I think SFIV is balanced very well, however from a hardcore fighting fan's view, I would saw third strike is superior in terms of gameplay, Hell, I was playing it on my Dreamcast just last night.

It's just faster paced, less user (n00b) friendly, and has more depth and that is how I like my fighters. Fuck what anyone says, I love the parry system and being able to choose between three different supers at the character select screen. The one thing I am not so how on is the roster in SF3, alot the characters are simply lame IMO and don't fit into the SF universe.

Ideally I would love the SFIV roster playing on the Third Strike engine.

EDIT: Also, I love the vs. fighters (especially MvC2) although its impossible to argue that it is more balanced or even as balanced as the first. I just love the three person tag system and frantic gameplay. I use it to relax after playing SF, as SF is much more tedious and intense (especially with two skilled players). MvC is refreshing and I feel like there is less pressure when playing it. Also the team combinations are epic

Syd Lexia wrote:

How come only SF3 3rd Strike is an option? Why not SF3: The New Generation or SF3 Second Impact? Also, I fucking hate the Alpha series.

Because Third Strike is superior to the previous two iterations. More characters, etc.

Also, yea the Alpha series is wack.

Burt Reynolds wrote:

Also, Seth is a cheater. While gill was annoying as hell, and definitely a challenge, it didn't feel like i was being cheated the same as when you fight seth.

I would actually say, out loud, "He is FUCKING cheating" some times while fighting him, the way he gets you with that one super where he blasts you at the screen is so bullshitty, he can essentially suck you up and grab you from anywhere. I hate when people use him as well.

I have always been a big Bison enthusiast, but my favorite new character is Viper, she is fucking nasty.

A good Abel can put someone under the ground very fast, I have experienced this first hand too many times.

Syd Lexia wrote:

SSBB does not have shitty new characters or shitty music. But the fighting engine is awful. It should have been the Melee fighting engine with Wavedashing and L-Cancel removed. Instead, they nerfed air combat, added in tripping, and gave us Final Smashes, the most overhyped game feature ever. Thank God there's an option to turn the Final Smashes off... it makes the game so much more fun. And yeah, the characters are completely unbalanced. The characters have always been unbalanced in Smash Brothers though. Which is why if someone tells you that they only play Final Destination, no items, 1 on 1, stock match, you can be sure they're a complete asshole. If it's Melee, they'll pick inevitably pick Marth and proceed to play like a complete fucking douchebag.

Me and my circle of friends have played SSBM (by far) more than any other game ever created, literally like 4-5 years sunk into that game. I do agree the game is very unbalanced character wise, Fox, Falco, Shiek, Marth and to an extent Cap. Falcon are unbelievably broken. That scenario you described (1v1, no items, final destination levels) is what you come to after playing the game into the ground. Its solely done to increase the balance in the game, everyone knows that the items are broken as a motherfucker (not to mention annoying).

The first couple years we played Melee we were very traditional with our setup, items, any level, all that good stuff; I despised it when certain friends would want to turn off the items. However, after time you begin to realize that "god damnit, I am better than this person, I should have won, yet a wondering Bob-Omb came into the screen out of nowhere and blew me to hell". fucking bullshit. I eventually came to start turning off items, and not playing levels that gave unfair advantages, or are simply just poor example of level design for a fighting game. I just want to fight on a nice, flat, balanced surface where all you focus on is the fighting, levels like Pokefloats and shit like that force you to think about platforming, making the fighting aspect of the game play second fiddle. I am not a fan of this, so yea, I mostly play levels like FD and Battlefield, Yoshi's Island, Fountain of Dreams, etc. Look at other fighters like SF, different levels aren't really different levels, they are all just like FD (and Calista Flockheart) FLAT, with no obstacles, the only difference is the background, which as gorgeous as they might be, are generic and interchangeable.

Anyways, I love Melee and Brawl made me very sad, which is a shame because I really like the cast in that game. I always wish I could play with characters like Pkmn Trainer and Sonic on the Melee engine.

RobotGumshoe wrote:

SF4. Everything is floaty, and the new characters are the stupidest things ever (with the exception of Abel). It just doesn't feel right, after playing it a while. Third Strike is gaming gold. Impacts are precise and solid, the supers are sufficiently impressive to satisfy spectacle hunger, and the characters are distinctive in moveset and personality. Its a deep deep game that deserves the respect it gets. Plus, Q inspired my avatar.

I agree with everything you said, also I thought about/noticed that everytime I chose Q as my fighter. But yea, SFIII is soooo deep, the parry system is fantastic, it seems impossible at first, but you get start to get this premonition where you just feel the attacks coming and you eventually get the hang of it. Its the shit like that in which makes it unbelievable.

Knyte wrote:

I want mindless fun, I'll play SFIII or SFIV.

SFIII is too serious and intense IMO to be mindless, the controls are also not so n00b friendly, SFIV on the other hand...

On a side note, I cannot wait for Capcom v. Tatsunoko, I STILL can't believe that game is making the trip overseas (and so soon!). The online should be incredible, its the same team that put together the SFII HD Remix online component. It looks like the ultimate Vs. fighter, Viewtiful Joe FTW.

Cru33 wrote:

Seth is only a cheater when the computer uses him, in MP seth only has 700 HP and dies so fast it's rediculous. SF4 is by far the best and MOST balanced SF ever. Even dan is a viable option.

I would say they did a great job in balancing it, although I feel SFII: HD remix is a very close second in terms of balance.

I just don't think that it is as deep as SFIII and the depth of a fighter is what truly matters.

Cru33 wrote:

Andrew Man wrote: Cru33 wrote: Seth is only a cheater when the computer uses him, in MP seth only has 700 HP and dies so fast it's rediculous. SF4 is by far the best and MOST balanced SF ever. Even dan is a viable option. I would say they did a great job in balancing it, although I feel SFII: HD remix is a very close second in terms of balance. I just don't think that it is as deep as SFIII and the depth of a fighter is what truly matters. I personally feel that with the Supers, Ultra's, and various ways to use Focus attacks Defensively AND Offensively, that SF4 has more depth than most people give it credit for. Also The focus cancel adds SO much to combos if you can pull it off. I dunno, maybe it's just me, but I really think there is more variation and depth to SF4 than most people give it credit for.

First of all, I am not saying there is no depth in IV. I love to use focus cancels to absorb attacks and such, I am just saying there is not as much skill involved.

To focus, you simply need to press to buttons at the same time, to parry, granted its only pushing the stick forward, but you have to time it perfectly. its just so fucking epic once you get the hang of it. Even though I like the cast in IV more, III definitely has the superior fighting engine.

I know this vid has made many appearances before, but it's the SFIII: 3rd Strike final round from EVO 2004. This is one the most epic fighting vids I have ever seen, pay close attention to the last match how Ken comes back and is able to parry every hit of Chun-Li's super, the crowd fucking loses it and I almost explode.

Pay close attention to the 2:45 mark.

Cru33 wrote:

Is that the same fight of the video where the loser gets so pissed off and runs out of the room angry? I'm sure you know which video I'm talking about. [Edit: I looked it up and yes, it is]

After that comeback and beatdown, I know I would.