Ultimate Marvel VS. Capcom 3 is the long awaited PC port of the update to the original Marvel VS. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds; which was released solely for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011. For the first time on PC, gamers are able to choose from a massive roster of 50 playable characters that are evenly divided between the Capcom and Marvel universes. Combining the vanilla headcount of 36 members, this title also includes the two previously released DLC characters and a brand new cast of 12 fighters.
Despite donning the "3" in its title, Ultimate Marvel VS. Capcom 3 is the sixth installment in the franchise. From its humble beginnings in 1996 under the name X-Men VS. Street Fighter, through its transitional phase to the name that we know it by now, it may shock some to know that the series has been around for over a decade. Of the 12 new fighters, only one, Strider Hiryu, is a return combatant, the remaining 11 are new to the series, and they are Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Nova, Rocket Raccoon (from Marvel), Firebrand, Frank West, Nemesis T-Type, Phoenix Wright, and Vergil (from Capcom). For those who have played the original version of Marvel VS. Capcom 3, it should also be noted that Ultimate has changes that were made to both the aerial combat and X-Factor systems.
Not a typical 1v1 fighter, this title is a constant 3v3 battle wherein you are conclusively battling to save the Earth from the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus. The formula of the menus and online play are very similar to what the Street Fighter franchise has been doing since the release of Street Fighter IV, although the gameplay and mechanics are drastically different. There's a large focus on aerial combat, and it's incredibly easy to knock your opponent sky high, although as noted above there has been some changes to this mechanic; rather than being able to float nearly limitlessly in the air and corner combo your opponent into oblivion, the characters do have more gravity to them now. However, the gameplay is still just as frenzied as it was in the initial game.
Yes, you read that right, a major appeal of Ultimate Marvel VS. Capcom 3 is its speed; the game is a flurry of flying fists, exploding grenades, bullets, energy projectiles, and bright colors. It may be hard for new players to keep up at first, especially those who are used to the slower pace of games such as Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. This title in particular is extremely easy to pick up and play, and it's one of the few fighting games that one can have fun with while simply button mashing. Though don't let that fool you, mastering a character is difficult and learning their combos is challenging yet fun all at the same time. Of course there are also special abilities, team combos, and other mechanics such as the X-Factor system to learn.
Although there are a variety of modes to choose from, the game does feel rather limited in what it has to offer. The Training mode feels especially skeletal since it does not offer much support for new players, but rather only lets you test out the moves list and combos of characters. You have your standard Arcade mode where you battle AI teams all the way to Galactus, Versus mode to play offline against a friend, a Mission mode that includes several trials for each character, and Online Ranked and Player match modes. The most in-depth mode is known as Heroes & Heralds, where the player chooses either faction in a solo or multiplayer fight for weekly campaign domination. With each battle, gamers are able to earn cards to build a three-card deck, which will allow them to customize their favorite fighters with new powers for the mode. As well, Ultimate features a brand new offline mode called "Galactus Mode", which allows players to fight as Galactus against the computer.
It's truly exciting to see Ultimate Marvel VS. Capcom 3 finally hit PC, although online is currently not very active; this could be due to the day-one midnight release time frame, and not the netcode. In fact, Capcom have upgraded the netcode in this version of the game, so more stability should be in place. This installment into the Marvel VS. Capcom universe is outstanding in every sense of the word; new game modes, new fighters, better netcode, improved mechanics, vivid colors, lively backgrounds, excellent 2.5D graphics, fun special abilities, challenging combos, easy to pick up and play, difficult to master, swift combat, the list could just go on and on. Even if the training mode could use an overhaul, Ultimate Marvel VS. Capcom 3 is a must buy for fans of either (or both) universes, and those who love a good fast-paced fighting game.
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