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Not many games can claim to have changed the history of computer gaming. Elite did, about ten years ago, proving that you can squash a space flight cum trading cum shooting game in 20K on a BBC Micro; Defender Of The Crown did in the early days of the ST, showing that bright, colourful, cartoon-like graphics were possible and include a decent game behind it to back it up.

Streetfighter II is the latest phenomenon, partly because it's been released for just about every computer and video game console you can imagine, partly because it was backed up by the biggest hype campaign we've ever seen, and partly because it's actually a great game.

It's a beat-'em-up - and before the moral minority start jumping up and down worrying about kiddie violence, don't; it's not that bad. OK, so wiggling a pixelated extension of yourself around a screen trying to beat the virtual crap out of your best mate might seem a little callous and anti-social, but rarely do you find a better two-player game. And two player games build up rapport, friendship and brotherliness, right. Right?

So that's it. A two-player head-to-head, with the second player either ST or friend-controlled. Eight characters line up for selection, including a slight young lady called Chun Li, who happens to be as strong as an ox but kicks and punches with much more agility; and Dhalsim, an old fart with bendy arms and a penchant for yoga. The others are pretty much rip-roaring macho men - oh, except for Blanka, that is, who is yellow and therefore obviously not human. But he is pretty macho.

Play Streetfighter II in one-player mode, and you find yourself playing against one of eight players, which are different again to the first eight. (Confused yet?) These are effectively the difficulty levels, because you work your way through them one-by-one, and they get progressively harder to beat. All sixteen players have their own personalities and abilities, including Special Moves.

Each character has at least one Special Move, which could involve twirling your legs above your head menacingly (Chun Li), creating a burning, um, fireball known as Yoga Fire (Dhalsim), or electrocuting your opponent with 1,000 volts (Blanka). They are all pretty deadly, and bloody difficult to put into practice - each involving a different combination of joystick moves and keypresses. After a few games it becomes second nature. So Streetfighter II, eh? Originally reviewed in issue 44 of ST Format, a good, ooh, eight months ago; and now it's released on the Kixx XL budget label.

This has got to take the award for the fastest full-price to budget transition ever, but the burning question is "Why?" The full price game's still high in this month's top 20, having sold over 30,000 copies on the ST alone, which makes the move seem even more unusual.

The answer is almost certainly that versions of Streetfighter II have just been released for both, ahem, consoles, so it would seem US Gold are cashing in on their own hype before Christmas. Good luck to them too, because games of this quality at this price don't come around often.

1. Amazingly accurate coin-op conversion.
2. Great for getting rid of tension.
3. It's out on budget already.

1. Some less intelligent kids might try to use the moves at home, as "proved" by World In Action on the TV.
2. Don't listen to them.