Street Fighter EX
| Street Fighter EX | |
|---|---|
 Japanese arcade flyer | |
| Developer | Arika |
| Publishers | Capcom PlayStation
|
| Designers | Junichi Ono Akira Nishitani Noritaka Funamizu Kazuko Kawanaka Masashi Tanaka |
| Programmers | Hori Takamasa Hiroyasu Od Hassy Akira K |
| Artists | Jun Matsumura Alien Pole Masaaki Tanaka Kazuko Kawanaka |
| Composers | Takayuki Aihara Shinji Hosoe Ayako Saso |
| Series | Street Fighter |
| Platforms | Arcade, PlayStation |
| Release | Arcade (Plus) PlayStation (Plus α) |
| Genre | Fighting |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Arcade system | Sony ZN-1 |
Street Fighter EX[5] is a 1996 fighting game originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for the Sony ZN hardware. It is a spin-off of the Street Fighter series co-produced by Capcom with Arika and was the first game in the series to feature 3D polygon graphics, although it retains the 2D plane gameplay. An updated arcade version was released subtitled Plus, as well as a PlayStation-exclusive home console version titled Street Fighter EX Plus α, both released in 1997. The game received a sequel, Street Fighter EX2, in 1998.
Gameplay
[edit]
The Street Fighter EX fighting system uses fighting systems from the Street Fighter II and Street Fighter Alpha series, but also has some original ones. In many ways, EX still plays like a 2D fighting game, but the linear plane in which characters fight often changes along a 3D arena. The game uses special moves and super combos familiar or similar to previous games in the series. Unlike in the Street Fighter Alpha titles or Darkstalkers, the EX series features a super meter with three separate sections, not levels, which is unique to this spinoff game series.
Aside from throwing the opponent or wearing away their health by using special moves, a way to fight blocking is the "Guard Break". The Guard Break is a move that, if it connects with the blocking opponent, breaks the block and makes the opponent dizzy. The Guard Break can be used at any time with one level of the Super Combo gauge.[6] This is also a SF mechanic but in Alpha, the guard break simply results in an opening, while EX guard break is more like a stun.
A special move can be done after a regular move or another special move; this is called "Canceling". In the process of doing a Super Combo, another Super Combo can be performed. This is called "Super Canceling" and can be done with Super Combos. This allows a player to string multiple super combos together for monumental damage.
Versions and characters
[edit]The original Street Fighter EX features 17 characters (two of them being computer-controlled bosses), growing to 23 for the home release. With a total of 18 new characters in the three games of the Street Fighter EX series, this represents the largest original set of characters introduced in a single Street Fighter series. Several of these characters would appear in other games produced by Arika, such as Fighting EX Layer.
Introduced in Street Fighter EX
[edit]Alongside new characters developed exclusively for the game, several mainline Street Fighter characters also appear in the game: Ryu, Ken Masters, Chun-Li, Zangief, Guile, M. Bison (who is an unplayable boss), and Akuma (who is a hidden character).
- Allen Snider (アレン・スナイダー, Aren Sunaidā) appears as a secret character in the original Street Fighter EX and as a regular character in Street Fighter EX Plus and EX Plus α, is a fighter who was said to be the strongest freestyle karate fighter on the American karate circuit, until he experienced his first defeat against a young Ken Masters at the All-American Martial Arts Tournament. Ken told Allen that he was only a "big fish in a small pond". Motivated by these words, Allen sets out to prove that he can be the best not only in America, but in the world.[7] Although absent in Street Fighter EX2 and subsequent games, he makes an appearance in the Arika-developed arcade game Fighting Layer, where he seeks to defeat the strongest opponent on South Island.[8] Allen returns in Fighting EX Layer, determined to defeat the recently revived Garuda to prove himself. He is voiced by Osamu Hosoi in the EX series, and Daisuke Yokota in Fighting EX Layer.
- Blair Dame (ブレア・デイム, Burea Deimu), appears as a secret character in the original Street Fighter EX and as a regular character in Street Fighter EX Plus and EX Plus α. She is the daughter of a wealthy European family. She fights wearing a light blue leotard and long boots. In addition to receiving a formal education, Blair has trained herself in various combat sports, believing that one day she will need to know how to defend her loved ones as well as herself. She travels the world to hone her skills with her bodyguard Cracker Jack, whom her mother has hired to protect her. Blair is acquainted with Pullum, as they are both members of the International Debutante Club.[9] Her butler is called Sebastian. Like Allen, Blair appears in Arika's arcade fighting game Fighting Layer, in which she takes a sudden trip to South Island.[10] She is also mentioned in Jack's ending in Street Fighter EX3.[11] Blair is a playable character in Fighting EX Layer, hiring Vulcano Rosso to help her search for Jack after he flees to America. She is voiced by