To call 2009 “The Year of the Fighting Game” would be in no way an overstatement.  In both the 2D and 3D realms, standout fighting titles populated the gaming calendar like never before. Capcom brought the frantic, high-speed action of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 to modern consoles, and it has never looked or played better. Tekken 6 continued the series’ long tradition of excellent fighting mechanics and gorgeous visuals. Blazblue: Calamity Trigger mixed intricate controls and highly varied characters with unadulterated weirdness for a truly mesmerizing experience, and WWE Smackdown! Vs. Raw 2010 saw the long-running wrestling series’ storytelling finally catch up with its gameplay. In “The Year of the Fighter,” though, the genre’s biggest name reasserted itself as the dominant force in fighting games, and earned the right to be called Gamervision’s Best Ever Fighting Game of the Year.

It took over 12 years for Capcom to move from Street Fighter III to Street Fighter IV, but it was totally worth it. Street Fighter IV doesn’t rely on gimmicks, sex appeal, or ultra-violence for its thrills.  Instead, it combines a unique “paint-shaded” look with airtight controls and a slew of classic, perfectly balanced characters to create a sublime fighting game that feels as fresh as Street Fighter II and as deep as Street Fighter Alpha. Whether online or offline, one player or two, Street Fighter IV is a remarkable fighting experience that shouldn’t be missed by anyone with even a passing interest in virtually knocking out their friends and acquaintances.