Prepare for Epic Battles: Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection Review

The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a phenomenal compilation for fans of Capcom's fighting game history, exceeding expectations despite some minor shortcomings. This review covers experiences across Steam Deck, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.

Game Selection:

The collection boasts 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 (a beat 'em up). All are arcade versions, preserving features often lost in older console ports. Both English and Japanese versions are included, a significant detail for fans.

My 15+ hours on Steam Deck (LCD and OLED), 13 on PS5, and 4 on Switch provided ample playtime. While lacking deep expertise in these titles (this was my first time playing most), the sheer enjoyment, particularly with MvC2, easily justified the purchase price.

New Features and Enhancements:

The interface mirrors Capcom Fighting Collection, inheriting both its strengths and weaknesses. Key additions include online and local multiplayer, Switch wireless support, rollback netcode, a robust training mode with hitbox displays, customizable game options, adjustable screen brightness (crucial for reducing light flickering), various display options, and wallpapers. A helpful one-button super move option caters to newcomers.

Museum and Gallery:

The impressive museum and gallery features over 200 soundtracks and 500 pieces of artwork, some previously unreleased. While a welcome addition, Japanese text in sketches and documents lacks translation. The inclusion of the soundtracks is fantastic, hopefully paving the way for future vinyl or streaming releases.

Online Multiplayer:

Network settings allow for microphone/voice chat adjustments (PC offers more granular control than Switch). Rollback netcode delivers a smooth online experience, comparable to Capcom Fighting Collection on Steam but significantly improved over the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Cross-region matchmaking and adjustable input delay further enhance online play. The convenient persistence of character selection cursors between rematches is a thoughtful touch.

Issues:

The collection's most significant flaw is the single, universal quick save slot. This limitation, carried over from Capcom Fighting Collection, is disappointing. Another minor issue is the lack of global settings for visual filters and brightness adjustments; per-game adjustments are necessary.

Platform-Specific Notes:

• Steam Deck: Fully verified, running flawlessly at 720p handheld and supporting 4K docked. 16:9 aspect ratio only.

• Nintendo Switch: Visually acceptable but suffers from noticeable load times compared to other platforms. Local wireless is a plus.

• PS5: Runs via backward compatibility; native PS5 support would have been ideal for better integration with PS5 features. Loads quickly, even from external storage.

Overall:

Despite the minor drawbacks, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a top-tier compilation, offering exceptional extras and smooth online play (on Steam). The single save slot is a significant letdown, but the overall experience is overwhelmingly positive.

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics Steam Deck Review Score: 4.5/5