Dreamcast
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
| Graphics: Sound: Gameplay: Overall: |
8.19 8.29 8.27 8.26 |
| Votes: | 62 |
| Reviews: | 1 |
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| Reviewer: ReesesInPieces | Date: Dec 15, 2022 |
| Street Fighter III: Third Strike is what many would consider the greatest fighting game of all time. Capcom perfected the 2D fighting game with this release but unfortunately was done so during the revolution of the 3rd dimension. For a while, Street Fighter 3 was considered a dying game. But thanks to the viral clip of Evo Moment 37 turning eyes to 3rd Strike, the game was revitalized and seen as one of the greatest Street Fighters of all time.
Graphics: 10 The graphics and animation in 3rd Strike are a work of art. Character sprites are impressively huge and detailed, showcasing the raw artistic talent in this game. Backgrounds are good-looking and memorable, with fights taking place in train stations, crowded marketplaces, nightclubs, and on top of buildings. The animation in 3rd Strike is godlike and might be even better that the animation in future Street Fighters. Every character moves unbelievably smoothly, making every frame of action a feast for the eyes. The UI is simple and shows only what needs to be shown. Health, stun, meter, and time. The graphics in Street Fighter 3 are sublime, and a visual treat. Sound: 10 This soundtrack. Oh, my god. What a soundtrack. 3rd strike goes for a more jungle/drum-n'-bass-oriented soundtrack, resulting in a breath of fresh air from other fighting games in the sound department. The soundtrack isn't afraid to blend genres together, as seen with the rap on Let's Get It On and Moving On, or the jazz in Jazzy NYC '99. There is no song in 3rd Strike that I find bad or underwhelming, which does not happen often (Jet Set Radio, which I think has one of the best soundtracks ever, has a couple of bad songs). Sound effects are varied while still being consistently satisfying to hear, making every hit, parry, or super feel that much better. The announcer sounds really good too. 3rd Strike's sound is fresh and unique. Gameplay: 9 The gameplay, while slower and much different from other fighting games of the time, helped 3rd Strike eventually find its own niche. Instead of selecting multiple super attacks, the player can only select one super, each with a different meter length. This adds an extra layer of strategy to the game, as some supers might be better on some opponents than others. A chunk of meter can be burned for 'EX Moves', powered-up versions of normal supers. Unfortunately, the game isn't well balanced, with characters like Chun-Li and Yun being infinitely better than characters like Sean and Twelve. The parry system is an ingenious addition, nullifying an attack and creating an opening, but with a very small window to do so, creating a high-risk, high-reward maneuver. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike's balancing of characters is not good, but every other aspect of gameplay is. Overall: 10 Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike is near perfection for the fighting genre. The only thing bad about this game is the balance, and that's IT. EVERY other aspect of the game is beautifully executed, and I mean it. 3rd Strike is a masterpiece that was ahead of its time and will continue to live on. |
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