Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Publisher

Capcom

Developer

Capcom

Genre

Arcade, Fighting, Puzzle

Players

1-9

File Size (Minimum)

3.2 GB

Release Date (NA)

Jun 24, 2022

Purchase From

Best Buy

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Steam

Official Store

Capcom Fighting Collection is a group of 2D fighting games (and one puzzle game) developed during Capcom’s rise in the 1990s. Many players are familiar with the company’s franchises like Street Fighter, Mega Man, and Resident Evil. Fewer have probably heard of games like Darkstalkers (aka Night Warriors, Vampire Savior), a fan-favorite series that hasn’t received much love from Capcom in recent decades but is now playable on today’s modern consoles. There’s a lot to go through and it’s an enjoyable collection if you are a fan of fighters.

Arcade-Only Style

Each game in this collection is from the arcade version. Red Earth, once an arcade-exclusive, comes to the consoles for the first time. With that said, this also means that any of these games that were once on a console do not include console-exclusive content. For example, Cyberbots has additional playable characters exclusive to the Dreamcast and PlayStation consoles, but those other fighters won’t appear here. If you’re hoping to see this console content, you’re out of luck. Still, Capcom has made some adjustments such as minor bug fixes and removing secret endings in some of the Darkstalkers games.

Fighting Roster

To those who are craving content from the Darkstalkers series, this collection is for you. Half the games here are from Darkstalkers, and two of them, Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers’ Revenge and Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of Vampire, were never released as arcade versions outside of Japan. Unfortunately, these games were never officially translated either and still aren’t now. You’ll want to grab the Google Translate app if you want to know what’s being said. While each Darkstalker game plays identically, there have been some modifications made throughout the years. These include adjusted animations, rosters, and gameplay mechanics. With this collection in your hand, give each one a whirl and see which one resonates with you the most. With a cast of mythical creatures such as succubi, vampires, and werewolves, it’s a long-time fan favorite that’s finally getting some sunshine.

The only standard Street Fighter game here, Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition, is one of the better versions in this collection. Not only are there sixteen characters to choose from, players can also select any version of each character in the Street Fighter II series. For example, players can choose Ryu from the original 1991 Street Fighter II and pit him against Ryu from 1994’s Super Street Fighter II Turbo. The character’s avatar and moveset change to match the particular game version. For the Ryus mentioned earlier, Ryu from Street Fighter II has five moves, whereas Ryu from Super Street Fighter II Turbo has twelve. It’s a neat feature for those who have a preferred character from a specific game.

Red Earth is one of the unique titles that’s a fighting game which also uses role-playing elements. Players can pick one of four characters to go through a series of fights with story sequences in between. After a battle, your character can gain levels and learn unique skills. It’s an addictive game to play, and it’s surprising that this never came to consoles before now.

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo is the lone puzzle game here. It’s like a crossover of popular puzzlers from the 1990s: Columns, Tetris, and Puyo Puyo. Collect a set of colored gems, clear them, and dispose of the remains in your opponent’s puzzle grid. Once your grid overflows, game over. It certainly stands out with its chibi-style artwork and puzzle gameplay.

Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix is a comical fighting game that is entertaining in its own way. With gag dialogue, Capcom character crossovers, and quirky animation styles, it’s a fun alternative to the serious combat of Street Fighter and Darkstalkers. Plus, there’s a lot of easter eggs in this game. For example, one of Felicia’s movesets changes her outfit to a Mega Man costume that shoots a mega buster shot. Chun-Li will also cosplay as Jill Valentine from Resident Evil, using a rocket launcher.

Cyberbots is a giant robot fighter. Those who’ve played the Marvel vs Capcom series will recognize Jin, one of the characters from this game. Here, you don’t play as Jin as a fighter. Instead, you play as him piloting his mechanical battle suit. You’ll choose from a small set of characters, but additional options are available on which giant robot you want to pilot. Each robot has its own unique abilities. While the characters aren’t as memorable compared to the other Capcom fighting games, it’s certainly a different flavor of fighting.

Fighting Options Galore

Each game’s default settings are set to “free play” as in no coins are needed to play. However, you can change the game’s settings before starting to change how many coins you entered, much like how arcades operate. This is similar to how many lives you want on-hand. This just changes the difficulty for players. If you want to change characters or make a mistake somewhere inside the game, you have to quit the game from the collection’s main menu and boot it back up. There’s no soft reset to take you back to each game’s in-game menu.

The game’s default challenge settings are set to medium, but that’s quite challenging for many. You have to be precise in your movements and understand the game’s mechanics if you want to stand a chance. Otherwise, it’s recommended to decrease the level, even to zero. This will give everyone a chance to learn each game and improve over time.

Button customization and quick saves for those who don’t have all the time in the world to finish multiple matches at once are easily available via a quick button command before starting a game. Each fighting game also has seven different filters. Players can adjust the cathode-ray tube (CRT) to create simulated lines that help smooth out pixels, just like the good ol’ days. You can also turn them off for a clean pixel look, but for the way the CRT option works on higher end screens, they actually look quite good with these retro games. Removing the lines feels too clean and their absence loses something of the original’s value.

All ten games play on a 1:1 screen but can be adjusted to several different aspect ratios. Players can even stretch the playscreen across if that’s their preference. Players can also adjust the frame artwork that displays on the left and right side of the 1:1 screen. Basically, there are a lot of options in this compilation.

Outside the menu screen, players can rotate through all ten games. While two of them are only available in Japanese, players can swap between English and Japanese versions. Giving the option between languages is like giving anime fans the choice between Japanese voices with English subtitles and English dubbed voices.

This collection also offers online matches with various options: casual, ranked, and custom. During this review, we could not receive enough data on how the online matches work. However, giving the option to compete in any of these games is an awesome deal. Leaderboards are also available to see where you or your competitors rank worldwide. To use the online match features, you’ll need a subscription to your console’s online service.

Collection Galore

Outside the fighting, Capcom Fighting Collection offers additional content for those who enjoy artwork and music. The game’s Museum showcases a lot of these. Fans can go through promotional materials, sketches, and illustrations of each game. The music player is a nice addition, allowing players to listen to each game’s soundtrack. Veterans and newcomers alike can enjoy the classic fighting beats.

The Final Battle

Capcom Fighting Collection is a fun compilation of arcade games that any fighting fan, new or old, will want to own. Practice your Hadouken and catlike reflexes. It’s time to fight!

A PlayStation 4 code provided for this review and gameplay footage.