Capcom reaches into its archives and finally unearths one of its most anticipated classics, combining Marvel’s pixel-era crossovers into one game Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection. This is a compilation that actually wants to take you for a ride.
Although this collection is probably best known for creating Marvel vs Capcom 2 conveniently playable, it’s also a tour through a fascinating, arguably foundational, era of Capcom fighting game development. So, to address different parts of it, we’ve put two reviewers on the case. First, I — Eric — will delve into the multiplayer fighting game aspect, from X-Men: Children of the Atom up through Marvel vs Capcom 2Zoey will then share her expert knowledge on Punisher, the included fighting game with side-scrolling elements.
Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Game Collection: Arcade Classics (Computer, Switch, PS4, PS5)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: September 11, 2024
Suggested retail price: $49.99
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It’s still a bit surreal that Capcom’s Marvel crossovers are playable on a state-of-the-art platform. When Arcade1Up released its Marvel version, it seemed inevitable that some kind of port would come. But even for protection alone, this collection is a large deal.
When the collection is called “Marvel vs Capcom“you know what we’re focused on in the title. Everything here is centered around Capcom’s legendary crossover series, starting with a few core Marvel games and expanding into Marvel vs Capcom 2.
Watching these games in order really helps to illustrate how Capcom built these characters and concepts over time. You can see the first versions of Cyclops and Wolverine fighting each other and how these fighters have changed over the years X-Men: Children of the Atom until the end MvC2.
The presentation of the lines in this way is a nice touch, and fortunately, it’s fairly simple to play a few rounds in each game. While the lobby system is a little fickle for my taste, it certainly works well, and the netcode seemed solid in the matches I played with someone from another state. Playing first-to-three in Marvel Superheroes and then switching to X-Men Or MvC is quite fluid, allowing you to easily jump between the next stages of Capcom’s development.
While the story is engaging, there are some obvious gems in it. X-Men vs. Street Fighter is my personal favorite and it’s done well here. The original Marvel vs Capcom also holds up well, and it’s frigid to see how the tagging and assist systems have evolved in these crossover fighters over time.
Marvel vs Capcom 2 is the star of the show. It’s been years since I spent hours trying to get into the Xbox 360 port, and many years since I first threw a quarter into MvC taxi, so I think it’s crucial to emphasize: Marvel vs Capcom 2 it’s a hell of a good game.
I mean this in a few ways too, because as much fun as it is to play so many characters that seem so powerful, the lane can quickly turn into something broken. It’s a rite of passage to go online MvC2 and get taken down by Iron Man Infinite or someone leading a classic group of top-tier warriors.
All this nastiness is here in abundance, and for those psychopaths who want it, I think they will find it. Even as a critic, I still recommend it absolutely MvC die-hard fans can check out detailed reports from people like Justin Wong to check if the specific details were translated well. But for someone like me, a regular MvC fan who just wants to play as my favorite version of Jill Valentine and fight with my friends, this is a solid offering.
A few upgrades could support up-to-date players, like the increasingly popular one-button special options. It’s nice to see a good training mode here too. All of this points to a collection that could revive interest in the competition MvC; while die-hard fans have been using alternative methods for a while now, this is another point where putting these games on a state-of-the-art platform proves helpful.
Unfortunately, even modernization doesn’t support all of these games shine as brightly as others. The standouts mentioned above are there, and I’m sure if you’re buying this collection, you’re buying it for Marvel vs Capcom 2. Everything else is just sauce on top. But after a few rounds in some other games I felt good about not running around more, especially when they had fewer character options compared to the huge MvC2 composition.
Ultimately, this collection feels like a time capsule of Capcom’s history. Putting all of these games together clearly illustrates the themes, showing how Capcom and Marvel have built a partnership over the years of fighting game crossovers. In that regard, it can feel a bit lacking in variety. Instead of a smorgasbord of styles, it focuses on the line, like previous collections like Street fighter 30. has presented decades of iterations of the basic concept.
But it’s this concentrated encapsulation that makes this collection so endearing to me. So much art and music has been included, alongside options that make it simple to tinker, train, or simply experience explosive wonder MvC2 for the first time. I think if you’re a fan of fighting game history, this collection is a no-brainer. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone looking to “get into” fighting games, but absolutely I recommend it to anyone who gets pink-nostalgic every time they hear “I wanna take you for a ride” from the speakers. Eric VanAllen
The time for punishment has come
It’s always cause for celebration when a licensed game is somehow re-released in the state-of-the-art era. While Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection focuses on mashup titles, Punisher sits alone at the beat-’em-up dining room table. A surprising addition, but one that deserves attention.
Without thinking about it too much, Capcom was the best when it came to scrolling fighting games. 1994 was a good year for fans because then Alien vs. Predator AND Punisher were released. While AvP is probably a better game overall, Punisher is by no means a bad player.
You can play as either the Punisher or Nick Fury. I have no idea why Nick Fury is here, other than the fact that he’s one of the few Marvel characters who will employ a gun. I thought it would be explained in the opening demo, but it isn’t. I’m not sure why a government agent would join a vigilante in a full-on assault on an organized crime family. If such a thing were allowed, they probably could have just killed the Kingpin a long time ago.
Anyway, that’s all Punisher is. It starts with you beating up some thugs in a casino. Then you just follow the thugs until you get to The Kingpin. You go through different crime locations like a bus, a mansion, a warehouse by the water, and an underground grow-op. At the end of each one are bosses. You know the drill.
Perhaps the biggest twist in this beat-’em-up is Punisher it boils down to this: if a thug pulls a gun on Mr. Punisher or Mr. Fury, they’ll pull their guns and respond in kind. It sounds like they’re trying to say they’re only shooting thugs in self-defense, but then you can pick up Uzis and assault rifles and kill for no reason. I guess that doesn’t count when you’re using a weapon you pick up off the ground: It’s the five-second rule for murder.
Generally, Punisher is a solid fighting game. The art style is one of the best parts, especially with the ever-simmering Punisher. You can practically see the veins popping out of his head. The levels seem pretty brief, but the entire game clocks in at just over 40 minutes. When you get bored with the slew of fighting games that make up the rest of your collection, this game is a pretty good palette cleanser.
Or maybe you’re just tired of kicking your friend and want to team up for a change. You can briefly immerse yourself in the camaraderie between Mr. Punisher and Mr. Fury a few years before Mr. Punisher shoots Mr. Fury in the back. – Zoey Handley
Collect the stones
In general, Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection does exactly what it set out to do: take these classic crossovers, make some modernizations, collect some historical elements, and wrap it all neatly into one whole.
It’s not the most well-rounded game, but for those in that niche, it’s rigid to find too many complaints. There’s rolled back netcode, some fantastic gameplay, and Punisher Beat ’em up for when you’d rather play co-op than fight. Whether you’re a nostalgic fan of the originals or someone curious about one of the most iconic fighting games in history, this collection makes for an simple trip back in time.
