It looks as if Street Fighter IV is destined to go down as this console generation's Ninja Gaiden. By that, I mean this just might be the game that sees more re-releases and upgrades than any other during this console cycle. Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition is the third and latest of these releases, and it's also the most complete. Four new characters extend the roster of fighters to a whopping 39, and a number of gameplay tweaks help to balance a game that arguably never really lacked for much balance in the first place.

The most obvious additions featured in Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition are Yun, Yang, Oni, and Evil Ryu. Each of these characters comes with their own icons and titles. Yun and Yang are twins, but they both fight with borderline-suicidal blitzkrieg tactics (something I am most definitely a fan of when it comes to Street Fighter IV). Their command lists are built for speed and efficiency during the chaos of battle, but they tend to take more damage than the other characters. This is particularly true of the other two characters, Evil Ryu and Oni. Evil Ryu is basically half Ryu and half Akuma, while Oni looks like Akuma with purple skin and Gouken's body. The evil characters are even more powerful than the twins, though they also feel more vulnerable to attack. Regardless, they are all great fun to play with; while the twins feel more original than the other two additions, the evil ones make up for it by being downright sinister (Oni bellows "Ashes to ashes" as he executes his Hyper Combo).

As mentioned in the beginning of this review, a number of gameplay tweaks and balance changes have been made to the already-successful Super Street Fighter IV. Of course, this means that some of the moves you're accustomed to using may have either been weakened or strengthened. I consider myself a fan of fighting games, but I don't obsess over the minutiae behind each and every move, norr do I go into great depth studying proper timing and position. So, it's no surprise to me that many of these changes have escaped my notice. As far as I'm concerned, Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition is the same fantastic fighting game I fell in love with three years ago -- only with new characters. If you do obsess over these things, this update gives you the choice of playing online with or without the balance changes.

This release's most notable improvements are in the online community. There's a new Elite Channel, with which you can view the saved replays of the world's best players. On top of that, you can select players to follow, much like you would with a social networking site. There are also a number of lower-profile additions to the online component as well; Endless Battle lobbies can now be named, which goes a long way in personalizing the online experience.

Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition is the best version of Capcom's flagship fighter. But why did I give this, the best one, an 80? I have a few reasons for this. The first will explain most of it. Capcom decided to release Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition in two formats. One is a retail disc priced at $39.99. The other (and the format I received for review) is a downloadable upgrade for Super Street Fighter IV. This feeds into my second reason: the amount of new content for the $15 price is a bit marginal. If, for whatever reason, you like fighting games and don't own any version of Street Fighter IV, you owe it to yourself to pick that disc up. If you own Super Street Fighter IV, make an honest assessment of exactly how hardcore a fan you are and make your decision based on that. Regardless, don't pass up this opportunity to enjoy one of the best fighting games in recent memory.