Marvel vs. Capcom Origins

(Capcom for XBLA)
By Mike Delano

Back in the day in arcades (wistful sigh), Capcom had a knack for creating deep, colorful, and inviting fighting games that were able to draw in players without stooping to over-the-top violence or gimmicks. Stuff like Darkstalkers and Marvel Super Heroes were some of the best examples of this period of creativity. The latter eventually evolved into the first of the Marvel vs. Capcom series, and both are collected here in Marvel vs. Capcom Origins. This two-fer is a trip back to a (relatively) slower-paced, more considered style of fighting game, before the series reached gonzo new heights in MvC‘s two sequels. It’s incredible how well the graphics have aged, and both games get the same royal treatment that Capcom has shown to previous arcade collections like Final Fight: Double Impact, allowing players to recreate the scan lines from arcade monitors, among a ton of other cool configurations. The best among them is a fantastic “over the shoulder” viewpoint that simulates watching the action unfold from an angle a few feet back from an arcade cabinet, just like everyone used to when they were waiting their turn to play. That the games themselves are great goes without saying, but it’s the extra features like these that make Marvel vs. Capcom Origins a must for the library of any fan of 2D fighting games.
(www.capcom.com)