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

The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a fantastic compilation for fans of the series and newcomers alike. This review covers experiences on Steam Deck, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of this impressive collection.

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 based on arcade versions, ensuring complete feature sets. Both English and Japanese versions are included, a welcome addition for fans of regional variations (like Norimaro in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter).

Extensive playtime across multiple platforms revealed the collection's charm. Marvel vs. Capcom 2, in particular, proved incredibly enjoyable, justifying the purchase price alone.

New Features and Enhancements:

The user interface mirrors Capcom's Capcom Fighting Collection, including both its strengths and shortcomings (discussed later). Key additions include online and local multiplayer, Switch local wireless, 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 unreleased. While a valuable addition for fans, Japanese text within 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 Experience:

The online experience, tested extensively on Steam Deck (wired and wireless), is comparable to Capcom Fighting Collection on Steam, a significant improvement over the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Rollback netcode ensures smooth gameplay, even across distances. Matchmaking supports casual and ranked modes, along with leaderboards and a High Score Challenge. Conveniently, rematch cursors retain previous selections, enhancing the user experience.

Issues and Shortcomings:

The collection's most significant drawback is the single, global save state. This applies to the entire collection, not individual games, a frustrating carryover from Capcom Fighting Collection. Another minor issue is the lack of universal settings for visual filters and light reduction; adjustments must be made per game.

Platform-Specific Notes:

• Steam Deck: Runs flawlessly, achieving 720p handheld and supporting 4K docked. 16:10 support is absent.

• Nintendo Switch: Visually acceptable, but suffers from noticeable load times compared to other platforms. The lack of a connection strength option is also disappointing. Local wireless is a plus.

• PS5: Backward compatibility performance is excellent, loading quickly even from external storage. Native PS5 support would have enabled PS5 Activity Card integration.

Overall:

Despite minor flaws, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics stands as one of Capcom's best compilations. The excellent extras, smooth online play (on Steam, particularly), and the opportunity to experience classic titles make it a worthwhile purchase. The single save state remains a significant drawback.

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