Street Fighter II gets new character in official browser game collab with Pocky  

Looking to play a free version of Street Fighter with an interesting quirk? Capcom and Glico have teamed up to launch the free-to-play, official browser-based game Street Fighter II Pocky Edition. Based on the 90s arcade classic Street Fighter II, the collaboration triggers some serious nostalgia, as well as adding a bizarre mechanic and a new character to the game. 

Pocky is a well-known Japanese snack consisting of stick-shaped biscuits covered in a thin chocolate coating that debuted in 1966. The Street Fighter collaboration game introduces a new mechanic called “Pocky Chance.” This is a segment of your health bar indicated in red brackets. If you K.O. your opponent when your health is within this range, then you will achieve a “Pocky K.O.” Basically, both your player character and your defeated opponent will pose clutching boxes of the popular snack. 

Street Fighter II Pocky Edition was previously available for a limited time in late 2022 to early 2023. This year’s tie-in comes with a new character, Eiko, in addition to Ryu and Chun Li. The white-suit wearing Eiko is based on Japanese comedian Eiko Kano. In a video released yesterday on his official YouTube channel showcasing the collaboration game, Kano explained that appearing as a Street Fighter character was a dream come true. The character’s signature moves are a rose-throwing attack called “Rose Ceremony” and a spinning uppercut called “Eiko Go!” In true Street Fighter fashion, the character proclaims the names of the attacks while performing them, and this voiceover work was provided by the comedian. 

The collaboration game features two stages- Japan and China. However, the Japanese stage is different from the standard Street Fighter II one. As this is a collaboration with Glico, we get a detailed new stage based on downtown Osaka’s Dotonbori Canal, featuring the famous Glico Running Man advertisement sign, which is one of Osaka’s famous landmarks. You can even see Ebisu Bridge, and a tour boat on the canal has stopped to watch your fight. 

Street Fighter II Pocky Edition is accessible either through QR codes on Pocky boxes (in Japan) or via the game’s website. The game is scheduled to be playable from February 28 to May 27, 2024.