Street Fighter Alpha 3 is widely regarded as one of the best 2D fighting games of all time. It's still a blast to play today -- with loads of fighters, great gameplay, and a ton of modes. A pared-down GBA port kept the fundamentals, but leave it to the PSP to bring back all that made the console versions great, plus much more.

This baby's got it all. Start with the roster, which is arguably the best in the genre. All your old Street Fighter favorites return -- you've got Alpha exclusives like Rose and Adon, while four new butt-kickers on the block show up. The SFA rookies aren't the most dynamic lot, but adding to such a powerful cast is never a bad thing.

Alpha 3 MAX has almost as many modes as characters. World Tour mode is an amazing single-player experience, adding RPG elements to your fighting. Then there's good ol' arcade, several combinations of two-on-one bouts, and a tag mode for up to three-on-three. Putting a twist on Survival, Vs. 100 Kumite has you brawling with 100 fighters in a row; but instead of ending when you lose, the train keeps on rolling until you've fought all 100. Don't worry, you'll still be able to play the beloved Survival against multiple opponents simultaneously -- it's still one of the best modes in the game.

Ad-hoc multiplayer supports almost every single game type, and is a definite boon to SFA 3 MAX's enjoyment. It's a shame Capcom didn't include Internet support on top of it. Playing against players all over the world -- like the Xbox Street Fighter Anniversary -- would've made things that much sweeter.

In terms of graphics and sound, this game does right by the PSP. The character sprites are so much smoother than other versions, with bright and vivid backgrounds. Street Fighter Alpha 3 looks as good as 2D can. The music sounds great, as does the announcer and fighter voices. Neither audio nor graphics push the PSP to its limits, but it's an aesthetically pleasing title to be sure. The only thing missing is a replay of the closing moments of a fight -- something Capcom has neglected to include for some time.

Street Fighter Alpha 3 allows you to pick an -ism to cater to your particular style. X-ism is n00b-friendly; A-ism is middle road; V-isms are for those creative enough to craft custom combos. All the intricacies of gameplay are here -- guard breaks, throw escapes, air blocks, etc. This portable port doesn't skimp on any of the action.

RETAIL PRICE (in stores): $29.99

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