Let the dividing line be drawn when the question "What was your favorite Street Fighter game?" is asked. Some people will easily point to the grandaddy that started the fighting revolution, Street FIghter II, as their all time fave. Others, however, will turn to something out of the Alpha sub-series, where a better focus was given to the animation and fighting styles, while not forgetting about the energy-fueled gameplay that made the series such a hit to begin with. Me? Well, I'm not just gonna pick one out of a hat, but let me provide a bit of comfort by saying that those who liked the old games have them in the Street Fighter Anniversary Collection, and those who liked Alpha will have their own bone-breaking compilation soon enough.

Street Fighter Alpha Anthology looks to be another big hit of a retro collection from Capcom, following up on their arcade and Street Fighter releases from years past. This features four games from the Alpha chronicles, as well as a forgotten favorite that's sure to draw lots of whimsy from those SD-loving freaks, as well as those who seek oddity and strangeness from a fighting game.

The five selections that are on hand are Street Fighter Alpha, the one that started the series with a meager few fighters but a delectable style and a dramatic tone; Street Fighter Alpha 2, an improved chapter with more fighters and backdrops; Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold, an enhanced version of the second game with more variations of characters (you might have seen it in the 32-bit release Street Fighter Collection); Street Fighter Alpha 3, a game that introduced even MORE fighters, as well as adaptable styles and a more challenging battle system; and Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, a game introduced on the PlayStation years ago as Pocket Fighter, which features super-deformed brawlers using cartoonish moves to knock away enemies and collect gems.

We had some hands-on time with the collection and, thus far, they all appear to play rather smoothly, just like their arcade counterparts. Whether you use the digital or analog pads, we found no discomfort in pulling off moves. Granted, the customized Street Fighter pads were built for a game like this, so you'll probably want to stick with those upon the game's arrival (especially when you consider the button placement on a typical PlayStation 2 controller). The graphics looked to be well emulated from their arcade counterparts, without even a hint of abundant loading at hand. And the music? Pure Capcom.

There are options aplenty in these games, too. Each of the games give you the option to either select Arcade, where you embark in a one-player battle against numerous computer opponents; Training, where you practice your moves against AI while setting up scenarios; and Versus, where you face off against another human fighter. The Alpha games will also have two additional modes to offer hungry fans- Survival, where you battle opponent after opponent with just one life bar; and Dramatic Battle, where you can engage in epic two-on-one battles, like M. Bison against Ryu and Ken...just like in the anime film.

And the mix is pretty refreshing. There's an Alpha here for everyone, whether you're the hardcore purist who can't enough of a certain "ism", or someone who always appreciated the first game the most, kinda like I did. And Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix is in a league of its own, mixing hilarious animation style with a combo beat-em-up system, where you can see everything from demons to fish to all sorts of strange creatures pop up in your battle for gems. Weird, but fun.

However, I do want to address a couple of things. First, the game is lacking in terms of extras. I think this would've been a great opportunity for interviews with producers to address the history of the Alpha brand. Also, it hasn't been confirmed if any kind of online play would be included. I think that's a missed opportunity in itself. I go to my local arcade and still see people crowded around an Alpha 3 machine...and it's YEARS old.

But, past those glitches, Street Fighter Alpha Anthology looks to be a winner in Capcom's line-up, bringing us more beat-em-up madness when we already had plenty. Hey, "give 'em more" is a wonderful logic to live by. We'll be back with a full review upon the game's unleashing to the public this summer, as well as a debate on how badly a super-deformed Ken can beat up the real thing. Place your bets, people!