Review: Street Fighter X Tekken iOS is a step in the right direction for the mobile fighting genre

One can argue the fighting genre wouldn’t be the same without the Street Fighter games. Yes, I remember going to the arcade, throwing in some quarters and throwing down on Street Fighter as a kid. For some, Street Fighter is the best, period. Now, with technology blooming, the Street Fighter series tries to find its identity in the mobile world with the help of a few familiar faces from Tekken in Street Fighter X Tekken for iOS devices.

Obviously, Street Fighter X Tekken for the iPhone is the watered down, mobile version of the console games with the same name. As iPhones and everything i-related has taken over the world, it seems more and more “big titles” are coming to the mobile scene. Capcom has been an early adopter of good mobile games with many Street Fighter games already available. But how does Street Fighter X Tekken stack up in the ever-growing mobile game world?

Street Fighter X Tekken is going to be a lot of what you’re used to and have seen before. However, Capcom hasn’t released a truly immersive fighting experience on mobile devices. I think they come close on this one. Street Fighter X Tekken lets you take control of 10 characters from the two franchises, five from each franchise. From the characters available, players will choose two fighters for your team with every battle consisting of a 2 vs. 2 mentality.  There are two modes available, which include the standard single-player mode and Global Battle (multiplayer mode) with most of your fun being available through online multiplayer or Bluetooth battles if you have friends that want to battle it out locally.

In short, it’s not bad, but it does need some work. Let’s start with the good. Visually, it is pleasing to the eye. It’s no Infinity Blade, but in my opinion, it’s one of the better looking games on the iPhone and possibly the best-looking Street Fighter game available for iOS. The backgrounds aren’t just static backgrounds. They are animated and to just the right level where it’s not distracting to the player, but instead adds to the environment in a way that immerses you more into the game.                     

In addition to nice visual aesthetics, Street Fighter X Tekken does a nice job mashing up the two franchises to create one of the most solid fighting games for mobile devices. It feels like a solid Street Fighter title without the complexities of standard fighting controls. The controls have finally taken a step in the right direction making it a lot simpler to actually play a fighting game of this caliber on a touch screen. It is possible for hardcore fighting fans to turn their back on this title because of this, but for the more casual, it’s nice to be able to land some epic moves comfortably. But for you hardcore peeps out there, there is still an option to change the controls to the half circle techniques if your heart so desires.

The game also implements a new Pandora’s Box mechanic. Although, it is definitely a risk to use. It is a welcomed and unique addition to the game. By sacrificing your teammate, you’re allowed a brief power up of different abilities including Immense Power, quickness, etc. From my experience, I didn’t see many strong players using the option, but it’s nice to have it there in case you need it.

Where this game stumbles is it’s extreme lack of content. It falters on a couple of levels in this aspect. First, you will notice Street Fighter X Tekken only offers 10 characters. With other Street Fighter titles already offering significantly more characters than 10, it’s a travesty that this title doesn’t offer more characters especially considering this title has characters from both Street Fighter and Tekken. With two franchises at your disposal, the game should absolutely have more than 10 playable characters.

Outside of playable characters, there just isn't that much to do. With essentially only two playable modes, you'll find yourself gravitating toward online multiplayer where a bulk of your fun will be had. Also, there had been some complaints with online multiplayer lagging. However, with a strong connection, the online multiplayer will be your favorite mode in this game without a doubt. Obviously, any game will suffer with a slow connection. Most players should have a fast enough connection to throw thousands of hadokens against thousands of players.

Street Fighter X Tekken is a great buy for $2.99. It has extremely fun gameplay and nice visuals. Will you get tired of it quickly though? It’s possible with the lack of content that it currently offers. However, it is absolutely one of the most smooth and easy-to-play fighters available to date. Definitely give it a shot at $2.99. However, if you decide to battle me online, don’t forget to block my mad street fighting skills. HADOKEN!