisp and do what they should when they should and pulling off an Ultra-Combo is satisfying when you do so. It should be mentioned that the combo system has been ungraded, with gauges building as you dish out and receive damage, allowing even a nearly dead fighter one last chance at victory.

Despite the flaws – and many may not see them as flaws – there is a verve, a swagger to Street Fighter IV that over comes them. With the rocking soundtrack, the at times beautifully crafted interleaving story and the juxtaposition between graphical styles in the movies and the game engine all conspire to make this a staggeringly satisfying game to play and enjoy. With the integrated online play you never quite know when a challenge will come along, frequently at the worst time. This is a game that has taken the best of now, inserted it into the best of then and given us something that is just a tad special. This is retro-play at its finest whilst proving that you can go back and meet the future.