Capcom and Marvel’s licensed collaborative arcade fighting games released throughout the 90s will forever be remembered with great fondness – regardless of whether you were lucky enough to have experienced them firsthand or ended up becoming a fan at a much later point in time. The Marvel vs. Capcom series, in particular, has endured well into recent years, with the latest mainline entry (Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite) having dropped back in 2017. For those interested in getting their hands on a comprehensive package containing those previously mentioned 90s gems (including one from the dawn of the noughties), however, keen on experiencing where the magic began, or simply excited for a potential series continuation, Capcom have got a treat for you with their Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection Arcade Classics compilation.



Now that we’ve all caught our breath after reading that title out aloud, let’s go over what exactly this collection contains – starting with the games, of course. You’ve got seven titles to choose from here: 1993’s The Punisher (the only side-scrolling beat’em up in the bundle), 1994’s X-Men: Children of the Atom, 1995’s Marvel Super Heroes, 1996’s X-Men vs. Street Fighter, 1997’s Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, 1998’s Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, and 2000’s Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. Every one of these games utilises the original, superior arcade version of the title, instead of any of the home console or PC ports – and they all play exceptionally well with no noticeable hitches or issues present.



All seven included games also come with a variety of neat additions and quality-of-life features. You’re free to play both the English and Japanese versions of every included title and are given total control over the various customisable visual elements on offer – some intended to preserve that long-lost feeling of leaning over an actual arcade cabinet. Changing the background wallpaper image on either side of the central screen where all the action takes place, switching between eight different screen filter choices (most of which honestly turned my stomach, so I ended up just leaving it permanently disabled), picking from multiple resolution options (the “wide” option will still, unfortunately, stretch the image to your display), and raising or lowering the music and sound effects can all be done at any point mid-game.

Every one of these games utilises the original, superior arcade version of the title, instead of any of the home console or PC ports.

The options that need to be decided on before booting up a title from the main menu, however, focus on tweaking the difficulty, attack power, timer speed, altering light effect intensity, enabling or disabling secret characters (like Juggernaut and Magneto in X-Men: Children of the Atom, who are now fully playable) and adjusting the maximum number of rounds (up to 5) played before declaring a winner. Any accumulated high scores may also be reset here.



The list of quality-of-life improvements goes on. Each title comes with exactly one quick-save slot – allowing you to near-instantaneously roll back any screwups or losses experienced. If stringing together multiple moves to perform a special attack sounds like too much of a hassle for you, you’re free to configure your own button layout, or substitute combo inputs for a single button press (unless you’re playing a ranked match – more on that in a bit).

Furthermore, an incredibly detailed training mode for the fighting games has been implemented – with togglable visible hitboxes, input data display, a selection of dummy opponent and health bar behaviour types, and even an option to simulate varying degrees of network stability or delays. These are just the highlights, and there’s plenty more fine-tuning opportunities where that came from - catering to a good variety of preferred practice styles.



Speaking of network stability, the newly introduced online battle mode is where players of all skills can show off their inner tryhard – with both casual and leaderboard-oriented ranked matches on offer. Naturally, custom match lobby creation is also a thing, as is a challenge mode revolving around obtaining as high a score as possible (within set criteria) with its own accompanying leaderboard. While the charm and replayability of the offline single-player mode is undeniable, this online battleground is where most of the title’s activity will likely take place once release day rolls around.

You’re free to play both the English and Japanese versions of every included title and are given total control over the various customisable visual elements on offer – some intended to preserve that long-lost feeling of leaning over an actual arcade cabinet.

Fans who wish to explore the physical media, marketing, and behind-the-scenes efforts surrounding these assembled titles can do so via the Museum mode. Packed with scans of the original arcade marquees (all zoomable, with inverted panning controls for some reason), Japanese promotional material, concept artwork, design documentation and so much more, there’s a lot to digitally leaf through here. I realise this might not be the most exciting kind of bonus content a game could dish out, but I absolutely love going through this kind of stuff. And hey, if reams of virtual paper ain’t your thing, maybe appreciating the soundtracks for all seven games would better suit your interests - using the built-in audio track viewer. Either way, Museum modes are always a welcome addition for these kinds of classic compilations, and this time is no exception.



Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection Arcade Classics does exactly what it says on the label – presenting a premium, no-nonsense, straight to the point modern-day means of easy access to some of the most beloved crossover arcade titles in history, while also adding a dash of excellent bonus accessibility and gameplay features to the mix. If you’re a fan of fighting games, or old-school gaming in general, this is a collection well worth checking out.

*PS5 Review code provided by Capcom