Sometimes it’s just better to know exactly what you’re getting from a new game, or at least a sequel in a series. Capcom have been quietly plugging away HD compilations of their arcade fighting games for a few years now, with Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, Capcom Fighting Collection and Marvel Vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics bundling together Capcom’s best games for fans to enjoy, all in one place.
Enter Capcom Fighting Collection 2, which, like the first Capcom Fighting Collection, takes quite a few seemingly unrelated games for its selection. While the first Capcom Fighting Collection was arguably headlined by the entire Darkstalkers franchise, with random games like Red Earth, Puzzle Fighter or Super Gem Fighter thrown in for good measure, there’s a couple of headlines with this follow-up bundle that’ll get lifelong Capcom fans excited.
Whether it’s the two Capcom Vs SNK collaborations, the return of the Rival Schools franchise with Project Justice, or both Power Stone games available on modern platforms with online play, there’s something for every flavour of Capcom lover. Each game in the collection is enhanced with the ability to create quick saves, play online and even access custom training modes, all of which make them improvements over the arcade releases, though there’s even plenty of visual filters on offer to replicate that arcade experience.
Perhaps the best inclusion is the one-button specials and supers though, which allow players to customise their controls to perform a specific move without entering the precise input. Yes, this can include some of the more complicated SNK inputs when playing Capcom Vs SNK, making the barrier to entry a lot smaller for casual players who just want to enjoy a slice of retro goodness. Will you still get shouted at online if you use one button specials and supers by the same people who hate Modern control players in Street Fighter 6? Probably, but please live your best lives regardless, you casual kings and queens.
If you’ve purchased any of Capcom’s fighting game collections in the past, none of what’s been covered will really come as a surprise. These collections are always filled to the brim with options, settings and additional extras designed to appeal to those devout diehards. For those people, or those who simply loved playing one or two of these games in the arcades, buying the Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is going to be a no-brainer, because you’ve already bought the other ones.
But what about those who played Power Stone 2 on console, or Capcom Vs SNK 2 on PS2? Admittedly, the Capcom Fighting Collection 2 might be a tougher sell, just because the collection only deals with arcade versions. Games like Power Stone 2 or CvS 2 had console releases which introduced more features and modes, all of which aren’t available in this collection. It’s not a dealbreaker, but for those with nostalgia specific to the console versions of these games, it’s something to consider.
Still, for these long forgotten games like Rival Schools or Power Stone, just having the games back at all is amazing. With SNK also revisiting their end of the Capcom collab by re-releasing SVC Chaos, maybe Capcom Fighting Collection 2’s inclusion of Capcom VS SNK will lead to another entry in that series. Wishful thinking? You bet, but for now, this collection is looking like a fine celebration of fighting game history.
An Xbox key was provided by PR for the purposes of this preview
READ NEXT: Launch Games Nobody Remembers
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site.
