"The best 2-D fighter ever (until I play Marvel vs. Capcom 2)!"

Marvel vs. Capcom has got to be the best 2-D fighting game yet! This game combines the characters from the street fighting games and the X-Men games, all your favorites! And with the great street fighter game setup that just gets better and better every time with new options and features (my personal favorite is being able to air block). Here is some reasons why.

Game Play

The game play is great! Many reasons contribute to the game play being great. First of all, The way the game goes fast and furious with non-stop kicking, punching, and supers. And new to the 2-D fighters, the ability to have two men and switch them in and out of the game to preserve their health and make a much bigger variety of attacks to surprise your opponent with. Did I mention the new features they keep throwing into the games? They now have air blocks, special teammates that you can call on in the middle of the battle for extra help, the ability to attack with both of your players at once, the ability to do both of your players supers at once, etc. I love it! And instead of having something stupid for the last boss like a regular fighter that is just faster or stronger they have a pumped up mutant that attacks you in his first form as a sort of magneto clone, but then transforms into the biggest damn mutant you ever saw and attacks you with his giant hand! He also has the ability to call other players from the game at you without warning. I thought I had him but he sent Chun Li after me! Also there is a variety of levels too. The levels have great detail with things moving around in the background and breakable walls into a different part of the level (the bathroom level with all the guys in towels). There are seven secret characters as well. I'm not sure how to access them in the arcade version, but they are just pallet swaps with different attributes. You can also fight the secret characters if you beat the levels in a certain way.

Audio/Video

Probably the best graphics I have seen in a 2-D fighting game! The detail of the characters and backgrounds is sweet! The backgrounds especially. In Megaman's level you see a crazy scientist (Dr. Wily, I presume) in the background and lots of gizmos from the Megaman games. In one level you can break through a side wall to reveal E-Hondas original Street Fighter 2 level! The sound is everything you would expect from a great fighting game. Lots of different sounds for moves, and when they connect. Each character usually has a few or more things they say as well, when attacking or taunting. There are a few distinct songs, which play depending on who you and your opponents are.

Story

Someone or another, from the subconscious of Professor X and Magneto, Onslaught was formed. Onslaught is definitely a super villain up to no good. Professor X sends a telepathic signal, summoning all the super heroes in the world to try and stop Onslaught before he destroys everything! Each character has a different ending, although they are short and some are kind of confusing. A few of the characters actually die in the endings, but I don't know if that will affect any upcoming games. The real question is, can you stop him in a few credits!

Replay

The replay factor shines in this game. Because you have fun beating around the computer and then when you get sick of that you just play your friends or people in the arcade for an added challenge. As always its fun to watch your friends die as you nail them with a 30 hit combo! The hero switch is definitely a factor in replay. Picking two characters makes the game play as diverse every time as if you just played it for the first time!

Overall

This is definitely a must play when you go to the arcades, especially if you go with friends. All the factors in this game are brilliant for a 2-D fighting game. If you don't visit the arcade that often however, the game is out for Playstation (and Dreamcast I think). Also look for Marvel vs. Capcom 2, which is out for the Dreamcast.
I haven't played it but, early reviews say good things.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/26/00, Updated 11/26/00