Capcom fighting games are a part of my personal “nice things” category. That they’ve basically recommitted to the genre and actively released new games and even rereleased classics is actually a whole lot more than just nice. So when hearing word that Marvel vs. Capcom 3, their latest, would be on display at their Fight Club event at the 740 Club in downtown Los Angeles, I really had no choice but to go. Just as a cherry on top, they also brought along four Nintendo 3DS machines showing off their upcoming Super StreetFighter IV 3D Edition. Facing a swarm of fans who’d been waiting hours in a rank-smelling alley, I was determined to enjoy what would no doubt be another grand Capcom party and their latest offerings to the fighter genre.
The event held up Capcom’s reputation for huge parties about video games. Seas of players scrambled to get a shot at one of the 15 or so jam-packed consoles showing off the game, free food was served, screens showed off some fancy promo art , a DJ blasted beats and even worked in tracks from the game (even “Take You For a Ride” from MvC2 which really set the crowd off), cosplayers eager to stop for a photo, and even a face paint corner to get some token fake bruises. That’s not to mention some live music shows and guest appearances from the game’s U.S. producer and voice actors. Overall, a pretty packed three hours. It’s possible not everyone got to play the game just because of the insane crowds, but hopefully most of them did.
But the real star, of course, was Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I somehow managed to get in three matches. Not being well-versed in the Vs. line of Capcom fighters, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. All the footage I’d seen up to that point, though, looked like a game I’d want to play. It was. The build on display showed off 30 of the 35 characters, and I wish I could check them all out. You get a bit overwhelmed when you think of the combos of each character, and the assist moves of team mates you choose, and how you can potentially come up with a team that can make obscenely long-lasting combos that get topped off with super moves that look consistently epic. I managed to piece together a pretty cool looking Dante combo from an equal mix of mashing and guess work before realizing what the launch button was to knock a guy into the air and keep a combo going even longer. The Hulk was just so huge you had fun knocking them around. I’ll boast a bit that amid the three fellow scrubs I played with, I beat them all. Woo! Three matches in and while I don’t have a solid opinion on the game, I have a safe guess that I’m going to love it.
I didn’t get as much time on the 3DS, but I did play one solo match of Street Fighter on it. I’ll be honest, it was my first time on a 3DS, so checking out the 3D effect was my main goal in checking it out. Yeah… what everyone else has been saying. It looks pretty damned cool. The pop of fighters just looks cool. There’s a dynamic camera mode to really show it off, but you’ll probably want to go to the regular camera if you’re playing to win. The touch screen is just a shortcut button for Super and Ultra moves, which is reasonable on a portable system. Overall I liked what I saw, and someday I’ll very likely own it.
A good evening overall. If there’s one thing to take away, it’s that Capcom has a very cool game coming out next week. While I didn’t get any of the free food (I won’t wait THAT long and not play video games!), I got what I came for, and I can’t wait for more.
Pictures from the event coming soon!
Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds comes out February 15, 2011 for the Xbox 360 and the PS3.
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