The cult-classic 2D fighter Darkstalkers finally comes to life on the current consoles.

Fans of the Darkstalker series will be rejoiced to see their beloved franchise FINALLY come to life in downloable form. While it might not be as pleasurable as firing up a brand-new Darkstalkers 4 (fingers crossed for that one), Darkstalkers Resurrection contains two of three famed games; Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge and Darkstalkers 3. Mashed into a slick package, this collection that shows the classic fighter still has a valid place in gaming today. True, Darkstalkers is old school; however I’d rather refer to it more as the “right school”.

For those who aren’t familiar with the series, Darkstalkers could be framed as a fantasy take on Street Fighter. Popularized in the 2D-Fighter heyday, Darkstalkers showed fans of the genre that it had enough merit to stand on its own. Famous for its great animations and over-the-top characters, Darkstalkers even without representation in this generation of gaming remained a fan favourite over all the years. Darkstalkers even went out to have a life beyond the gaming market and has been seen in other formats such as animation films and comic books. Much like its fighting counterparts, Darkstalkers is also rich with its own lore, even if it doesn’t make an ounce of sense.

As expected, gamers owning an arcade stick will likely find a little more enjoyment here, but even without the button mapping on the Xbox 360 controller works. Darkstalkers is “quicker” than some other fighters and with a number of complicated combos, arcade sticks seems to work the best. Beyond the controls, this is one flamboyant fighter. While lacking the “flash” of a modern upgrade, Darkstalkers characters can make every match up, interesting. Either straight-up mashing or taking the tactical approach, Darkstalkers is a great “starter” 2D fighter for those who don’t have their retro black-belt. Helping those starters (or experienced) gamers out is also a new “challenge” mode that has been crafted to help learn each characters ins-and-outs. It’s a great addition and a must if you’re serious about putting in the time.

Expanding more, you can head online for a real-challenge of skill. The numbers might be dwindling a bit off a little after its release, but the persistent will no doubt have some fun going into battle with their favorurite character. The online component isn’t just barebones either, it comes with the ability to watch, save and share up to your last few affairs, along with the ability to search out and watch other peoples matches. It might not have the weighty feel of Street Fighter, but Darkstalkers can provide some serious matches rivaling its more serious brother.

The HD treatment makes an improvement when compared to original. Although its hasn’t been given a full rebuild, so don’t expect “Marvel vs. Capcom 3” quality. Still the end results look sharp and hold up for its time. It is clear to see the amount of imagination and effort that went into creating these detailed sprites. Additionally more assets related to the art of the game can be unlocked by earning points via their built-in achievement system. All-in-all, Resurrection is a nice little package and a solid repacking for fans of the original.

Time Tested, Darkstalkers: Resurrection is worth the download for fans of the series and 2D fighting fanatics.

Solid mechanics - Flawless transition Great online options and fluid play New challenge feature to help learn the ins-and-outs Lots of unlockables The original, Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors not included. Quote: "True, Darkstalkers is old school; however I’d rather refer to it more as the right school." Reviewed by DowntownJimmy | 03.27.13 | Platform Reviewed: Xbox 360

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