T. Hawk
Gamography: Both Super Street Fighter II and Super Street Fighter II Turbo, as well as Street Fighter Alpha 3.
Details: After M. Bison destroyed sacred land, T. Hawk knew he had to do something. As yet another one of the characters made for Super Street Fighter II; Mr. Hawk brings the Native American vibe to the Street Fighter tournament. Can he take back his land? Can he defeat Bison's even organization? Is it even in doubt, he's a good guy!
Cyril Lachel: Poor T. Hawk, he looks so lonely without the policeman, construction worker, and cowboy by his side. Otherwise, this character is a walking clich?; he's this close to being an insult to Native Americans everywhere. Just like the name, there is nothing subtle about T. Hawk. Perhaps that's my problem with him, he's just what he is, but whatever you call it, I don't like it.
VERDICT:
D
Justin Smith: Aren't you being a little hard on T. Hawk? I mean, sure, he's a lame character and all, but I think he ranks as one of the least lame out of the Super Street Fighter II characters. He wasn't quite as outright annoying as Dee Jay, Fei Long, or even Blanka, but on the other hand he wasn't super exciting either. He just seemed painfully average to me.
VERDICT:
C
Zangief
Gamography: All of the Street Fighter II games, both Street Fighter Alpha 2 aned Street Fighter Alpha 3, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and both Capcom vs. SNK games.
Details: Born to be a bruiser, Zangief trained for the Street Fighter competition by grappling with grizzly bears in the snow-covered Siberian mountains. Now battle-scarred but wiser, he's respected as the world's foremost authority on the face-planting pile drivers.
Justin Smith: Every fighting game needs its own wrestler. However, unlike a lot of games that use either some sort of Hulk Hogan-style cheesy pro wrestler or a giant fat guy, Street Fighter II gave us a truly fearsome character. I mean, how many other games can you name that feature a scar-covered Russian strongman who wrestles bears?
VERDICT:
B
Cyril Lachel: Zangief always seemed like Capcom's attempt to make a technical fighter. With all those grappling moves and pile drivers, good old Zang seemed more at home in Virtua Fighter than Street Fighter. But as mostly naked men go, Zangief was one sexy beast. And that whole "wrestling grizzly bears" bit is quite good padding on the resume!
VERDICT:
B
Balrog
Gamography: All of the Street Fighter II games (only playable in a few, though), Street Fighter Alpha 3, and both Capcom vs. SNK games.
Details: Balrog ruled the fight game as a top-ranked heavy-weight boxer, but he lost his title shot after a controversial knock out. Unable to reclaim his place among the elite, Balrog's turned to the no-holds-barred Street Fighter style to prove his worthlessness in his own eyes.
Cyril Lachel: While a Mike Tyson rip-off might have made sense a dozen years ago, these days it's more of a liability. Between the ear biting, random battery charges, anger management, bankruptcy, and pigeon problem, Tyson isn't exactly the best role model for game characters. On the other hand, at least he's interesting; Balrog could only hope to be that exciting. There is no character more average than he.
VERDICT:
C
Justin Smith: I think we're definitely on the same page when it comes to Balrog (or M. Bison as I like to call him). He is a pretty average character, and yes, he is a spitting image of Mike Tyson. I think the only thing that sets him apart from other video game fighters is the fact that he doesn't have any kicks, only punches. I suppose that's only logical for a boxer, but hey, it's something.
VERDICT:
C+
Blanka
Gamography: All of the Street Fighter II games, Street Fighter Alpha 3, and both of the Capcom vs. SNK games.
Details: A young boy named Jimmy disappeared into Brazil after a plane crash. He was raised by wolves. In a mysterious accident, Blanka was mutated and gained him the ability to channel 1,000 volts through his skin. With this shicking technique discovery, Jimmy realized his dream of becoming a World Warrior.
Justin Smith: I've never been a huge fan of Blanka. It always seemed like he had the weakest back-story in the game, and he didn't have much in the way of personality to balance it out. There's only so much you can do with grunting, growling, and screaming. The whole electricity thing was novel, but it didn't help much to improve this reject from a bad Sci-Fi movie.
VERDICT:
D
Cyril Lachel: Man, I hate to say this, but I completely disagree with you. Every good fighting game needs a wacky character to offset its seriousness. Blanka did a much better job of doing that than Dhalsim, a character who defies all logic. I'll give you that Blanka's story was silly, but then, I liked the idea of a big hairy fighter going up against all these serious characters.
VERDICT:
B
Vega
Gamography: All of the Street Fighter II (only playable in some, though), Street Fighter Alpha 3, and both Capcom vs. SNK games.
Details: Vega accrued a wealth of fast moves by battling bulls in the pastures of Spain. Entered in the Street Fighter tournament to demonstrate his fighting skills and graceful body, he dons a mask to protect himself and wears a claw to defend himself against his opponents.
Cyril Lachel: I love Vega! I mean, what's not to love about Vega? He's like the gay ballet dancing Freddy Krueger! He's got a mask like Jason (from the Friday the 13th series), and can jump around like he's at the Olympics. And let's not forget that Tattoo, a giant snake that slithers around his entire body! This is one heck of a stylish dude, and there has never been another like him.
VERDICT:
A-
Justin Smith: I'm with ya there, I think Vega was one of the most unique characters in the Street Fighter universe. He could certainly fly through the air like no other, and was quite a fearsome opponent. There was always a certain mystery around him, and let's not forget that he set an interesting precedent in the Street Fighter world as the first character to use a weapon!
VERDICT:
B+
Cammy
Gamography: Both Super Street Fighter II and Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Capcom vs. SNK, Capcom vs. SNK 2, and the action game Cannon Spike.
Details: For a time the only sex appeal in Street Fighter was the straight-laced Chun Li, but then came cute little vixen Cammy. This British muffin knows how to use her sexuality against her foes, and can back up any attack with a full knowledge of her martial art. She was one of the characters created for Super Street Fighter II.
Justin Smith: Ah yes ... with the possible exception of E. Honda, this is the first character that introduced us to the 'jiggle.' While she had some very interesting (and painful looking) moves, and while she ranks among the sexiest of video game ladies, she just never struck me as a very deep character. In a sense, Kylie Minogue was just about the perfect person to play her in the movie. She's pretty lame, but at least we know fan service isn't dead.
VERDICT:
C+
Cyril Lachel: I can't believe what I'm reading here. Oh sure, Kylie Minogue is about as annoying as sand in your bathing suit, but then, so was the entire Street Fighter movie! I think my Cammy is a little misunderstood, sure she's a cute little sexpot, but that doesn't mean she's not fun to, um, play with. She also has the two greatest winning stances of any character in Street Fighter II. And besides, at least she wasn't as uptight as Chun Li.
VERDICT:
B+
Sagat
Gamography: Street Fighter, all of the Street Fighter II games (only playable in some, though), Street Fighter Alpha (all), and both Capcom vs. SNK games.
Details: Sagat dominated the Street Fighting circuit as the greatest kick boxer ever to walk the Earth , but Ryu's strength, discipline, and lethal dragon punch burned a scar in his chest. After suffering this humiliating defeat, Sagat retreated to his home in the Thai jungles to train for revenge.
Cyril Lachel: While M. Bison is the clown dictator, Sagat is that type of character you'd expect to see at the end of one of these Street Fighter tournaments. Now in his second game, Sagat is looking a little beat up, slightly more rugged. That eye patch doesn't look so bad when compared to that scar. Of course, it's true what they say about women and scars, so who knows; Sagat may be one smooth operator.
VERDICT:
B+
Justin Smith: I always found Sagat to be one of the most interesting characters in Street Fighter. He had a great Muay Thai fighting style, the bitchin' scar and eye patch, and even a projectile that could go both high and low! I also really liked his back-story, and the rivalry he had with Ryu. Why they didn't keep Sagat as the end boss, instead of bringing in that silly, non-threatening M. Bison I'll never know.
VERDICT:
A-
M. Bison
Gamography: All of the Street Fighter II games (only playable in some, though), Street Fighter Alpha (all), X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and both Capcom vs. SNK games.
Details: The ultimate grand master in the Street Fighter II tournament, M. Bison is a long-standing Thai dictator who rampaged through the world many years ago, spreading death and destruction in his wake. He now controls the secretive Shadoloo smuggling hide-out in Thailand.
Justin Smith: Am I the only person who found it hard to believe that a character as hokey as M. Bison could take over the world? I mean, sure, he had the cape and the hat and the big boots and everything, but to me he just came off as corny-like some sort of Nazi reject. How the hell did he ever beat anyone as menacing and tough as Sagat?
VERDICT:
C-
Cyril Lachel: No, this is really one of the silliest characters to ever rule anything. The one thing that Capcom forgot is just how stupid most dictators look. Look no further than Kim Jong Il over in North Korea! M. Bison is to Sagat what Bob Sagat is to Arnold Schwarzenegger! And I don't even give him credit for the hat and cape, he reminds me more of an Austin Power's villain than a Street Fighter!!
VERDICT:
D+
