Street Fighter Alpha 3

Behold, fighting bliss. Street Fighter Alpha 3 is the third game in the alpha series. The storyline doesn't really matter as this game is all about smashing faces. First off this game has the largest character roster of any Street Fighter game and includes multiple fighting styles (isms) for each one. It also has the return of air blocking (thank you god) and the alpha counter (also really awesome) from previous alpha games. What is new however is the addition of a guard meter. The meter shrinks with the more attacks you block and eventualy "breaks" giving you a second where your opponent can't defend against any of your attacks. While that might not sound too fun, believe me when I say this thing is a must and should be included in all fighters from now on. No longer can your opponent sit back and turtle against all your attacks waiting to catch you while in the midst of a missed attack animation. Now both players are forced into actually fighting (this is a fighting game after all) and going to time is now almost a thing of the past. While the game might be a little too advanced for players new to the series, it is a welcome breath of fresh air to veterans of the world warriors. If you are a fan of 2D fighters at all then this game should not be missed.