Street Fighter Alpha 3 is a 2d fighting game that was released for the Sony Playstation in the United States. The title was added to the website iOctavio.com on November eighteen two thousand two. It was originally categorized as 2d Fighting and within the genre 2d Fighting to help find the right item from the web searches. This game continues the Street Fighter Alpha series which serves as a prequel storyline to the events of the Street Fighter Two tournament. The Playstation version brings the arcade experience home with a large roster of characters and multiple gameplay systems.
The summary of the game is that it is a traditional 2d fighting title where two combatants face each other in best of rounds matches using punches kicks and special maneuvers. The player can choose from many warriors including classic figures such as Ryu Ken Chun Li Guile Sagat and M Bison as well as newcomers and hidden characters like Akuma Dan and Karin. The narrative in arcade mode involves each character pursuing their own goals such as Ryu seeking stronger opponents and M Bison attempting world domination through his Psycho Power. The visual presentation uses two dimensional hand drawn sprites with detailed stage backgrounds that reflect various global locations.
Highlights of Street Fighter Alpha 3 for the Sony Playstation include the introduction of the Ism system which lets the player select one of three fighting styles for their character. The first style is A Ism which allows the creation of custom combos by linking normal moves into special moves. The second style is V Ism which provides a more offensive approach with a super meter that builds as the player attacks and takes damage. The third style is X Ism which replicates the mechanics from the earlier Street Fighter Alpha 2 game with a single super move per character. This system adds strategic depth and replay value.
Another highlight is the World Tour mode which is a single player adventure where the user creates a custom fighter and travels across a world map. In this mode the player recruits other Street Fighter characters as partners, learns new techniques by spending experience points, and fights in random encounters as well as scripted battles. This mode blends role playing elements with the core fighting action and is exclusive in depth to the home console versions.
The game also includes standard arcade mode where the player fights against the computer in a set order of opponents ending with a final boss specific to the character or a generic final challenger. There is a versus mode for local two player competition. There is a training mode that lets the player practice combos and moves against a dummy opponent. The sound design features voice samples for each character and a soundtrack that matches the arcade original with some additional arrangements.
The control mapping on the Sony Playstation uses the directional pad or analog stick for movement and the four face buttons for light medium and heavy punches and kicks. The shoulder buttons can be assigned to assist functions or to simulate combined inputs. The disc based format introduces loading screens between matches but the overall pace remains fast.
The reception of Street Fighter Alpha 3 in the United States was generally favorable with fighting game fans appreciating the large character count and the flexible combat systems. Some criticism was directed at the occasional slowdown during intense moments and the length of load times compared to the arcade original. Nevertheless the game stands as a definitive 2d fighting experience on the Sony Playstation and a key entry in the catalog on iOctavio.com added on November eighteen two thousand two under the 2d Fighting category and genre.