Best Fighting Game Stages: Capcom Vs SNK 2’s London

Welcome back to our less than regular celebration of some of the best stages in fighting game history. Today, we’re celebrating the match of the millennium, as we travel to Capcom VS SNK 2’s depiction of London, England.

Legendary fighting game crossovers, when done correctly, are a brilliant way to build the prestige for both franchises. The “when done correctly” is the key part of that sentence, as sometimes you have the potential to create something like Street Fighter X Tekken. The less said about that one, the better. At the other end of the spectrum, though, is Capcom Vs SNK 1 and 2, both of which are brilliant showcases of two companies at the top of their genre.

Gameplay wise, these games are absolutely masterclasses, effortlessly blending together the mechanics and characters from various games into the fighting game equivalent of a supergroup. For fans of both companies, there’s so much to love in CvS 1 and 2 when it comes to the actual fighting, but we want to make special note of the crossover’s excellent stages.

Some fans might prefer the stages present in the first Capcom Vs SNK, which is understandable. The details and easter eggs present in stages like Highway, which opens with gameplay from the game Top Gear 2 only to turn into a massive pile-up, make the stages feel special. Still, Capcom Vs SNK 2 has highlights all of its own, and one stage in particular stands head and shoulders above the rest: the London street stage.

Capcom Vs SNK has a lot of awesome background visuals present within the game, including picturesque arctic landscapes, a fight in the ruins of Osaka after some demonic entity bodies the entire city, and a serene field surrounded by windmills. However, the London stage is iconic for a number of reasons, most largely due to the fact that it’s a culmination of history for both companies, particularly Capcom.

Look, the clue is in the name. Their biggest fighting game franchise is called Street Fighter, but despite that, you do very little fighting on a street. It’s always some kind of ruins, temple, dojo or secret evil base where someone’s planning world domination. Seeing a stage go back to basics, with people going about their business while you and another fighter do battle, is always enjoyable. Perhaps there’s just a little bit of bias due to being English as to why London is so favourable, but still, it’s an absolutely lovely stage.

Still, there’s a history on display in the background of London that’s celebrated here, with characters from both Capcom and SNK featuring while two warriors go at it. Dudley’s just sat there reading a newspaper, while Billy Kane and his sister are having a conversation with Karman Cole from Art of Fighting 3, which is a much deeper cut. There’s even some Power Stone love, with Rogue making an appearance in the night-time version of the stage.

However, there’s one reason why Capcom Vs SNK 2’s London stage is so brilliant, and it’s the music. The stage’s theme, This Is True Love Makin’, is still an all-time top-tier track, with its catchy beats and easy to sing-along lyrics making it a real earworm. With both the visuals and audio combined, the London stage is unforgettable, making it one of the most legendary stages ever made.

Compared to other stages that we’ve covered, which have huge legacies or offer a cinematic thrill, the London stage is more unassuming than most, but there’s so much to enjoy here. From the wonderful visuals, the celebration of history, the background references and that amazing song, London is worthy of being considered an all-time classic.

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