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 blow for fans of classic fighting games. This collection, a surprising release given recent franchise history, offers a fantastic opportunity to experience seven iconic titles, exceeding expectations even for those unfamiliar with the earlier installments. The inclusion of Marvel vs. Capcom 2's legendary soundtrack alone makes this a worthwhile purchase.

Game Lineup: A Retro Fighting Feast

The collection boasts seven games: 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). These are faithful arcade ports, ensuring complete feature parity. Both English and Japanese versions are included, a detail appreciated by fans, particularly for the inclusion of Norimaro in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter's Japanese version.

This review reflects gameplay across Steam Deck (LCD and OLED), PS5 (backward compatibility), and Nintendo Switch, totaling over 30 hours. While lacking deep expertise in these specific titles (this was my first playthrough), the sheer enjoyment derived from Marvel vs. Capcom 2 alone justifies the price tag; I'm even considering the physical console releases.

Modern Enhancements: A Polished Presentation

The collection's user interface mirrors Capcom's Capcom Fighting Collection, inheriting both its strengths and a few minor drawbacks. Key features include online and local multiplayer, Switch's local wireless support, rollback netcode, a comprehensive training mode, customizable game options (crucially including per-game flicker reduction), diverse display options, and a selection of wallpapers.

The training mode, accessible per game, provides hitbox displays and other tools invaluable to both newcomers and veterans. A new one-button super move option caters to casual play, while remaining optional for online ranked matches.

Museum & Gallery: A Treasure Trove of Retro Gaming History

A substantial museum and gallery showcase over 200 soundtracks and 500 pieces of artwork, some previously unseen by the public. While a welcome addition, the lack of translation for Japanese text on certain items (sketches, documents) is a minor oversight. The inclusion of the soundtracks is fantastic, hopefully paving the way for future vinyl or streaming releases.

Online Multiplayer: Rollback Netcode Delivers

The online experience, tested extensively on Steam Deck (wired and wireless) and across platforms, rivals Capcom Fighting Collection on Steam and significantly surpasses the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. Input delay adjustment and cross-region matchmaking are supported, delivering smooth gameplay despite geographical distance. The inclusion of casual and ranked matches, along with leaderboards and a High Score Challenge, adds further depth. The persistent cursor memory for character selection after rematches is a small but thoughtful touch.

Minor Issues: Room for Improvement

The collection's primary flaw is the single, global save state. This affects the entire collection, not individual games, a disappointing carryover from Capcom Fighting Collection. Another minor issue is the lack of global settings for visual options like light reduction and filters; per-game adjustment is present but cumbersome.

Platform-Specific Notes:

• Steam Deck: Fully Verified, runs flawlessly at 720p handheld and supports 4K docked (tested at 1440p and 800p). 16:9 aspect ratio only.

• Nintendo Switch: Visually acceptable, but suffers from noticeable load times. Local wireless is a plus, but the lack of connection strength settings (present on PC and PS5) is a drawback.

• PS5: Backward compatibility means no native PS5 features (like Activity Cards). However, performance is excellent on 1440p, with quick loading times, especially when installed on the SSD.

Overall: Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a superb compilation, one of Capcom's best. The extra content, excellent online play (on Steam, particularly), and the sheer fun of rediscovering (or discovering) these classics make it a must-have. The single save state remains a frustrating limitation.

Steam Deck Review Score: 4.5/5