I mean, let's look at the facts. For one thing, it's a coin-op conversion. When was the last time coin-ops were at the cutting edge of the video game business? Funnily enough, it was around the time of the Mega Drive's launch - ever since then, the focus has shifted almost entirely to the home consoles. How many of you out there can name even five of the current 20 top-grossing machines in amusement arcades? Thought so.

And SF2's not just a coin-op, either - it's a coin-op beat-'em-up, the genre that's surely more responsible than any other for the desertion of the arcades. Let's face it, when you've seen one big-sprites-punching-each-other-repeatedly effort set against either a decaying urban backdrop or some variation on a Shaolin temple, you've seen 'em all, haven't you? Beat-'em-ups are the Take That of the video game world - bland, undemanding, repetitive and a nice safe way for game companies to rake in cash without taking in any risks.

Thirdly, the game is a sequel to Street Fighter, a spectacularly unspectacular minor coin-op hit from years ago, which was notable only for having a rare tactile element to its visual violence - the controls were giant pads which gave you more powerful punches the harder you hit them. It was crap, let's be honest.

SF2 doesn't even have that old arcade fall-back of astounding technical feats to fall back on - the action takes place against a few more-or-less static backdrops which are perfectly pretty in their own way, but really no advance on the original game. The sprites themselves are big and reasonably well-animated, but leagues behind the likes of, say, Pitfighter. So just why is the thing so bloody enormous?

I'll tell you why. It's the simplest reason in the world, but it might come as a bit of a surprise to anyone used to the biggest games being the ones with the most money spent on licencing/hyping them (ie your average Mega Drive owner). The reason is, it's a brilliant game. For a start, it's got twice as many moves as your ordinary run-of-the-mill Formula X beat-'em-up, and twice as many moves means twice as much gameplay depth. Unlike most games of the type, SF2 won't reward you for standing in one place and doing the same move over and over again - you need a quick mind as well as fast reflexes to get anywhere with this one.

The near-unique thing about SF2 among coin-ops in particular too, is that it simply bleeds character. Chun Li, Dhalsim, Blanka, M Bison and chums have such sharply-defined styles and performances that you can't help but identify with them, even to the extent of sticking with your favourite when you're up against an opponent of superior abilities (those sad cases who always play as Guile because he's hardest are the lowest of the low in gaming circles).

And really, that's about it. There's no great revolutionary secret about Street Fighter 2 - it's just a superbly-constructed, well-designed game with more soul than anything seen in an arcade for years. Now it's coming to your Mega Drive, to save you from The Attack Of The Killer Mutant Tedious Film-Licence Platformers. Now, then, is a time for rejoicing.