Yeah, it's sad that the days of the arcade really are coming to a close. Here in Atlanta, I can only think of two left that I know of... and they are spread VERY far apart. As a kid it was awesome though because arcades were all over the place.

As for Third Strike... to be fair, I have to admit I never sat down with it for too long. I played it several times and just couldn't get into it. Perhaps had I really given it some time I would have enjoyed it more. But being a fan of the Street Fighter II series and the Alpha series I really have little doubt at this point that SFIV is going to be  nothing short of AMAZING!

It's funny, I just wrote a blog about how the last arcade in my area closed, and I'm so pissed over the very reason of not being able to get that arcade experience with SFIV. I'm in the same boat as you: I totally grew up with the franchise, vividly remember my first time playing it at a mini-golf course when I was five, and I've followed the series so closely throughout the years. I actually was a fan of Third Strike, but I'm way more excited with what they're doing with IV.

So, what makes Street Fighter so special? Is it the characters? The graphics? The gameplay? Perhaps it’s the music? In my view, it’s simply a combination of all these things.

I can remember hearing about Street Fighter II before I even played it in arcades. And then the day came when I was finally able to play it for myself at an arcade called Challenges. Do you remember the first time you played Street Fighter II? For me, that moment truly was life changing. If I had never played Street Fighter II there’s a very real possibility I wouldn’t even be a gamer today. Sure, I enjoyed games like Super Mario but no game up to that point had ever had an influence on me like Street Fighter.

When Street Fighter II came home to the Super Nintendo Entertainment system I can even now vividly remember buying it at Wal Mart, taking it home and playing it like there was no tomorrow. Funny thing is, I remember the computer beating my ass relentlessly at times but I’d get up and come back for more.

Many games that I remember fondly from the past simply have a nostalgia factor. When I go back and play them years later I sometimes think “man, this game doesn’t hold up very well” but that isn’t true of the Street Fighter II series. The controls are tight, the graphics (even now) have a true artistic value about them and the music is as catchy as ever.

Later on we got great titles like the Street Fighter Alpha series that only made our love for the franchise grow. It’s no wonder that Street Fighter is one of the most beloved series in video game history.

When Street Fighter IV was announced, I was skeptical like most people. After all, I was NOT a fan of Street Fighter III at all. To make matters worse, knowing that the game would be 3D made my stomach cringe. However, after following the games development and particularly after seeing videos from E3 and Comic Con ’08; I feel it’s pretty safe to say that Street Fighter IV is going to be a true predecessor to the Street Fighter II series we all know and love and that warms my old gaming heart.

I grew up playing Street Fighter and I’m proud to be a gamer from that era. Knowing that in Street Fighter IV I’m going to be able to pull off all the amazing combos with characters I know and love (not the mention some pretty cool looking new characters) is really something I get excited about—and I’m not alone either. Man, I can’t wait until this one hits consoles… or until I can find someway to get my grubby mitts on a Japanese SFIV arcade unit.

-Extreme Blade