In the online world of Street Fighter IV, there are two primary metrics that define your skill level: Player Points and Battle Points. Player Points (also known as PP) is a numerical score that indicates your overall skill as a player, regardless of which character you choose. Battle Points (or BP for short) is a character-specific score that rates your ability with that character. At the end of each match, players earn or lose a varying amount of PP and BP based on whether they won or lost, as well as the point differential between opponents. For instance, if a player with a low PP beats a player with a high PP, then the winner in this case would get a lot of points. However, if the tables were turned and the player with a lot of PP beat a player with a low score, then their payout would be far less fruitful. From there, everyone’s PP and BP scores are compiled into regional and global leaderboards.

As if the combat in Street Fighter IV wasn’t addictive enough, this meta element of the experience has only made the game that much harder to shake. Within days of Ultra Street Fighter IV‘s release and the resetting of scores, I found myself hunkered down in front of the television in hopes of earning more points.

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