Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a perfect compilation of some of the best fighting games ever made. The sheer number of excellent games and the wild breadth of bonus content make this an excellent collection that anyone who likes either company and good games needs to check out ASAP.
© 2024 MARVEL ©CAPCOM
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
Developer: Capcom
Price: $50
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), Nintendo Switch, and PC – Xbox One at a later date.
MonsterVine was provided with a PS4 code for review
I’m an enormous fan of both Marvel and Capcom, so from early childhood, Marvel vs. Capcom was a dream come true for me. I played Marvel vs. Capcom 2 in particular a ton with my brother, but have always been sad that there was no easy way to play these games with him and my friends on current consoles. Then comes Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, which promises to and succeeds in doing just that, making for an excellent compilation.
The included games are X-Men: Children of the Atom, Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. I suggest playing them in a row if it’s your first time with them, as it’s a blast to watch the progression between each title.
© 2024 MARVEL ©CAPCOM
The earlier games focus primarily on the X-Men and are a bit heavier in terms of gameplay, but it’s a fun throwback to that era of comics and fighting games. You can see the roots of the franchise take hold in those first three titles, as well as Capcom’s love for more obscure characters like Blackheart and Shuma-Gorath. The Infinity Stone mechanic in Marvel Super Heroes serves as an interesting predecessor to Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite’s similar system, while the secret characters still feel like an exciting bonus.
“[Marvel vs. Capcom 2] is every bit as fun to play as it was when it was first released over 24 years ago and the ability to play online with rollback netcode makes it singlehandedly worth the price of admission.“
Things really begin to take off when you hit Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter and Marvel vs Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes. The 2v2 mechanics and incredibly lively stages put it a step above, as well as Marvel vs. Capcom’s assist mechanic that allows for smaller characters from both companies to have their moment in the sun. The combos are satisfying to pull off, the endings are charming, and the rosters are solid. You can further see the series develop into what it would become in games like Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and 3, making these two titles pleasant stops on the journey. Plus, players in the West can finally try out Norimaro — the previously Japan-exclusive character in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter.
© 2024 MARVEL ©CAPCOM
Then there’s the crown jewel of the collection – Marvel vs. Capcom 2. With its enormous roster of characters (in part thanks to a lot of clever reuse of sprites from all of the previous games), snappy and sharp gameplay, and wonderfully bizarre 3D stages and music, there’s nothing this game can be compared to. It’s every bit as fun to play as it was when it was first released over 24 years ago and the ability to play online with rollback netcode makes it singlehandedly worth the price of admission.
The Punisher is an intriguing arcade game that relishes in goofy violence as it lets you wreak havoc upon criminals as Nick Fury and the titular antihero. I’d never played this one but had a great experience during my time with it. It’s a short but sweet beat-em-up that is filled with explosive action and little nods to other comics, and I recommend it.
© 2024 MARVEL ©CAPCOM
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics offers plenty of customization
Each game has several different customization options that allow you to play the titles the way you find most fun. You can change the visual filters and difficulty, and decide how easy to access the various secret characters are. You can even pick a starting stage in The Punisher, as well as how many lives you get and if you’re on Free Play or Coin mode, which is impressive dedication on Capcom’s part to giving players every option they can.
There’s so much art and music for fans to check out as part of Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics. It’s very insightful to see all of the different illustrations and art pieces that are behind these iconic titles, and I always love to see characters as drawn by Akiman, so I deeply appreciate the Museum feature.
The Final Word
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is as stellar as it gets when it comes to classic rereleases. Not only are these some of the best fighting games out there, but they’ve been revived with such excellence that it’s worth applauding. I hope this leads to more Marvel vs. Capcom games, as this collection serves as the perfect reminder that there’s no crossover quite like it.
MonsterVine Rating: 5 out of 5 – Excellent
