Nearly 10 years since the original release of Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, Microsoft decided to re-release this much beloved and ever-popular fighting game as a part of the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade. However, as opposed to the other, big fighting game re-release, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, very little has been done to the core of this game’s mechanics and visuals, opting instead to just focus on making the game a little more accessible and easier to play with others. Although seeing characters like Iron Man and Morrigan facing off as crisp, HD sprites would have been a very welcome addition, this version of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 holds up just fine as it is.
For those that are unfamiliar with Marvel vs. Capcom 2, it is a fighting game that stands-out because of its bizarre set of mechanics that easily allow for multiple characters to come onto screen to perform some of the craziest combos seen in any fighting game. In its 3-on-3 format, this means that it wouldn’t be uncommon to see Iceman, Ryu, and The Hulk all on screen, pummeling the crap out of each other in any given match. And, it is this potential for utter chaos combined with the roster of 56 iconic characters that makes the game so appealing. From a presentation standpoint, very little has changed in Marvel vs. Capcom 2.
Booting up the game results in a slightly different menu screen, but the same, odd selection of jazzy music is still there, including the “Take You For a Ride” character select song. Visually speaking, the game is not much to look at. There are a couple visual filters that players can apply to the relatively well-animated sprites, but that does very little to make the 9 year old game look much better than it did on the Dreamcast. There is also, of course, widescreen support, but this option—along with the filters—can be turned off so that even MvC2 purists can enjoy the game the way they remember it.
The only other changes beyond the ever-so-slight visual ones are the unlock system and multi-player, and even those aren’t exactly radical changes. The unlock system has changed only in the sense that there isn’t one anymore. Players no longer have to play hours and hours of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 to unlock new characters. This certainly helps balance the multi-player, as there is now an option to play online. If the unlock system was still in place, it could be seen as unfair to pit players with a limited roster against those with full ones.
Online performance-wise, in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on Xbox LIVE Arcade, uses the same excellent netcode as Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix did during it's run, so the matches are virtually lag free. With this limited new feature set, you may be wondering whether or not Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is actually worth your 1200 Microsoft Points. It’s no secret that MvC2 is not a very accessible game and doesn’t bring anything new to the fighting game table like Street Fighter IV and BlazeBlu, but if you are looking to hone your MvC2 skills on more than those in your immediate vicinity, or just think that Wolverine vs. Megaman would be a dream match, there is little reason not to pick this game up the next time you log online.
