Street Fighter EX

Street Fighter EX is a 3D fighting game originally released as an arcade game for the Sony ZN hardware in 1996. 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 graphics.

It is the first game in the EX series, and it was followed by an enhanced arcade version titled Street Fighter EX Plus, as well as a PlayStation-exclusive home version titled Street Fighter EX Plus α, both released in 1997. During its production, it was called Street Fighter Gaiden.

Gameplay
The Street Fighter EX fighting system uses fighting systems of the Street Fighter II and Street Fighter Alpha series. In many ways, EX still plays like a 2D fighting game, but the linear plane in which characters fight often changes along a 3D battleground. The game uses special moves and super combos familiar or similar to the previous games in the series. Like in Alpha and Darkstalkers, the super combo gauge, used to do Super Combos, was divided into three levels. The game introduces various new features to enhance the player's combat choices.

Aside from throwing the opponent or wearing away their life by using special moves to drain it, another 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. In EX3, The Guard Break is changed into the Surprise Blow, which still stuns enemies on contact and doesn’t need a level of the super combo gauge to work. However, unlike the previous Guard Break move, the move is guardable and stuns only if it's used on a crouching opponent.

A Special Move can be done after a Regular Move or another Special Move, this is called a "Canceling". In the process of doing a Super Combo, another Super Combo can be performed. This is called a "Super Canceling" and can be done with Super Combos. A Momentary Combo can activate a Super Combo in the middle of another Super Combo, by just pressing the punch or kick button.

Hidden characters
*-To this date, Shiozawa is only cast member to pass away.

Street Fighter EX Plus
A few months after the original version of Street Fighter EX was distributed to the arcades, an upgraded version titled Street Fighter EX Plus was released to the arcades on March 1997. In this version, all the hidden time-released characters are available by default, as well as Garuda and Bison, who were exclusively computer-controlled in the original game. This version also adds four new hidden characters, Evil Ryu from Street Fighter Alpha 2, an alternate version of Hokuto named "Bloody Hokuto" and two cyborgs named Cycloid β and Cycloid γ. This was also the only version that has modified background stages and colors, much like the color changes on Champion Edition then Hyper Fighting. The reversals, first attacks & combos now display the amount of bonus they give to the Super Combo gauge, despite a typo in the mention, which indicates "GAGE+10" instead of "GAUGE+10".



Street Fighter EX plus α
A PlayStation version of the game, titled Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha (or Street Fighter EX plus α) was released on July 1997. All the characters from the arcade version of EX Plus are featured, along with two characters exclusive to this version: Dhalsim from Street Fighter II and Sakura from Street Fighter Alpha 2.

The PlayStation version also includes several game modes in addition to the standard Arcade mode: a dedicated two-player "Versus" mode, a "Team Battle" mode, a "Survival" mode, a "Practice" mode, "Time Attack" and two interestingly uncommon modes : an "Expert" mode where the player's tasked with performing 16 moves or combos from each character, and a "Watch" mode where the player gets to witness a match between two computer-controlled characters, thus showing off the Playstation's 3D capacitites, and 1st person emulation. The PlayStation version also includes CG animated endings for all the characters, where there was previously text-only endings (if any ending at all).

Street Fighter EX plus α received overall good critics for its playability, despite it's poor story content, and went platinum.

Regional differences
The Japanese versions of the games contains text-only epilogues which are displayed on-screen after the player defeats Bison in the single-player mode. The PlayStation version features new epilogues (different from the ones featured in the arcade versions) in addition to the FMV endings.

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Sequels
A sequel to Street Fighter EX was released for the arcades titled Street Fighter EX2. It was also followed by an upgraded version titled Street Fighter EX2 Plus, which was released for the arcades and ported to the PlayStation. A third console game in the series, Street Fighter EX3, was released exclusively for the PlayStation 2.

Trivia

 * Kaneto Shiozawa (who voiced Kairi and Vega) died at two months after release of Street Fighter EX3. He is the only cast member of Street Fighter EX Series to passed away.
 * This game is the first Street Fighter game that wasn't developed by Capcom.
 * The EX in Street Fighter EX is short hand for exquisite.
 * It should be noted that the storyline of the EX series takes place in an alternate time and is not canon to the official main storyline of the Street Fighter series.
 * Some of the EX characters have some traits from other popular cultures and characters. Arika keeps them to prevent Capcom from being sued for copyright infringement by its rivals.
 * C. Jack's appearance is very similar to Daisuke Jigen (who Banjō Ginga voiced in Plot of the Fuma Clan) from the Lupin III manga and anime series.
 * Allen Snider is slightly similar to a young Chuck Norris.
 * D. Dark's moveset is a lot similar to Scorpion from the Mortal Kombat series and blades on his arms is similar to Baraka. His fighting stance is also similar to Lee Chaolan's stance from the original Tekken and Tekken 2.
 * Skullomania's desgin was influenced by Kamen Rider and it's predecessor, Skull Man, the inspiration being more obvious in EX2.

Link

 * The Street Fighter EX wiki.