For fans of Capcom's fighting game legacy, the announcement of the Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics was nothing short of a revelation, especially given the recent history and reception of the latest entries in the series. As someone who's only experienced Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 and Marvel vs Capcom Infinite, I've long been eager to delve into the earlier titles, celebrated by both competitive and casual players alike. And let's not overlook the thrill of finally hearing the iconic Marvel vs Capcom 2 soundtrack officially—it truly is that good. Now, months after its initial reveal, this collection is available on Steam, Switch, and PlayStation, with an Xbox release slated for 2025.

Games Included in Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics

This 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, which is a beat 'em up rather than a fighting game. These are authentic arcade versions, ensuring you experience the games in their full glory, complete with both English and Japanese versions. Notably, the Japanese version of Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter includes the character Norimaro.

My review stems from about 15 hours on the Steam Deck (both LCD and OLED), 13 hours on PS5 (via backward compatibility), and 4 hours on the Nintendo Switch. As a newcomer to these classics, I can't delve into the intricacies of the games themselves, but the joy and engagement I've found, particularly with Marvel vs Capcom 2, have more than justified the cost. It's compelling enough that I'm considering purchasing both console physical releases to own a tangible piece of this collection.

New Features in Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics

If you're familiar with the Capcom Fighting Collection, the interface of this Marvel vs Capcom collection will feel intuitively similar, though it does inherit some of its predecessor's issues. Key features include support for both online and local multiplayer, local wireless on Switch, rollback netcode for smooth online play, a training mode, customizable game options, and the ability to reduce white flashes or light flickering per game. Additionally, various display and wallpaper options are available.

The training mode, accessible per game, offers hitboxes, displayed inputs, and other tools, making it especially useful for beginners. Speaking of which, a new one-button super option can be enabled or disabled for online play, catering to players of all skill levels.

Museum and Gallery in Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics

The collection also includes a comprehensive museum and gallery, featuring over 200 game soundtracks and more than 500 pieces of artwork, much of which has never been publicly available before. As someone new to these games, this was all fresh to me, but it's a significant addition for longtime fans. It's worth noting that some items, like sketches or design documents, lack translations for Japanese text.

Regarding the music, having an official way to enjoy these soundtracks in 2024 is fantastic, and I hope it's a precursor to vinyl or streaming releases.

Online Multiplayer Experience with Rollback Netcode

The options menu includes network settings where you can adjust features like microphone use, voice chat volume, input delay, and connection strength on PC. The Switch version only allows input delay adjustments, while the PS4 version includes input delay and connection strength options without voice chat settings. The lack of a connection strength option on Switch is a notable omission.

My pre-release testing on the Steam Deck, both wired and wirelessly, with another player on Steam, showed that the online experience is significantly improved over the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. We tested various games and even enjoyed some co-op in The Punisher, experiencing smooth gameplay despite our geographical distance.

The collection supports matchmaking for casual and ranked matches, and includes leaderboards and a High Score Challenge mode. A thoughtful feature is the retention of cursor positions when rematching in games like Marvel vs Capcom 2, allowing for quick character selection without manual adjustments each time.

Issues with Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics

My primary concern is the limitation to a single save state for the entire collection, a carryover issue from the Capcom Fighting Collection. Additionally, the lack of universal settings for light reduction and visual filters across all games is a minor inconvenience, though having per-game options is still beneficial.

Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics on Steam Deck – Verified Already

The collection runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, as expected from its Steam Deck Verified status. It operates at 720p in handheld mode and supports 4K when docked. I played at 1440p when docked and 800p in handheld, though it remains in a 16:9 aspect ratio without 16:10 support. PC graphics options are accessible under the PC Settings menu, allowing adjustments to resolution, display mode, and v-sync.

Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics on Nintendo Switch

On the Switch, the collection looks good but suffers from longer load times compared to the Steam and PS5 versions. The absence of a connection strength option is disappointing, though the Switch version does offer local wireless play, a feature not available on other platforms.

Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics on PS5

While played via backward compatibility on PS5, the collection looks excellent on a 1440p monitor and loads quickly, even from an external hard drive. Moving it to the SSD would enhance loading times further. I have no complaints about the PS4 version's performance on PS5.

Overall, Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics stands out as one of Capcom's finest collections, offering a rich array of extras, exceptional online play on Steam, and a delightful introduction to these classic games. The only significant drawback is the single save state for the entire collection.

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