Soapbox features allow our writers and individual contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve researched. Today, Scott saves a lot of money on Capcom and is preoccupied with a cross-proposal that everyone can get behind…
Sure, Super Smash Bros. may be ‘the most ambitious crossover of all time’, but as impressive as the Smash, that alone is not enough to cement Nintendo as the king of crossover games.
That honor can only go to Capcom. Looking at Smash, you’ll find Mega Man, Ryu, and Ken playable in Ultimate, not to mention Rathalos’ boss battles, spirits, support titles, and even a section of World Of Light dedicated to Street Fighter II. Capcom has been very generous with Smash, which makes sense when you look at its history of crossover appearances, from RPGs like Project area Xcameo from Mario and Sonic in Monster Hunter 4 and Rise respectively, a prayer of Fortnite da, and even Ryu’s appearance in an official license Family boy flash games (yes, really.)
However, when the words ‘crossover’ and ‘Capcom’ are uttered together, your mind will inevitably turn to Capcom Vs. A variety of fighting games. While excellent Marvel vs. Capcom Games have never satisfied Nintendo platforms, we’ve been lucky enough to have the best Capcom Vs arguably. game – Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO – back to Gamecube and regrettably underrated Tatsunoko vs. Capcom on Wii. Capcom’s Vs. series remains one of the most iconic fighting game collections, still played today in tournaments.
There’s really only one company that Capcom needs to work with to make the perfect Vs. Game: Capcom
With such a popular series that hasn’t performed well over the past five years (or ten if we count only the ‘popular’ entries), the question on everyone’s mind is: What’s next? With Marvel vs. Capcom InfiniteThe quality issues are attributed to Disney’s interference, many are unsure if we will ever see the ‘clash of superheroes’ again. And while SNK’s Yauyuki Oda has recently announced he will be interested in the new SNK Vs Capcom part, it’s hard to see that happening in the near future as both are hard at work on new entries for Fatal Fury / Garou and Street fighter, corresponding. However, there’s really only one company that Capcom needs to work with to create the perfect Vs. game, and that’s Capcom.
When it comes to video game companies with iconic characters, Nintendo arguably holds the top spot; however, perhaps the only company that can hold its ground in the IP wars is Capcom. I’m thinking about Mega Man, Devil May Cryby Dante, Leon, Jill and Chris from Resident Evil, Phoenix Wright, and every character in Street Fighter II, just to name a few. Capcom has produced some of the greatest characters of all time over the past four decades, the kind of lineup that seems ripe for a fighting game entry. While those who like PlayStation and Nickelodeon Having tried their hand at crossovers, few developers or publishers have as much tradition in fighting games as Capcom has.
Now, those of you unlucky enough to play 2004 Capcom Fighting Evolution may be thinking to yourself, that’s already done, and it sucks, and you won’t go wrong. Where that game failed was trying to combine six different fighting styles into a unified experience. Ideally a potential ‘Capcom Vs. Capcom ‘will continue the legacy of the Marvel or CvS style’ by taking one of their styles.
So how will it work? While I personally long for the days of Capcom Vs. SNK’s 3v3 system consists of one-on-one direct battles with no assist – in contrast to the super Marvel style – there are arguments for both. Capcom character in king of warriors‘3v3 style hasn’t happened since Capcom Vs. SNK 2 back in 2001, while MVC fans have games like Dragon Ball FighterZ to meet their demands for intense, supportive 3v3 action. Plus, there’s always the fact that it’s incredibly easy for newbies to get overwhelmed by the epic battles of MVC.
With that said, it’s hard to imagine characters with a wild fighting style like Devil May Cry’s Dante or a Monster hunter suitable for a grounded fighter. While this may be an overwhelming series for many, it’s hard to think of any fighting game series that’s more fun to watch at tournaments like Evo than Marvel Vs Capcom. Its presence in the fighting game community has been greatly missed, and a new release, unfettered by any overbearing parent company would be a sweet alternative.
Capcom Vs Capcom is a pretty silly name, I admit, but it really gets the point across. The company can reuse the name of the canceled Capcom Fighting All-Stars or – depending on the listing – Street Fighter Vs Capcom. With no outside companies (and the IP politics they bring) to deal with, it would allow including Capcom reps who missed previous entries, to form a full lineup and not limited to half the list. Characters like Leon Kennedy, Nero, Proto Man missed out on other representations of their series, or lesser-known characters like Asura or Gene from God’s Hand finally get their chance under the sun.
If you can’t tell, I love Capcom and its characters. For a publisher with such a long history of classic cross-fighting games, leaving them in silence because outside forces don’t want to play ball is a big disadvantage. If there’s one company that can succeed (aside from Nintendo’s strong crossover with Masahiro Sakurai, obviously) then I feel it will be the home of Mega Man.
Besides, that’s probably the only way we’ll ever be able to see any God Hand images again; That’s always a plus.
