Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics Review

The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a phenomenal compilation for fans of the series and newcomers alike. Its release was a welcome surprise, especially given the mixed reception of previous entries. This review covers experiences on Steam Deck, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses.

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). These are faithful arcade ports, preserving features often lost in older console releases. Both English and Japanese versions are included, a detail appreciated by fans.

Fifteen hours on Steam Deck, thirteen on PS5, and four on Switch provided ample playtime to experience the diverse roster and gameplay styles. While lacking expert-level knowledge of these classic titles, the sheer enjoyment, particularly with Marvel vs. Capcom 2, easily justifies the purchase price.

New Features:

The user interface mirrors Capcom's Fighting Collection, though it unfortunately inherits some of its flaws. Key additions include online and local multiplayer, Switch's local wireless support, rollback netcode, a comprehensive training mode with hitbox displays, customizable game options, a crucial white flash reduction setting, various display options, and several wallpaper choices. A helpful one-button super move option caters to newcomers.

Museum and Gallery:

A rich museum and gallery showcase over 200 soundtrack tracks and 500 pieces of artwork, some previously unseen by the public. While a welcome addition, the lack of translation for Japanese text in sketches and design documents is a minor oversight. The inclusion of the soundtracks is a significant win for fans, hopefully paving the way for future vinyl or streaming releases.

Online Multiplayer:

The online experience, tested extensively on Steam Deck (wired and wireless), mirrors the quality of Capcom Fighting Collection but surpasses Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Rollback netcode delivers smooth gameplay, even across distances. Adjustable input delay and cross-region matchmaking are included. The option to retain cursor selections after rematches is a thoughtful touch. Matchmaking supports casual and ranked matches, along with leaderboards and a High Score Challenge mode.

Issues:

The collection's most significant drawback is the single, global save state. This impacts convenience, particularly when switching between games. Another minor issue is the lack of universal settings for visual filters and light reduction, requiring individual adjustments per game.

Platform-Specific Notes:

Steam Deck: The game is Steam Deck Verified, running smoothly at 720p handheld and supporting 4K docked. 16:10 support is absent.

Nintendo Switch: While visually acceptable, load times are significantly longer than on other platforms. The lack of a connection strength option is also noted. However, local wireless play is a plus.

PS5: Played via backward compatibility, the PS5 version performs well, loading quickly even from an external drive. The absence of native PS5 features, such as Activity Card support, is a missed opportunity.

Conclusion:

The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a top-tier compilation, excelling in its extras and online play. Despite minor shortcomings like the limited save states, it's a highly recommended purchase for fighting game enthusiasts.

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