Future Implications of Street Fighter’s OverClocked HD Remix

Super Street Fight II Turbo HD Remix’s title calls attention to the high resolution sprites and rebalanced moves, but what you may not know about Capcom’s record-breaking hit is that it marks the first collaboration between a major publisher and the devoted community at OverClocked ReMix. Anyone plunking virtual quarters online can tell you that this was a brilliant move, but I have to wonder what took so long.

For whatever reason, OC ReMix has remained an extensive untapped resource, despite featuring numerous talented, enthusiastic musicians. The site has soundtrack covers from over 500 games, ranging from well-known classics like Castlevania and Super Mario Bros. to cult hits like Beyond Good & Evil and Grim Fandango. Music genres run the gamut from jazz to rock, or in the case of HD Remix, groovin’ electronica, but in most instances offer inspired takes on old tunes.

In the past, Japanese publishers have been reluctant to embrace similar fan-based initiatives. Companies like Nintendo and Square Enix are quick to send out cease-and-desist letters if they feel that the integrity of their intellectual properties is somehow at risk. This was the case with the defunct 2D Ocarina of Time and Chrono Resurrection. However, if Capcom had done the same with the OverClocked team, it would have been a hundred-hand-slap to the face. (And yes, I realize that full-fledged remakes are a slightly different situation, but are these homebrew projects really that threatening to mega-publishers?)

Bringing OverClocked musicians on board has been mutually beneficial for everyone involved. The decision has brought greater notoriety to OC founder David Lloyd and his site, which hopefully will lead to future collaborations. The music team’s positive experience can only generate goodwill within the Street Fighter community.

At the same time, bringing on OverClocked was the obvious solution for developer Backbone Entertainment, which absolutely needed overhauled audio. Trust me – the included original soundtrack option sounds downright anemic when juxtaposed with the fancy graphics, QSound be damned.

Considering the stellar sales for HD Remix and Namco’s Pac-Man Championship Edition, it stands to reason that the remake bandwagon isn’t going to put the brakes on anytime soon. If developers are smart, they’ll follow Capcom’s lead and continue to cherry pick the best talent from OverClocked ReMix (not to mention, all of the talented translators and indie game designers as well). In other words, keeping these updates for the fans, by the fans.