Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics Review – Switch, Steam Deck, and PS5 Covered

Capcom's Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics delivers a knockout punch for fighting game fans. This collection, a surprise hit given recent franchise history, offers a fantastic opportunity to experience classic titles previously inaccessible to many. My experience, encompassing extensive playtime across Steam Deck, PS5, and Switch, reveals a compelling package with some minor drawbacks.

A Roster of Classics:

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 beat 'em up, The Punisher. These are faithful arcade ports, ensuring complete feature sets. The inclusion of both English and Japanese versions is a welcome touch, especially for those seeking the unique experience of Norimaro in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter.

My 15+ hours on Steam Deck (LCD and OLED), 13 hours on PS5, and 4 hours on Switch provided ample time to appreciate the collection's strengths. Even as a newcomer to most of these games, the sheer fun of Marvel vs. Capcom 2, alone, justifies the purchase price. I'm already tempted to grab physical copies for my consoles!

Modern Enhancements:

The user interface mirrors Capcom's Fighting Collection, offering online and local multiplayer (including wireless on Switch), rollback netcode, a training mode with hitbox displays, customizable game options, adjustable display settings, and wallpaper options. A helpful feature reduces screen flickering. A new one-button super move option caters to newcomers.

A Treasure Trove of Extras:

A comprehensive museum and gallery provide access to over 200 soundtrack tracks and 500 pieces of artwork, some previously unseen. While Japanese text in sketches and documents lacks translation, the sheer volume of content is impressive. The official soundtrack release is fantastic, but I hope it paves the way for vinyl or streaming releases.

The inclusion of the soundtracks alone is a major win, especially for long-time fans.

Online Play and Platform Performance:

The online experience, tested extensively on Steam Deck (wired and wireless), mirrors the quality of Capcom Fighting Collection, a significant improvement over the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Rollback netcode performs admirably. Matchmaking supports casual and ranked modes, plus leaderboards. The thoughtful retention of cursor positions after rematches is a small but welcome detail.

The Steam Deck version is Steam Deck Verified and works flawlessly, offering 720p handheld and up to 4K docked. PS5 performance is excellent (though via backward compatibility), while the Switch version, while visually acceptable, suffers from noticeable load times. The lack of a connection strength option on Switch is also a disappointment. The Switch version does, however, offer local wireless play.

Minor Issues:

The single save state for the entire collection is a frustrating carryover from the Capcom Fighting Collection. The lack of universal settings for visual options (like light reduction) is another minor inconvenience.

Overall:

Despite minor flaws, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a superb collection, exceeding expectations. The excellent online play, extensive extras, and the sheer joy of rediscovering (or discovering) these classic titles make it a must-have for fighting game fans. The single save state remains the most significant drawback.

Steam Deck Review Score: 4.5/5