The Street Fighter IV series has defined fighting games for an entire console generation, marrying the thrills and dramas of yesterday's arcades with the convenience and global competition of today's online world. Ultra Street Fighter IV represents the pinnacle of that achievement, a vibrant, accessible ballet of cartoon violence that hides a richly complex, competitive engine.

As the supposedly final iteration, Ultra is the comprehensive package. There are new characters – Elena, Hugo, Rolento and Poison, all hand-me-downs from Street Fighter X Tekken (along with five stages from that game) – while Decapre is a remixed Cammy. The new system mechanics (red focus, delayed wake-up and Ultra Combo double) encourage innovative tactics and every character in the game has been fine-tuned to ensure a balanced playfield. Throw in YouTube uploads, the full wardrobe of costumes and Edition Select, and you have a superbly robust package that deserves to be played for decades to come.