Unveiled at this week's Nintendo Switch event in New York, Ultra Street Fighter II will bring the most iconic fighting game ever made to Switch. But a lot of that legacy has to do with its place in history, and it's been a long time since the game's original 1992 release. During yesterday's Nintendo Treehouse livestream showcasing some of the Switch's key titles, producer Yoshinori Ono and a panel of Capcom and Nintendo representatives offered a few details about makes this version of the game so "Ultra."
First, they mentioned that although the game looks reminiscent of Street Fighter 2's last version, HD Remix, that latter's changes to gameplay in HD Remix, making the game play more like the Super Turbo iteration instead (whether this means players have the option to turn of the HD Remix changes or if the game foregoes them entirely is unclear). However, in keeping with modern fighting games, the game will have online multiplayer.
Additionally, Ono mentioned that one of the new characters, Violent Ken (previously seen in the SNK crossover fighting game, SVC Chaos) was "a little bit easier to get into" for newer players, according to Ono. "So if players are stuck on which character to start off with, we definitely suggest starting off with Violent Ken." Finally, Ono mentioned that, although some of the game's additional modes have yet to be announced, the game should have something for veteran players and newcomers alike.
[Source: Nintendo Treehouse stream]
Our Take
The HD Remix changes let you tinker with a lot of the game's aspects, so if they're gone this time around, that's a bummer. But it's good to know the newer characters are aimed at introducing a new generation of people to Street Fighter, especially on a platform where local play is such an integral part of the fun.