The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a phenomenal compilation for fans of Capcom's fighting game history, especially considering the mixed reception of recent entries. This review covers experiences across Steam Deck, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses.
Game Lineup:
The collection boasts seven classic 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, ensuring complete feature sets. Both English and Japanese versions are included, a detail appreciated by fans.
This reviewer, a newcomer to most of these titles, found the experience incredibly enjoyable, particularly Marvel vs. Capcom 2, justifying the purchase price multiple times over.
New Features & Enhancements:
The collection shares a similar interface to Capcom Fighting Collection, including online and local multiplayer, Switch wireless play, rollback netcode, a robust training mode with hitbox displays, customizable game options, adjustable screen brightness (crucial for reducing light flickering), diverse display options, and several wallpaper choices. A helpful "one-button super" option caters to newcomers.
Museum & Gallery:
A comprehensive museum and gallery showcase over 200 soundtrack tracks and 500 pieces of artwork, some previously unreleased. While a valuable addition, Japanese text in sketches and design documents remains untranslated.
The inclusion of the soundtracks is a welcome addition, hopefully paving the way for future vinyl or streaming releases.
Online Multiplayer:
Online play, tested extensively on Steam Deck (wired and wireless), offers a smooth experience comparable to Capcom Fighting Collection but significantly improved over the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Rollback netcode ensures responsive gameplay. Options include casual and ranked matches, leaderboards, and a High Score Challenge mode. The ability to retain character selections between rematches is a thoughtful touch.
Issues:
The collection's most significant drawback is the single, universal quick save slot, affecting the entire collection rather than individual games. Another minor issue involves the lack of universal settings for visual filters and light reduction, requiring adjustments per game.
Platform-Specific Notes:
- Steam Deck: Perfectly functional, Steam Deck Verified, running at 720p handheld and supporting 4K docked (tested at 1440p and 800p). 16:9 aspect ratio only.
- Nintendo Switch: Visually acceptable but suffers from noticeably longer load times compared to other platforms. The lack of a connection strength option is also a point of concern. However, it offers local wireless play.
- PS5: Runs via backward compatibility, resulting in a lack of PS5 Activity Card integration. Otherwise, performance is excellent with fast loading times (especially on an SSD).
Overall:
The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a superb compilation, offering excellent extras and online play (on Steam, particularly). The single save slot remains a frustrating limitation.
Steam Deck Review Score: 4.5/5
