"Ken Masters gets steely tough fighting on the streets. Oh yeah, he gets a haircut too."

Street Fighter 2010 is a platformer/beat 'em up delivered by Capcom, the same kind folks who brought us the likes of other NES platformers like Megaman and other Disney-owned franchises made into the games. More importantly though, it is imperative to notice that the game shares the same name with its Super Nintendo counterpart. While similarly named, we need to establish that the SNES series and this standalone game have very little relation to each other except for...

...The name of the main character. Yes, that's right. The protagonist for this dual-genre game goes by the name of none other than Ken Masters. Except that this Ken is a beefed-up, cybernetic destroyer made to brawl in the future. Coincidence? Probably not. *smile*

Either way, let's get to the initial breaking in of the review. As was said, the protagonist and only playable character in this game is a talented brawler named Ken Masters. Upon visiting his scientist friend Troy one night at his lab and finding him on the floor--reduced to a mere pool of vile, bubbling protoplasm for mysterious reasons--Ken swears to find the person or persons who murdered him and bring them to justice.

Gameplay - 9/10. Street has you controlling Ken in a number of 2D environments, ranging from city streets in sleazy neighborhoods to futuristic laboratories to funky technicolor locales between dimensions...you do this while traveling from planet to planet. Each planet is representative of an entire level. Battling against strange machines, mutants, cyborgs and freakish beasts is done using a move system similar to the technique system in the Street Fighter fighting game series. You press on a certain D-Pad direction while pressing the button to attack, and Ken is executing powerful moves in an instant. Some techniques need you to find their respective powerup in order to execute them. The enemies are nimble as well; you are always on your toes looking out for enemies, which makes the experience enjoyable.

The game does develop an unforgiving difficulty later on, which may turn off some gamers. But for those who like challenges, this is right up your alley.

Story - 8/10. As I said previously the general plot is executed in the opening cutscene, and is very simple to grasp. You're looking for whomever killed your scientist pal. You want justice for his death. Although basic, platformers were never really great on epic stories as to begin with. Street's plot is nice for its time, and really works to advance the character as you progress through the game.

Audio/Video - 10/10. The music, interface and graphics are fantastic in Street, and really convey a feel of futuristic struggle. Certain stages on certain planets, combined with the right musical theme, make the game much more enjoyable. Seeing a half-lit neon sign atop of a grimy bar really conveys the feel of being at said locale. Fighting inside of a monochrome lab accompanied by a dread-filled theme puts you in the game. Both elements combine very nicely--practically seamlessly--to flesh out the feeling of the stages themselves.

Replayability - 9/10. Street is a timeless classic for the NES, never to be forgotten. The replayability level for this particular title is very high, mostly because it still challenges your reflexes even after all this time passed. It's tough without being cheap...a title to be cherished for years to come.

To buy or to Rent? - This is a definite buy, if you can find it at any retailer or flea market. Don't worry about dropping $5 for a Nintendo title. Even the oldest of games, if great, would warrant shelling out hard-earned cash.

Cumulative Score - 9/10. You've likely gotten the point by now. Street is a fabulous platformer standing mightily tall above all others.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10 | Originally Posted: 06/13/03, Updated 06/13/03

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