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Capcom is going for it this March, bringing the acclaimed fighter to Apple’s handhelds. But this is no quickie, banged-out port. Capcom has taken months to come up with suitable controls for a platform with no physical buttons, employing a virtual pad and move buttons to recreate the arcade stick right on the touchscreen. After all, without great controls, what’s the point?

Capcom is not accepting any loss of the console game’s beloved art direction in the iPhone edition. It has taken assets straight from the current-gen code, so the new art style that won universal accolades is faithfully recreated on the iPhone’s smaller, but crisp screen.

Capcom promises that fan-favorite fighters beyond Ryu and Ken (the first two Capcom is willing to confirm) will round out a large roster. While names are not yet spoken, Capcom has confirmed that the iPhone cast features both classic brawlers and new characters created for Street Fighter IV. So, there is an excellent chance your personal favorite will end up in the mix.

Now, hardcore gamers coming into Street Fighter IV with lofty expectations are understandably concerned about whether or not Capcom’s virtual pad will offer the same, precise controls needed to truly master the game. That’s fair because to competitive players, Street Fighter is a contest of exactness and finesse. To alleviate worries, Capcom offers a number of control configurations so players can find their favorite position, button transparency, and set-up.

Multiplayer? Street Fighter IV allows two players to trade blows over Bluetooth, just like the arcade or console edition. So, spending a little time in Dojo Mode isn’t such a bad idea, especially if you want to answer your iPhone and tell whoever is calling that you just hammered your friend flat into the ground.