Games

Marvel vs. Capcom: 7 Classic Arcade Games You NEED to Play

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1994 was the year my gaming journey began at the arcade with X-Men: Children of the Atom. This game laid the groundwork for the iconic Marvel vs. Capcom series, and now, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics offers an unparalleled way to relive the evolution of some of the best fighting games in history, complete with online multiplayer and a treasure trove of bonus content. It’s not just an interesting relic; it’s a must-have for any fight enthusiast. For fans of combat across all genres, this collection is practically essential.

30 years ago, as a gamer, I remember when I first played “Marvel Super Heroes” back in 1995, which built upon the foundation laid by “Children of the Atom.” Instead of focusing on just a handful of Xavier’s students from the School for Gifted Youngsters, it introduced a vast array of heroes and villains from the Marvel universe. Characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America joined the fight, making the game much more exciting. The game also introduced Infinity Gems, allowing us to boost our powers during battles – a feature that was later reused in “Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite” two decades later. It was an amazing game then, and it still holds up today.

In simpler terms, I cherish my recollections of playing the PS1 version of Marvel Super Heroes with companions, and I was amazed when I first experienced such a large number of comic book characters being brought to life so authentically and respectfully. Plus, it was an incredibly fun and playable game! To this day, its artwork still bursts with the same energetic and vivid colors as it did nearly three decades ago. The game X-Men vs. Street Fighter, released in 1996, took things to a new level by abandoning the traditional one-on-one fights found in Children of the Atom and Marvel Super Heroes, instead opting for intense tag team battles.

The collaborative playstyle seen in games like “Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter” and “Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes” is consistent, and it was further enhanced in “Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes“, which introduced 3-on-3 tag teams. Innovative cross-over attacks, combos, and assists were initially introduced with the implementation of tag team mechanics in the series, marking a turn towards more chaotic gameplay that fans have come to appreciate. As you move from one game to another, you can witness this evolution unfolding in real time. Each installment showcases subtle improvements in speed and rhythm, as well as increasing smoothness in sprite and animation quality, an expanding character roster, and other such advancements.

For example, “In ‘Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Heroes’, you could call upon random supporting characters to aid you during battle, but only on a limited basis. However, it’s ‘Marvel vs. Capcom 2’ that stands out as the pinnacle of the series, even with its slightly unconventional 3D settings. The inclusion of ‘Snapback’ moves lets you knock an opponent off the screen and bring one of their partners into play; while chained Hyper Combos add a layer of intricacy, without diluting the game’s essence or detracting from what makes it so unique. In this game, all three characters can launch their Hyper Combos in rapid succession, creating a storm of dazzling sound and color. It’s pure fun.

Among the offerings in this collection, The Punisher, a 1993 beat ’em up game, stands out as an unexpected gem. This title is not only difficult to come by but also offers an enjoyable gaming experience, making it a must-play for many, given that it’s likely you haven’t encountered it before. As a fan of scrolling beat ’em up games, I have missed out on The Punisher, so its presence in this collection is a delightful surprise. You can either play as Frank Castle or Nick Fury (the second player gets to control Nick Fury), and you’ll be armed with guns, knives, swords, baseball bats, and whatever else is handy for taking down Kingpin’s minions on your quest to defeat the boss himself. It’s incredibly violent, but it’s a lot of bloody, entertaining fun.

In The Punisher, having the ability to rewind gameplay, save progress instantly anywhere, and resume indefinitely like playing at an arcade with endless money, significantly enhances the gaming experience, and the same can be said for all other features presented here. It’s akin to being granted access to a 1990s arcade filled with coins, then being given additional perks on top of that. The multiplayer aspect is extensive, offering Casual, Ranked, and Custom Matches, accompanied by smooth rollback netcode, leaderboards, and High Score Challenges to conquer. You can initiate matchmaking and wait while playing offline or explore the Museum as you eagerly await an online match to begin. Remarkably, The Punisher features online co-op and a spectator mode. This is truly impressive stuff.

In most cases, you won’t encounter many disadvantages. Unfortunately, having just one save point for the entire game collection can be a bit disappointing since it prevents you from switching between games and maintaining your progress for each individually. This means it’s best to concentrate on playing a single game at a time, saving when your gaming session ends. If each game had its own save point, this problem would be resolved, resulting in an almost flawless collection. Despite the high-quality content, pointing out this issue seems rather petty given the overall quality of the games provided.

In line with Capcom’s previous collections, the “Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics” showcases exceptional game preservation. Each of the seven games are beautifully presented and enhanced with a wealth of historical behind-the-scenes content, such as design documents, sketches, artwork, soundtracks, and more, in the Museum section. This provides depth and context to your gaming experience. Additionally, through the pause menu, you can access the original arcade cabinet marquee card, offering a quick reference of all control inputs, just like in the old days. If you didn’t spend hours in the arcades as a kid like I did, you’ll still find this collection hard to resist. Truly.

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2025-02-11 19:42

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