‘Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection Arcade Classics’ Review: A Masterclass In Preservation & Presentation

Capcom has learned from its previous mistakes with the Capcom Fighting Collection to deliver fighting game fans what they have been longing for with Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics.

Prepare to be taken for a ride. Capcom blew the minds of fighting game enthusiasts with the announcement of the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, and with good reason.

The game features six fighting games: X-Men: Children of The Atom, Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. 

Capcom threw in the painfully underrated 1993 The Punisher arcade beat ’em up game as a bonus.

All of these games were quarter magnets back in their heyday when you went to the arcade (remember those?), and chances were very high that you had to wait a minute for your opportunity to insert your coin because these games were always the popular attractions because they were so good.

So does that same energy transfer over with the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics? Yes, yes, it does.

Ported To Perfection

There have been many console ports of the fighting games on this collection’s roster; some are good, and some are very forgettable, except when they found their way onto the Sega Saturn.

I was happy to see once I booted up the MVCFC: Arcade Classics, the games are perfect ports of their arcade versions.

Capcom went to great lengths to deliver the same experience the arcade machines delivered when they first arrived. X-Men: Children of the Atom and Marvel Super Heroes reminded me of how challenging the game is, even when I lowered the difficulty. X-Men vs. Street Fighter restored that feeling of the first time I saw Cyclops and Ryu shaking hands in that opening montage and how amazing it was to be able to switch fighters during matches.

Marvel vs. Capcom built on what X-Men vs. Street Fighter introduced. At the same time, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 took that action to another level by introducing three-on-three frenetic gameplay that is accurately recaptured in the Fighting Collection.

While the gameplay, minus the occasional frame rate drop, is on point, they all retain the iconic look as if you are looking at them on an arcade screen with the sprites aging very well.

However, we must admit that compared to the other games in the collection, MVC2’s graphics don’t hold up as well, and the smoothing is now an eyesore. That doesn’t take away from the fact that the game is still as fun as ever, thanks to its massive 56-character roster.

You can even switch between the US and Japanese Versions of the games, which add hidden fighters, which are essentially broken characters. You can enact options that will bar competitors from choosing them to keep things on the fair side.

Don’t Sleep On The Punisher

Arcade beat ’em ups are also beloved things, and Marvel properties like X-Men and The Avengers were featured a lot in the genre. 1993’s The Punisher was one of those games that became a cult classic among arcade enthusiasts, and this port of the game reminds us why.

It gives players another option to play something other than the fighting games features in the MVCFC: Arcade Classics.

It only takes about 2 hours to complete and can be played online with a friend, stranger, or locally. Considering how well The Punisher runs, we hope Capcom decides to resurrect the goat of beat ’em up games, Alien vs. Predator.

Thank You Rollback Netcode

One of the best new features in all seven games is the Rollback Netcode, which has dramatically improved playing fighting games online.

During my experience, most matches went smoothly with little to no lag. Another great inclusion is the online lobby system. You can now choose to play one game exclusively or hop into an intermediary menu that allows you to swap between the games in the collection after every match.

Players can also select exactly how many matches they want to play before returning to the selection menu.

Final Verdict

These collections can be very hit or miss due to the games either not aging well or not holding up to today’s technical standards. With the MVCFC: Arcade Classics, it’s a rare moment where every game included is a perfect port and delivers the nostalgia we have longed for regarding these crossover fighting games.

Plenty of new features only add to the fantastic experience we have had with these titles, and including a menu breaks down everything from the art to the beloved music from the games.

For $49.99, you get the best of what Capcom’s fighting game past offers, plus a history lesson around all titles. MVCFC: Arcade Classics is an absolute banger and a necessary purchase if you have been waiting for years for these games to make their return.

This game is a necessary pickup!

*PS5 & Nintendo Switch keys provided by the game’s publisher for review*