Capcom’s been offering bits of its old fighter catalog on XBLA since the service’s inception, with mixed results. Their latest, Origins, is a double-pack of two late-’90s titles: Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel vs. Capcom.
Gems are a big part of Marvel Super Heroes’ gameplay.Most of the effort here went into the presentation. The options include multiple display settings to accurately replicate the look of older 2D games running on CRT monitors — even re-creating an over-the-shoulder spectator view. The games themselves are faithful conversions, too, reproducing even Marvel vs. Capcom’s many game-busting bugs (some explained in characters’ movelists!). As in Street Fighter III: Third Strike, you’ll earn not only Achievements, but also XP for meeting various challenges while you play, which unlock extras like art and music. Online play uses the much-lauded GGPO system to reduce latency and also has welcome features such as the ability to see a player’s exact ping and to ban specific characters from sessions.
In some ways, though, these games feel like relics of their time, and not in a good way like Street Fighter III. Going back to six-button controls and non-standardized launchers is a big turnoff for casual players, and for vets, every mechanic these games feature — movement options, assists, tag-team supers — has been implemented better in subsequent Marvel fighters. Marvel Super Heroes’ “hot potato” gameplay with character-augmenting gems feels particularly awkward, as the rush to grab gems knocked loose from combatants destroys the spacing meta-games inherent in fighters. Old-schoolers will appreciate the effort put into Origins, even if it reinforces the progress fighters have made since that late-'90s Silver Age.
Venom manhandles Ryu in Marvel vs. Capcom.PUBLISHER: Capcom • DEVELOPER: Iron Galaxy • ESRB: Teen • MULTIPLAYER: 2 locally or over Xbox Live • ACHIEVEMENTS: Super Armored Tough • COST: 1,200 Microsoft Points ($15) • RELEASE DATE: September 26, 2012
+ Excellent visual presentation.
+ Accurate reproduction of the coin-op originals, down to some of their craziest bugs.
– Many mechanics feel clunky and outdated.
? Can Capcom bring back X-Men vs. Street Fighter next? It’s a beloved classic and the first Versus game!
