E3 2010: Capcom Mobile (Impressions)

by: Tina - posted: 7/1/2010 1:59:00 PM

My trip to the Capcom Mobile booth presented two iPhone games: 1942 and an update to Street Fighter IV. Ghosts ‘N Goblins: Gold Knights II was, unfortunately, not available during our demonstration (don’t get me started on iPhone shenanigans). Read on to find out about the two former games.

1942

1942 is an air-strike game, and the descendant from Capcom’s popular arcade game.

While the latest rendition was seen in the form of an XBLA/PSN title known as 1942: Joint Strike, Capcom decided to bring the series to mobile devices using assets from the 2-year old Backbone Entertainment developed game. One major difference, however, is that there is no co-operative play on this mobile version.

Like most iPhone developed games, there are several modes of control to select from. There’s the rarely-useful accelerometer, and the more reliable touch controls for direct input to controlling the aircraft.

After going with the obvious choice of touch controls, another menu screen alerted me to three different aircrafts I could select from. The Lightning was explained to me as a general purpose aircraft with all around balanced specializations. The Shinden, based off the experimental Japanese aircraft from WWII, is swift and equipped with some good weaponry, but also weakly armored. The third aircraft is the tank of the three. What is lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in armor and attack power.

Selecting the well-balanced Lightning aircraft, we moved on our way to scrolling adventures of the sky and getting incessantly attacked by various fighter jets. With our aircraft on auto-fire, the only controls you will have to maintain concentration over is the direction your aircraft is flying. Our Capcom representative admitted that this type of arcade style game is certainly fit for waiting out lines, long airport delays, and any other space that needs filling with small pleasures considering it’s simple combat.

To keep things interesting, however, there are several kinds of power up weapons strewn about the screen randomly for you to pick up. You can attain special weapons, such as bombs that completely clears the screen momentarily, rockets, shotguns, and even additional aircrafts known as wingmen that attach themselves to each peripheral to help expand the breadth of your fire. Your extended squadron will take damage, however, and eventually disappear. There are also health packs you can pick up along the way.

Approaching the end of the level, we meet the boss face-to-face. He’s fairly typical in terms of a boss fight for an arcade style game. There are multiple points on his aircraft that you will have to target and dismember, all while avoiding his homing missiles.

There are a total of eight levels and four boss fights to encounter throughout them.

Street Fighter IV

While the initial excitement over Street Fighter IV coming to the iPhone has probably died down by now, Capcom is still keeping an eye out on the popular mobile download. One way in which they are doing this is through the update that they released on June 24th that was showcased at E3.

Although Street Fighter IV for the iPhone has been out for over two months now, this update will bring two additional characters to the roster making the grand total of ten characters that you can select to play with. These two new characters are Cammy and Zangief.

Currently the game can be played head to head over bluetooth, with the possibility of wi-fi should they be able to work it out. While the fighting style game is generally one about mastering the technique of combination moves, the iPhone version is much more simplistic with one button each for punching and kicking. There is a special move assist to help with combat, as well. Focus attacks that can stun your opponent are also intact.

Although the actual fighting experience differs greatly from the arcade or console versions, the game is still immensely enjoyable to play, and even more so now with the roster of characters steadily increasing. Capcom has assured me that they plan on continuing their support of their mobile titles, of which Street Fighter IV is most definitely a part of.