Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics announced, meaning that yes, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is finally free

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
(Image credit: Capcom / Nintendo)

The June 18 Nintendo Direct took us all for a ride when Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics was announced during the 40-minutes presentation.

Like other Capcom compilations before it, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics packs in seven legendary arcade titles, many of which are considered to be some of the best fighting games of all time, including X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes.

MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch - YouTube MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch - YouTube
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The collection features plenty of modern updates such as training modes, as well as full online play, sound tests and artwork galleries. Online play will feature rollback netcode, long considered the industry standard and more often than not leads to the smoothest possible online experience for fighting games. Ranked and casual matches, as well as custom lobbies, will all feature in the collection for each game.

The full list of games included in Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is as follows:

  • 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
  • The Punisher

The cream of the crop in this collection has to be Marvel vs. Capcom 2, a crossover fighter that features characters across several of each brands' franchises. This 3v3 team fighter has a legendary reputation and is still enjoyed by fighting game fans the world over to this day, even at big tournaments like EVO.

What makes this so special is that all games in this collection, up until now, have been impossible to play on modern hardware, with folks instead using programs like Fightcade to get their fix. Other versions of these games have come and gone, but have largely been delisted or are stuck on older consoles.

There's currently no concrete release date for the collection, but it's confirmed to be coming sometime this year across all consoles as well as PC. Marvel's back, baby.

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Rhys Wood
Hardware Editor

Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.

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