Soapbox features allow our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random things they’ve been chewing on. Today, Jim sheds some light on the already brilliant Direct drop…
It took me a few hours to get down after the June Nintendo Direct. The display case was stacked. At this point, it felt like Nintendo was giving out its biggest weapon, hitting us fans right in the face with every announcement we could want.
A few hours later, I returned to the entire list of announcements with a calm head. Calmer and with my sensible glasses on, I expected things to feel a little different. I was wrong. It was still pouring.
The intensity of announcements is exactly what the Switch needed in a year that previously seemed like a sleeper, but it was a double-edged sword. Giants of the new Mario RPG, 2D Zelda games, Just Dance 2025 Metroid Prime 4 and even the cheeky Donkey Kong remaster may have restored my faith in the Switch, but their lofty stature meant that almost every other revelation would be overshadowed.
And so, I thought it only right to shine a light on one of the not-so-little guys who, in any other showcase, might play a major role. Yes, Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics was the unsung hero of the June Direct.
For years, I’ve longed for an accessible and official way to play the iconic Marvel fighters. Years. Plural. Yes, there’s always emulation, but I was looking for something that felt a little cleaner (what would Steve Rogers do?) so, aside from spending a small fortune installing cabinets in my living room, my playtime was quite short.
The small village in southern England where I grew up was hardly a hotspot for playhouses. I was never lucky enough to own a Sega Saturn or Dreamcast, and my PlayStation habits were mostly limited to polygonal animals with hair-pulling camera controls. All of this means that whenever I get the chance to encounter ‘Marvel vs.’ entering a new window or barkada (when I was a little older, of course), I was locked out.
Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter has eaten more chips than I care to admit NQ64 (British arcade chain) last year. What should I have done? Not try every single character? And after the discovery Marvel vs. Capcom 2: Age of New Heroes at a retro game fair in the late 2000s, my brother and I poured soul into the Xbox 360 version until even that awful soundtrack started to sound somewhat good.
In the years that followed, I came to terms with the fact that I wasn’t very good at fighting games. I reaction time is sloppy, I can’t be bothered memorizing combos, and discussions about hitboxes and frame analysis give me a headache. But I am one of the last advocates of all things Marvel, hence my memory these Fighting games aren’t a losing streak, they’re full of joy watching Spidey, Cyclops, and Thanos (before he was cool) battle it out with some of the finest pixel art in the world. Ah, simpler times.
Direct appearance from the Marvel vs. Capcom is preparing me for the return of those simpler times. I can get friends and family to play Age of New Heroes again! It won’t cost me £20 just to try all the lists! I finally get to see if The Punisher scratches that very specific Marvel beat-’em-up itch I’ve had since episode four X-Men ’97 — and no, Marvel Ultimate Alliance it is not fit into the bill.
