Capcom’s fighting game division has had a rough decade. Ever sinceUltimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3underperformed andStreet Fighter X Tekkenwas a critical failure, the company has had a lot of trouble pleasing fans.Street Fighter 5has reached a good state, but at launch it was a disaster.Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinitewas also a high-profile failure, and neither theStreet Fighter 30th Anniversary CollectionnorUltra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengerswere able to bring fans back. Many have simply checked out, content to wait until Capcom learns from its mistakes.
That time has seemingly arrived, as after a week-long countdown Capcom revealedStreet Fighter 6. The next title in the genre-definingStreet Fighterfranchise was shown off with a brief CG trailer featuring Ryu andStreet Fighter 5newcomer Luke sporting a new design. This is exciting for several reasons, but the announcement felt low-key. It only had a couple of characters standing in a dark room, and theStreet Fighter 6logo also has a lot less energy than past titles. It already feels overshadowed by the game revealed just before it,Capcom Fighting Collection, which is bringing a lot of rare titles to modern consoles with new features.
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Capcom Fighting Collection Has a Surprising Lineup
Right off the bat,Capcom Fighting Collectiondifferentiates itself from other fighting game collections by focusing on less popular titles. Except for the upgraded home console port ofDarkstalkers 3,the entireDarkstalkersfranchiseis available as half of this collection. A lot of Capcom history buffs andDarkstalkersfans are quite jazzed about this, asVampire Hunter 2andVampire Savior 2have never been released in North America. While these particular titles are not as well-regarded as the others, it’s good to have the entire franchise available in one package.
The other five titles contain a host of oft-forgotten Capcom classics. Starting things off isCyberbots: Fullmetal Madness, the fighting game sequel to the beat-’em-upArmored Warriors. This game is mechanically distinct, and also introduced the classicMvCcharacter Jin Saotome, albeit as a pilot rather than an on-foot fighter. Next isRed Earth, a hybrid between a fighting game and a boss-fighting action-RPG. This title is one of Capcom’s most obscure fighting games, and those passionate about single-player modes should give it a try.Hyper Street Fighter 2: The Anniversary Editionis next, offering a modified version ofSuper Street Fighter 2 Turbo.Super Gem Fighter Mini Mixis one of Capcom’s most obscure inter-franchise crossover fighters, and the puzzle gameSuper Puzzle Fighter 2 Turborounds out the set.
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Fan-Requested Features Make Capcom Fighting Collection Worth Trying
While these titles are already available through fan emulation, they are not well-known, so reaching more eyes through a modern collection is important. This collection is also set up to be one of the best Capcom fighting game compilation yet, equipped with a range of bonus features and extras that makes it a potentialmust-have for Capcom collectors. Over 500 pieces of art are available in the game, and a sound test allows for quick access to each entry’s soundtrack. There are also extra toggles to unlock bosses and hidden characters.
The two main features that have fans abuzz are training modes for every title (except forPuzzle Fighter) and rollback netcode. There have been strong efforts by the fighting game community to add these into older games. While a lack of training modes is simply a consequence of many titles' age, the community has become increasingly aware ofthe necessity of rollback netcode. Leaders in the fighting game genre have relied on delay-based netcode solutions for a long time, and rollback methods that can smooth over their issues are just now rising to prominence. To have rollback netcode added to all 10 of these obscure games guarantees they will be active for at least a little while.
The Capcom Fighting Collection Builds Hope For Street Fighter 6
Even though theStreet Fighter 6is a more popular conversation topic, the apparent value packed into theCapcom Fighting Collectionmakes it overshadow the new game’s announcement for some. It’snot clear whatStreet Fighter 6will be like, as the gameplay and character roster are big parts of what make fighting games exciting. It’s also due to get more information in the summer, possibly afterCapcom Fighting Collectioncomes out. After so much build-up, it feels likeStreet Fighter 6could have been introduced in a more informative way.
Still, there is a lot of hope forStreet Fighter 6, andCapcom Fighting Collectionbuilds that up. TheCollectiondisplays Capcom’s willingness to be competitive with its fighting game peers, addingrollback to older games like Arc System Worksand SNK. Hopefully this is a sign thatStreet Fighter 5’s rollback netcode will be fixed. Taken together, these two announcements show that Capcom is putting effort into improving its fighting game output, and the graphical change to what looks like the RE Engine is already doing wonders forStreet Fighter 6. Both of these projects are exciting for different reasons, and the fighting game community is eager to see more in the future.
Capcom Fighting Collectionis set to release June 24 for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
