Month: October 2015

Back in July, we first caught wind of Brave Wave’s partnership with Capcom, as well as original Street Fighter II composer Yoko Shimomura, to bring fighting fans a remastered version of the Street Fighter II soundtrack. We recently spoke with project director Mohammad Taher, who provided loads more information for those of you excited to get your hands on a copy of the album.

First of all, the album has officially–and appropriately–been dubbed “Street Fighter II The Definitive Soundtrack,” and we can expect to see it available for purchase some time later this year. The exact date remains unknown, but Taher notes we’ll have more precise details “soon.” The album, which boasts over 100 tracks totaling more than 2 hours of pure arcade nostalgia, will be available as a vinyl or CD release as well as a digital release through media outlets like Bandcamp and iTunes. Those who decide to pick up a physical copy–vinyl or CD–will also receive a digital version of the tracks.

As with anything of this nature, there’s plenty of debate over whether the CPS-1 or CPS-2 versions of these classic songs should bear the “definitive” moniker, and the folks at Brave Wave knew that to be the case. With this in mind, the massive track list is owed in part to the inclusion of remastered versions of both. When asked about the subject in an interview with The Verge, Taher responded with a question of his own: “Instead of us deciding which version is definitive, why don’t we just release both to the fans and they can enjoy both?”

In celebration of the upcoming release, as well as to give folks an idea of the sound quality they can expect, Taher provided Shoryuken with exclusive access to a previously unreleased comparison track. If you’d like to give it a listen yourself, we’ve embedded Sagat’s CPS-1 theme below. It begins with the remastered version of the song, then switches to the track before Brave Wave got their hands on it, and continues to flip back and forth for the duration.

For additional comparison, Taher provided us with Sagat’s CPS-1 theme in its original, on-board form lined up with the same remastered mix. The differences are staggering.

 

Care to hear some more comparison tracks? You can fill your ears with the soothing sounds of Ryu’s Theme (CPS-2 version) and Cammy’s Ending Theme (CPS-2 version) by following their respective links. We’ll keep you posted with more official details surrounding this soundtrack as they become available.

Sources: Brave Wave, The Verge