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App Army Assemble: Street Fighter IV: Champion Edition - Was it worth putting on mobile again?

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App Army Assemble: Street Fighter IV: Champion Edition - Was it worth putting on mobile again?

Capcom recently relaunched Street Fighter IV on mobile with the Champion Edition tag, but not much really changed. It's still ugly, runs poorly, and is far too expensive.

It doesn't help that the framerate is pretty poor too. It just seems to struggle along at a snail pace, which is odd for a game that just isn't a looker.

But at its core, Street Fighter IV is a solid beat 'em up that works pretty well on mobile. The touch controls might not be up there with a proper controller, but they work well enough.

Our mixed feelings were well-reflected at review. We gave it a five, and said: "Street Fighter 4: Champion Edition doesn't really work on mobile. One to give a miss for now".

We called on the App Army for a second opinion though, and here's what they had to say.

Laura Egri

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This isn't a good looking game, and looks outdated. It plays decently on mobile though, if you don't mind having half of the screen covered in virtual controls. Sure, you can use a controller but not everyone has one.

It grabs you when it comes to the actual fighting though. It's fast, entertaining, and captures the feel of a real bash. It's easy to learn and master the skills, even as a newbie.

This clearly relies heavily on nostalgia. It's okay but not impressive and definitely not groundbreaking.

Paul Manchester

Fighting games are all about responsive controls and fluid gameplay. This has neither. Frames drop all over the place, resulting in the fluidity and smoothness of a Klingon's face.

Add to that the virtual controls that give you the co-ordination and skills of a blindfolded toddler creating a hand painting and all you are left with is comparable to Ryu's skidmarked gym pants.

If you want to play a fighting game, get an emulator and joystick. Picade I'm looking at you. Want to play a mobile game? Choose one of the many amazing games designed for mobile out there.

Oybek Kuchkarov
I don't like the menu - it's full of unnecessary icons. There are loads of modes to play though, like arcade, survival, ranked match, and free match.

You can buy skins for characters in the store as well, which is cool. The graphics are amazing, and I like almost everything in the game, but Capcom should work on the menu.

Lalol Hernández Gómez

If you're looking for a game to take full advantage of your phone's potential, this is not the game for you. But if you can put that aside and focus on the gameplay, this is a decent fighter you can take on the go.

The graphics really are outdated though, and the controls are too complicated for mobile. You might just forgive it if you're nostalgic though.

Oksana Ryan

I was looking forward to playing this game but it fell short of expectations. It had all that you would expect from Street Fighter but as with many console games that have been converted for iOS it had one flaw - the controls.

It played okay on my iPad Pro with it resting on my knee so that I had two hands completely free. The graphics aren't brilliant but all in all the essence of the game is there but I'm not overenthused.

Aaron Carey

For me this is bliss. I grew up with Street Fighter II Turbo on the SNES and I've been dreaming of a decent fighting game on iOS for years. I had both Volt and II Collection on iPhone but never got on with the touch controls.

MFi Controller support has changed everything! I've not had any framerate issues on my iPhone 6 and playing the game is amazing with a physical controller! Yes the graphics are a bit dated, but the gameplay is fluid and fun!

The only downside for me is the lack of attack levels (soft, medium, and hard punches and kicks) but it's still a lot of fun! I highly recommend it!

Blake Hemsley

Falls way below expectations. By 2017 we deserve far better than this. Glad I have Ultra for the Switch as this is well below what their third-crack at this title should be. Not recommended.

Glen Fox

My experience largely echoes the mixed sentiments expressed so far. It's ugly - real ugly, runs poorly, and is far too expensive for what you get.

Despite this, it's still Street Fighter IV. The touch controls are surprisingly decent as well, and I had no trouble chucking Hadoukens all over the place.

Whether or not it's worth it depends on what you're looking for. If you just want Street Fighter on mobile, and don't mind paying a premium for it - go for it. Just prepare for dreadful visuals, touch controls, and sloppy frames.

If it's a decent fighter you want, give this a miss though - there are far better examples out there. Personally, I'd recommend Skullgirls. It's gorgeous, features excellent touch controls, and is completely free. The usual freemium trimmings apply though, so bear that in mind.


What's the App Army? The App Army is Pocket Gamer's very own community of mobile game experts. Each week, we provide them with a bunch of free codes and early access to the hottest upcoming games so they can provide their thoughts in features like this. We also host regular community-driven events with them in mind like tournaments, giveaways, and multiplayer evenings. To join, simply follow this link to the page on Facebook and request access. We'll get you in right away!
Chris James
Chris James
A footy game fanatic and experienced editor of numerous computing and game titles, lively Chris is up for anything - including running Steel Media! (Madman!)