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 across Steam Deck, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.
Game Lineup:
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, not a fighter). All are arcade versions, ensuring complete feature sets. Both English and Japanese versions are included, a significant boon for fans.
Fifteen hours on Steam Deck (both LCD and OLED screens), thirteen hours on PS5 (via backward compatibility), and four hours on Switch provided ample playtime. While lacking deep expertise in these classic titles, the enjoyment derived, particularly from Marvel vs. Capcom 2, easily justifies the purchase price.
New Features:
The user interface mirrors Capcom's Capcom Fighting Collection, including its shortcomings (discussed later). Key additions include online and local multiplayer, Switch local wireless, rollback netcode, a robust training mode (with hitboxes and input displays), customizable game options, a crucial white flash reduction setting, various display options, and several wallpapers. A helpful one-button super move option caters to newcomers.
Museum and Gallery:
A comprehensive museum and gallery feature over 200 soundtrack tracks and 500 pieces of artwork, some previously unreleased. While impressive, Japanese text in sketches and documents remains untranslated. The inclusion of the soundtracks is a major highlight, hopefully paving the way for future vinyl or streaming releases.
Online Multiplayer:
The online experience, tested extensively on Steam Deck (wired and wireless), mirrors Capcom Fighting Collection on Steam, a significant improvement over the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Input delay and cross-region matchmaking are adjustable. PC options include microphone and voice chat controls, while Switch lacks connection strength options (a notable omission). PS4 offers input delay and connection strength adjustments, but lacks voice chat options. Matchmaking supports casual and ranked matches, plus leaderboards and a High Score Challenge mode. The persistent cursor memory for character selection after rematches is a welcome detail.
Issues:
The collection's most significant flaw is the single, global save state. This affects the entire collection, not individual games. Another minor issue is the lack of universal settings for visual filters and light reduction. Per-game adjustments are present, but a global toggle would be preferable.
Platform-Specific Notes:
- Steam Deck: Runs flawlessly, as expected given its "Verified" status. Supports 720p handheld and 4K docked, with 16:9 aspect ratio only.
- Nintendo Switch: Visually acceptable, but suffers from noticeable loading times. Local wireless is supported, but the lack of connection strength options is disappointing.
- PS5: Backward compatibility performance is excellent, with fast loading times (even from an external drive). The absence of native PS5 support means no Activity Card integration.
Overall:
The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a top-tier compilation, excelling beyond just fighting games. The extras are superb, online play on Steam is fantastic, and experiencing these classic games is a joy. The limited save state is the primary drawback.
Steam Deck Review Score: 4.5/5
