As "tired" as the Street Fighter series might have been getting at the time, Super Street Fighter II Turbo ended up being a watermark in Capcom's record-setting fighting game franchise. Not only did the game keep all of its diverse characters and settings, it introduced much-wanted speed adjustment options and the ability to pull off a "super move", letting players finish off their opponents with devastating blows. The game has since faded away into obscurity with the rise of more intricate fighting games, but it'll make a return this fall with Capcom's Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.

Players select from a group of culturally diverse fighters, each varying in speed and power. They span from all over the globe, in such locations as Brazil (the jungle fighter Blanka), the USSR (the bear-wrestler Zangief), Hong Kong (the Bruce Lee-inspired Fei Long) and Thailand (the fully ripped Sagat). Along with the cast of sixteen characters from Super Street Fighter II, players also have the option of unlocking the secretive Akuma. This warrior uses the same fighting style as Ken and Ryu, but harnesses devil-like abilities, aligning them with a much darker (and greater) power.

Capcom assures players that the game play remains the same as the arcade original. Gamers can adjust the speed of a match any way they see fit, whether staying on one star and maintaining a casual pace or going all the way up to eight stars and leaping madly around the screen like Mexican jumping beans. While the controls may take a little getting used to with the traditional Xbox 360 and SIXAXIS controllers (a dedicated Xbox 360 or PS3 fighting pad would be excellent), players may configure their buttons in the option menu at any time, like with previous Street Fighter II games. The "super move" also makes its return, a special attack that can be unleashed once players fill up a power meter on the bottom of the screen. From there, they execute a multifaceted double joystick-button maneuver, with the fighter unleashing a nearly unstoppable attack to finish off opponents.

The game will support 1080p graphics, appearing sharper than ever on high-definition televisions and monitors. Furthermore, the fighters themselves should possess much greater details than ever before, with each one being delicately re-animated without sacrificing the character and mannerisms that fighting fans have come to know and love. While Capcom didn't have a running version of the game at its recent Gamers' Day event in San Francisco, it did show a comparison sheet, pointing out the distinction between how fighters looked then and how they will appear in this new version.

Like Capcom's previous Street Fighter II release for Xbox Live, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix fully supports online play for both Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. Players can hop into a ranked match at any time, matching up with equally skilled fighters and keeping track of their stats through an easily accessible online leaderboard. A Capcom rep assured attendees that the final game will not suffer from the awful lag that plagued Street Fighter II during its initial release. In addition, the game showcases voice chat, so players can talk smack to each other -- just like they would standing side-by-side at an arcade cabinet. For those needing a little more experience in the fighting arena, the game should also includes a training mode, where they can practice combos and other maneuvers, including the "super moves".

Providing Capcom makes due on its promises, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix should be a fine addition to the downloadable services. Look for its latest brawling masterpiece to pummel gamers everywhere later this fall. "Shoryuken!"

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