The announcement of the Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics took many fans by surprise, especially in light of recent events and the mixed reception to the last Marvel vs Capcom title. As someone who's only experienced Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 and Marvel vs Capcom Infinite, I've always been curious about the earlier games, which have earned acclaim from both competitive and casual players alike. The prospect of hearing the iconic Marvel vs Capcom 2 soundtrack officially was an added thrill. Now, months after the initial buzz, the collection is finally here on Steam, Switch, and PlayStation, with an Xbox release slated for 2025.
Games Included in Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
The Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics packs a punch with seven 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, and THE PUNISHER, which stands out as a beat 'em up rather than a fighting game. These are faithful to their arcade origins, ensuring you get the complete experience without the feature cuts seen in some older console ports. Both English and Japanese versions are included, giving fans access to Norimaro in Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter when selecting the Japanese version.
My review stems from around 15 hours of gameplay on the Steam Deck (both LCD and OLED), 13 hours on the PS5 (using backward compatibility), and 4 hours on the Nintendo Switch. While I'm new to these titles, the enjoyment I've derived from Marvel vs Capcom 2 alone has made the purchase worthwhile, prompting me to consider investing in the physical console editions for a tangible piece of gaming history.
New Features in Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
If you've used the Capcom Fighting Collection, the interface of Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics will feel familiar, though it inherits some of the same issues. This collection boasts online and local multiplayer support, local wireless on the Switch, rollback netcode for smooth online battles, a comprehensive training mode, customizable game options, the ability to reduce white flashes or light flickering, various display settings, and a selection of wallpapers.
The training mode, accessible for each game, offers hitboxes, displayed inputs, and other helpful tools, making it ideal for beginners. Additionally, a new one-button super feature can be toggled on or off for online matches, catering to players of all skill levels.
Museum and Gallery in Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
The collection's museum and gallery are packed with over 200 game soundtracks and more than 500 pieces of artwork, much of which has never been available to the public before. As a newcomer, all this content was new to me, but it's a significant addition for long-time fans. Note, however, that some Japanese text on sketches and design documents lacks translation.
The inclusion of these soundtracks is a dream come true for fans, and I hope it paves the way for vinyl or streaming releases in the future.
Online Multiplayer Experience with Rollback Netcode
Before delving into the online experience, it's worth mentioning the network settings within the options menu. On PC, you can adjust settings like microphone usage, voice chat volume, input delay, and connection strength. The Switch only allows for input delay adjustments, while the PS4 version lets you tweak input delay and connection strength, though it lacks in-game voice chat options, likely relying on PS5 and PS4's native features. The absence of a connection strength option on the Switch is a notable omission.
Pre-release testing on the Steam Deck, both wired and wirelessly with another player on Steam, showed that the online experience in Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a significant upgrade from the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection and closely resembles the Capcom Fighting Collection's performance on Steam. We tested most of the games and enjoyed some co-op in The Punisher, and despite the distance between us, it all worked seamlessly.
The collection supports matchmaking for casual and ranked matches, and includes leaderboards with a High Score Challenge mode.
A thoughtful touch is the retention of cursor positions during online rematches, allowing players to quickly select their previous characters without manual adjustments, a detail that enhances the overall experience, especially for those new to the games.
Issues with Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
The most significant drawback is the limitation to a single save state for the entire collection, rather than per game, a recurring issue from the Capcom Fighting Collection. Additionally, while game-specific settings are useful, a universal toggle for features like light reduction or visual filters would streamline the user experience.
Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics on Steam Deck – Verified
My initial experience with the collection on the Steam Deck was flawless, living up to its Steam Deck Verified status. It runs at 720p in handheld mode and supports 4K when docked, though it lacks 16:10 support, sticking to a 16:9 aspect ratio. The PC settings menu allows for adjustments in resolution, display mode, and v-sync toggling.
Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics on Nintendo Switch
On the Switch, the collection runs well but suffers from longer load times compared to other platforms. The absence of a connection strength option is felt, but the inclusion of local wireless multiplayer is a plus.
Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics on PS5
While played via backward compatibility on the PS5, the collection performs excellently on a 1440p monitor with fast load times, even from an external hard drive. Moving it to the SSD would further enhance the speed. I have no issues to report with the PS4 version on the PS5.
Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics stands out as one of Capcom's finest collections to date, offering exceptional extras and a stellar online experience on Steam. The joy of exploring these games for the first time has been immense, though the limitation of a single save slot across the entire collection remains a notable flaw.
Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics Steam Deck Review Score: 4.5/5
