Soapbox features allow our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random things they’ve chewed on. Today, Jim shines a light on the already dazzling Direct drop…
After the June Nintendo Direct, it took me a few hours to get down. The showcase was stacked. At that point, it felt like Nintendo was pulling out its biggest guns and slapping us fanboys right in the face with just about every announcement we could wish for.
A few hours later, I returned to the full list of notifications with a level head. Calmer and with sensible glasses on, I expected things to feel a little different. I was wrong. It kept throbbing.
The intensity of the announcement is exactly what the Switch needed in what previously looked like a sleepy year, but it’s been a double-edged sword. Monsters of the new Mario RPG, 2D Zelda games, Just Dance 2025 Metroid Prime 4 and even a cheeky Donkey Kong remaster could restore my faith in the Switch, but their lofty stature meant that almost every other reveal had to 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, could have played a major role. Yes, Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics was the unsung hero of the June Direct.
For years I’ve wanted an accessible and official way to play the iconic Marvel fighters. flight. Plural. Yes, there’s always emulation, but I wanted something that felt a little cleaner (what would Steve Rogers do?), so aside from spending a small fortune installing a cabinet in my living room, my playtime was pretty short.
The small village in the south of England where I grew up was hardly an arcade hotspot. I was never lucky enough to own a Sega Saturn or Dreamcast, and my PlayStation habits were mainly limited to polygonal beasts with hair-pulling camera controls. All of this means that whenever I got the chance to try out a Marvel vs. entering a new popup or barkada (when I was a bit older of course) I was locked out.
Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter swallowed more chips than I care to admit at NQ64 (a UK chain of bar arcades) last year. What was i supposed to do? No try every character? And after discovering Marvel vs. Capcom 2: Age of New Heroes, my brother and I poured our hearts into the Xbox 360 version until even the terrible soundtrack started to sound a little good.
Over the years, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m not very good at fighting games. My reaction times are sloppy, I don’t enjoy memorizing combos, and discussions around hitboxes and frame breakdowns give me a headache. But I’m one of the last standing stalwarts for all things Marvel, so my memory these fighting games aren’t a stream of slaughter, but rather full of joy in seeing Spidey, Cyclops, and Thanos (before he was cool) duke it out with some of the best pixel art on the block. Ah, simpler times.
Straight from the Marvel vs. Capcom prepared me for those simple times to return. I can get friends and family to play Age of New Heroes again! It won’t cost me £20 just to try the whole lists! Finally seeing if The Punisher scratches that very specific Marvel itch I’ve had since episode four X-Men ’97 — and no, Marvel Ultimate Alliance No match the bill.