Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics was an announcement that took the world by storm shortly after being revealed during a Nintendo Direct presentation in June. Growing up as a teenager in the 90s, I remember how impactful these games were and why they made me fall in love with the fighting game genre.
After spending time with this collection, I can confirm that Capcom has delivered an incredible package that every fighting game fan can appreciate. Here are more details on what’s included in the collection and why it’s worth checking out.
A Satisfyingly Bloody Appetizer
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics includes the following seven action-packed titles:
- 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
- Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
- The Punisher
The Capcom-published and developed games listed above were originally released between 1993 and 2000. The Punisher debuted in arcades before eventually being ported to Sega Genesis. Including this side-scrolling beat ’em up in the collection is a welcomed surprise as it gives players who missed out a chance to explore the game. The Punisher has online play via a custom match setup (create or join lobby), high-score challenge, or high-score challenge leaderboard. You can also play locally with a friend.
The Main Course
The key attraction of this package is centered around the iconic Marvel vs. Capcom and X-Men fighting games. Capcom has gone above and beyond to create incredible ports that perfectly capture the essence of each title. The beautiful art styles, graphics, and soundtracks have all been expertly preserved. Certain titles also feature playable characters such as Doctor Doom, Thanos, Magneto, Juggernaut, and more. Veterans will get some familiar excitement from playing these titles again while new players will be blown away.
In addition to the games looking fantastic, they also run smoothly. All gameplay options like playing on turbo speed or using manual/auto playstyles remain intact. For those interested in competing online, there are options to play casual matches, ranked matches, custom matches, ranked leaderboards, high-score challenges, and high-score challenge leaderboards. I tried a few online matches with rollback Netcode and didn’t experience any issues. Training modes are also available for every game alongside a Spectator mode for those who prefer to watch all the chaos unfold.
The Extras
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics also has a few extras for you to check out in the form of the museum and fighter awards challenges. The museum is a compilation of all the gallery artwork and music from each game. The fighter awards challenges option is a way to track all of the trophies/achievements that are unlockable in the game. These modes are essentially icing on top of an already perfect cake.
Capcom’s decision to release this package and the upcoming Capcom Fighting Collection 2 in 2025 makes me wonder if a new Marvel vs. Capcom fighting game is in the works. Several new Marvel characters have been introduced in movies, comics, and video games in the last 24 years so there is an opportunity to capitalize on this. I also find it interesting that The Punisher was never a part of these vs. games and seeing that character revived along with Kingpin would be pretty cool if it happens.
Final Verdict
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is an incredible package and a must-play for any fan of the fighting game genre. Priced at only $49.99, it’s an absolute steal and worth every ounce of your time and money.
This review was written based on a digital review copy of Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for PlayStation 5 provided by Capcom.
