Marvel Vs. Capcom 2

[Dante]

 

"Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 for PSN/XBL."

 

Based on the Dreamcast code base

Online

HD upscaling options

Widescreen

Music Options

Trailer

 

Price - Playstation Network Store for $15 and on Xbox Live for 1,200 Microsoft Points

Date - Summer 2009

 

In what will inevitably go down as the worst kept industry secret in recent years, I’m very happy to finally be able to confirm that Marvel vs. Capcom 2 will be coming to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network this summer.

 

The deal took a good while but it’s probably our most requested title to bring back, so Marvel and I and a few other people here at Capcom rolled up our sleeves and got it done. I can’t stress enough, if you ask for something loudly enough and long enough, we’ll work very hard to make it happen.

 

So while you may have been able to surmise that something was going on with MvC2, we do still have a few surprises up our sleeves. Let me tell you a little more about how and why this version of MvC2 will be the definitive version.

 

1. It’s based on the Dreamcast code base – While the PS2 and Xbox versions of MvC2 were great, there are a few niggling issues in them that have caused the competitive community to continue using the Dreamcast version of the game. We wanted to bring you the very best version of the game, so we listened to the community and started with the Dreamcast.

 

2. There is online – With the game being developed by Backbone, we are using largely the same, critically acclaimed net code that we used in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix and with that will come our player match quarter mode/lobby system that has proven so popular. Naturally leaderboards and some form of stats tracking (details to be provided at a later date) will also be in the mix. So on the net code side, you’re pretty much assured the best fighting game net code ever created for consoles.

 

3. HD upscaling options – Given that most people play Xbox 360s and PS3s on HD TVs, it’s important to help make the game look better. We’ve refined our real-time sprite filtering to use even more advanced techniques and we’re providing two upscaling options for the sprites… one we’ve termed “Crisp” the other we’ve termed “Smooth”. It’s a matter of personal preference for which one you’ll enjoy more. For purists, if you’d like you can use the “Classic” setting, which leaves the sprites completely unfiltered. Because the filtering is applied in real-time, you can change these settings on the fly, mid-match if you choose. Our producer will be showing you some comparison screenshots in the coming days to better clarify the differences. The backgrounds in MvC2 are all 3D, and when rendered at higher resolutions look fantastic. The original textures and assets from the Dreamcast were actually much higher quality than the Dreamcast could really display at the time and when shown in HD, the impact is really quite amazing.

 

4. Widescreen – Again, with most people playing on HD displays, we wanted to figure out how to implement widescreen support. To do so, the camera field of view was widened (which we’re able to do because of the 3D backgrounds effectively running off the “edges” of the 4:3 scenario) and there are a few camera tricks that minimize any impact on the gameplay. Play area is unchanged, and this is not a zoom and crop like HD Remix was. To put it simply, the gameplay area will be in a 4:3 field, while the viewing area will be widescreen. At the same time, for purists and competitive play, a 4:3 option (with vertical bars on the left and right) still exists.

 

5. No unlocking – While we love giving people unlockables in games, for this outing, there’s not a lot of surprises in terms of what characters are in the game. All 56 characters will be unlocked at the start for immediate play, again great for tournament play where players won’t need to mess with save game data or hacked versions (/shame).

 

6. Music Options – We love MvC2 but the original “jazzy” music has long been criticized even by ardent fans. Independent music volume controls and support of custom soundtracks on PS3 and 360 we deemed an important feature. Purists will still have what they love and fans of customization are also served.

 

Character list:

 

Marvel side

 

* Blackheart

* Cable

* Captain America

* Colossus

* Cyclops

* Doctor Doom

* Gambit

* Hulk

* Iceman

* Iron Man

* Juggernaut

* Magneto

* Marrow

* Omega Red

* Psylocke

* Rogue

* Sabretooth

* Sentinel

* Shuma-Gorath

* Silver Samurai

* Spider-Man

* Spiral

* Storm

* Thanos

* Venom

* War Machine

* Wolverine (Bone Claws)

* Wolverine (Adamantium Claws)

 

 

 

Capcom side

 

* Akuma

* Amingo

* Anakaris

* B. B. Hood

* Cammy

* Captain Commando

* Charlie

* Chun-Li

* Dan

* Dhalsim

* Felicia

* Guile

* Hayato

* Jill

* Jin

* Ken

* M. Bison

* Mega Man

* Morrigan

* Roll

* Ruby Heart

* Ryu

* Sakura

* Servbot

* Sonson

* Strider Hiryu

* T. Bonne

* Zangief

 

 

Screens:

Achievement list.

 

G4 Preview:

For those who missed the game when it hit arcades in 2000, the Dreamcast or PlayStation 2 in 2002, or the Xbox in 2003, this is a cartoon-looking 2D brawler with a line-up that features some of Marvel’s best loved characters and Capcom’s own favorite sons and daughters. Which means you can pit Wolverine against Chun-Li or Iron Man against Mega Man. Or, for that matter, Wolverine against Iron Man or Chun-Li against Mega Man, if you like.

 

But the game also has a couple of odd character choices, most notably Iron Man’s pal War Machine, The X-Men’s Cable, and Mega Man’s Servbot. In total, the game boasts more than 50 playable characters, all of whom will be unlocked from the get-go.

 

Needless to say, all of the characters move as you’d expect them to, complete with such signature moves as Spider-man’s web attacks and Cammy’s sex-with-legs-ish spin move. But Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, both then and now, has some changes from earlier versions of this fighting series. Battles are 3-on-3, as opposed to 2-on-2, the game uses fewer buttons, which makes the combos (relatively speaking, of course) easier than in past games, and this installment in the series was also the first not to feature character-specific endings.

 

Like other classic games brought back to life recently, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 is virtually identical to the classic game (the Dreamcast version, for those of you keeping score). We say “virtually” because this adds online multiplayer, courtesy of the same systems that powered the same modes in Street Fighter HD Remix. You’ll even be able to play six-player round robin tourneys, with you and three of your friends watching as two other people beat each other senseless.

 

 

Fans of the earlier games might also need a few moments to get adjusted to the controls. While all the button combos are the same as they were before, they’ve been reworked to fit the PS3’s and 360’s controllers. Though anyone who’d rather kick it old school can actually just play with the Street Fighter IV arcade stick controller they bought a few months ago, since it will work for this game as well.

Otherwise, everything in this fighting game is how you remember it, from the taut controls and the ’80s-style Marvel character designs to the vintage music and sound effects. Sure, it may be the Dreamcast edition of the game, but playing it will bring you back to those days of yore, when you spent every afternoon in your local arcade. Just don’t make your living room all dark and smoky without asking your spouse first.

 

USA PSN - This Thursday, April 30, PlayStation Network users will enjoy a free, exclusive MVC2 demo! No need to purchase another game, just download it straight to your PS3 and get ready for some triple tag team action (A big thank you goes out to Rommel Hernandez who helped make this exclusive demo possible).

 

Here are the details of the demo:

 

* Two-player local matches

* Six available characters – Ryu, Chun-Li, Strider, Spider-Man, Iron Man and Wolverine

* Seven selectable environments

* Upscaled 1080p graphics

* Widescreen or 4:3 aspect ratio

* Two graphic filter options for character sprites

* And other cool options to check out

Edited April 28, 2009 by Dante

[DuD]

I wish capcom would bring a fighting game to the Wii (the bummers), i'm still waiting for street fighter 4s pc release.

Anywho... theres a video for this up at shoryuken. For those interested, here's the direct link.

[Choze]

[Dante]

Capcoms Blog:

For the skinny on the details of Marvel VS Capcom 2 check out Sven's post here. I'm supplementing his megaton drop of details with some extra details of my own. Specifically on the new sprite filtering being done on the game.

As you probably know by now, we didn't redraw the game like we did with HD Remix (the thought of even trying that gargantuan task has kept me up at night, so many more frames than HD Remix), but we did include some visual options in the game that we think you'll like. Here's some screens from the game with a quick run down on the filters (It should be noted that this is all optional and users playing online can use what ever mode they want independant of their opponent):

 

 

 

Classic- No filtering. The sprites are shown in their full pixel glory. I love sprite work and I know a lot of you out there love it too, so we kept this in for you.

 

Smooth- For those in the know, this is based off of 2X Bilinear filtering but with some tweaks made for the game.

 

 

Crisp- This is based of off 3X Bilinear filtering, but it was also tweaked heavily for the game.

 

To make sure we got the game right, we needed the input from gamers that knew more about this game than anyone thought possible. So who did we find? None other than 2 prominent members of the MvC2 community MikeZ and Magnetro, who have been making combo vids for MvC2 for years.

 

We brought them in to Capcom way back in Janurary to check out the game. Basically we needed guys with deep knowledge in the game to make sure we ported the DC version correctly and there were no super esoteric bugs that only a hardcore MvC2 player could find. I'm glad they came in too, apart from many issues they found, they found a bug that would've totally ruined Magneto's square jump game. I've asked them to send me their thoughts on their experience here at Capcom and I'll leave you with their thoughts. Thanks for all the support guys!

 

Magnetro:

 

Hello, I’m David Magnetro Avila. Over the past nine years, I’ve been playing MvC2. At first I tried to get into the competitive scene of the game, eventually though, I decided to seriously explore the games engine. It’s amazing to see an engine that lends itself to thorough exploration as well as broad creativity. Recently, I’ve been showcasing videos at the Evolution National Championships. Although you’ll find all kinds of different types of media for the game on my web site: magnetro.com.

 

So what about the game got my attention? I think the engine and character selection lends itself to many different types of ideas. The fluid movements of the characters and screen complement each other when there is mayhem going on. Overall, it’s the sheer number of possibilities and different outcomes you can have with the characters that keeps me coming back. Despite the game being almost a decade old, it still has people playing it - just like Street Fighter II Super Turbo. And just like Street Fighter II Super Turbo, Capcom is making an effort to port this game correctly.

 

When I got to see the new version of MvC2, the first thing I noticed was: widescreen-1080P with a smoothing filter. The filter was designed specifically for Marvel vs. Capcom 2, so it looks great. (If you’re a purist: its possible to turn off all the new options and play it the way it was originally designed.) In addition to that, they’ve also added online play and a new button configuration. Taking advantage of the modern controllers, the new versions let you have the familiar six buttons plus extra buttons for dashing or tagging. This will help players that have trouble playing on sticks and use regular controllers.

 

Overall, I’m happy to see Capcom making an effort with this version of the game. It’ll be great for new players because they’ll experience the game in a faithful rendition.

 

MikeZ

 

 

 

Hello, Mike Z here. I’ve been playing MvC2 since the dawn of time – I created some popular combo videos and a series of healthy-living cookbooks - and the freedom of the game continues to fascinate me to this day. From day one, there was no other fighting game as hectic, as fast, or as interesting. The thrill of combining three characters into a team that is uniquely yours; the fact that you can’t blink or Magneto will be behind you; the satisfaction of picking off Captain Commando and knowing your opponent is now running scared…all the things that make MvC2 a truly unique game are still just as fresh as they were the day it arrived at my local arcade.

 

This is why, when Capcom asked me to come test a version of MvC2 with online play, I nearly soiled myself. We went through everything, from well-known glitches to standard combos and tactics, and the gameplay was all there. Certain gamebreaking bugs have been removed, of course (the Gambit glitch, for example) but everything else is intact. Guard breaks, infinites, simultaneous DHCs, unblockables, countering with Assist 2 after a snapout, the Juggernaut glitch…everything that makes MvC2 crazy is still the same. We checked for the problems that plagued the PS2 and Xbox versions (crippling slowdown, the counter-out bug, etc.) and found none. This is the game we all know and love, but prettier.

 

Speaking of pretty, this next-gen upgrade for MvC2 also offers a few extra goodies. Widescreen and HD support let the 3D backgrounds and hit effects truly shine. (Don’t worry, the stage is still the same size in widescreen.) For those who want it, a new filter mode offers the ability to reduce the pixelization inside characters (I happen to like the giant pixels, myself, but the effect is good). And perhaps the biggest news of all for die-hard MvC2 fans – just like other next-gen games, you can turn off the music and play your own instead.

 

There are a whole bunch of reasons you know you want this game, but me? I’m just excited to finally be able to put away my Dreamcast.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Dante

[Mundi]

Excuse me while I change my pants.

[Pit-Jr]

YES

 

Im starting to love Backbone for resurrecting all these 2D gems on the cheap

[Dan_Dare]

is this one of the 'teh hardcorez' stick only kind of games? I found HDR to be really alienating when it became clear the developers were elitist bumholes who had no intention of making the game playable without one.

[flameboy]

Brilliant news and us PS3 owners get a demo this week!!!

[Cube]

Due to how much Super Duper Hyper Street Fighter 2 Ultra Mega Turbo Edition High Definition Remix sucks, I highly doubt that I will get this. Okay...it's me that sucks.

[Daft]

I bought this for the old Xbox back in the day for a fiver.

 

Doubt I'll get it again tbh.

[Guest Jordan]

One of my favourite insane over the top games, no way i'll be playing this online outside of friends though. I'm half decent at the straight SF games, but MvC2 is really, really hard if you're against a good opponent.

[Columnar]

I'm still a bit 'meh' about this actually. Agree with Jordan that it is pretty hard and that really, you didn't play these crossover games the same way you played a "real" street fighter. I think it seems a bit pricey as well - at least with SSF2THDR it had redrawn HD graphics, whereas this is just smoothed around the edges.

 

The fact I would be paying £10 for an ever so slightly smoother game that is already perfect on Dreamcast narks me slightly but then there is online play... I'll see what the demo is like first methinks.

[Portlett]

when is the demo going to hit live?

[khilafah]

love this on my Dreamcast and will buy it but online play is gonna be full of so much BS.

 

99% of players will be Cable Spammers!!

[Choze]

Demo is ok though only offline multiplayer. BAckgrounds are 3d but the sprites are dated. The filters dont do a whole lot. Certainly not compared to an emulator oddly.

[Hero-of-Time]

MVsC2+Stan Bush = AWESOME!!!!

 

[ReZourceman]

Yes.

 

One of my favourite games ever. Complete and utter win. Gonna take me back old school me and my mate shit kicking each other at this.

 

Is the PS3 demo out?

[Choze]

Yes.

 

One of my favourite games ever. Complete and utter win. Gonna take me back old school me and my mate shit kicking each other at this.

 

Is the PS3 demo out?

 

Yes. Its a multiplayer only demo. On the US PSN store.

[Hero-of-Time]

Release day is sooner than I expected.

 

In Marvel's Q1 2009 report, posted earlier today, it was revealed that their upcoming Capcom collaberation for the Xbox Live Arcade, Marvel v Capcom 2, is scheduled to hit the service on June 29th.

[Pete]

Dont have a PS3 or 360 - glad I have this for my dreamcast.

 

MVsC2+Stan Bush = AWESOME!!!!

 

 

I thought where do I know that 80's song from the video from, then I remembered the 80's animated transformers movie - win - lols.