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Capcom has always been at the forefront of fighting games. Regardless of the type of games you play, chances are you’ve heard of the iconic Street Fighter. While we certainly enjoy the direction the new entries have taken, the ones that laid the foundation should still be celebrated. For those who have never experienced them, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is an excellent way to do so. Even if I enjoyed only a handful of games in this collection, all eight are superb and a step up from the previous fighting package we had a couple of years ago.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 features eight fighting hits from the good old arcade games. However, instead of simple remasters with a few extra additions, all of these titles come with many new features that make them easy to get into while also keeping the games’ old-school feels. The result is an excellent package with interesting choices. Even if some fighting bangers are missing from this package, it is one of the beefiest collections and easily surpasses its predecessor.
Timeless Classics
A new collection of classic games usually falls into one or two categories. One is the collection just re-releasing the old games with little to no improvements at all, and the other one does a curated package with notable improvements and modernizes it to attract a larger playerbase. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 falls in the second category.
It features eight classic arcade games: Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro, Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001, Capcom Fighting Evolution, Street Fighter Alpha 3 UPPER, Power Stone, Power Stone 2, Project Justice, and Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein. Out of all eight, I have my favorites among them, but all of them are snappy, responsive, and, most importantly, highly accessible.
My favorites were both Power Stone titles, the two Capcom vs. SNK games, and Capcom Fighting Evolution. The other is amazing, especially since some are superb 3D fighters, but I enjoyed the first five I listed. Still, this collection seems even more varied than the first one. While all of the featured entries are fighting games, they approach it differently. For instance, Power Stone and Power Stone 2 feel more like Smash Bros. or Crash Bash, with the latter having way more things to do. Project Justice has a dedicated story mode with quite an engaging narrative.
Like its predecessor, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 features a slick UI when it comes to presentation. Accessing all menus, selecting characters, and swapping between games is quite straightforward. The same happens with all the extra menus, including options such as checking moves, quick saving, or letting another player jump into the fight. The same applies to the online mode. The collection allows you to queue for all games while you wait in-game with some warm-up fighting.
As Responsive as It Can Be
As I mentioned during my preview, one thing I loved about Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is how approachable it feels. Sometimes, developers re-release a classic game with no improvements or adjustments and call it a day. However, Capcom went above and beyond to make every game feel modern regarding controls.
Whenever I used some of my main characters from Street Fighter, I was surprised to see how familiar the gameplay felt. Most games let you choose different styles, but they are easy to grasp regardless of your pick. A few moves and combos make more sense to those who grew up playing fighting games. However, even someone like me, who doesn’t have a lot of fighting miles, could easily perform some of the most complex moves. There’s even an option to perform special moves with just one button, which makes things much easier for newcomers.
Beyond that, there’s a training mode for all games that you can also try before jumping into the Arcade or online modes. Of the latter, I didn’t find any matches during my review time, so I can’t say how great the game plays in online mode. However, I was able to try local versus, and it was great. All I had to do was plug in a second controller to my PC.
Furthermore, this collection includes many never-before-seen things, such as music and artwork. Some people might not see this as a big deal, but it is. It’s always great to see the beginnings of such a long-standing series and the hard work that the developers put into delivering these games.
Oldie But Goodie
Overall, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is terrific and a notable improvement from its predecessor. Even though I had my favorites, I always found myself jumping between all of them. This is a great improvement from the first collection, in which I would only stick with a handful of the games and avoid a few that felt frustrating or didn’t feel as engaging as the others.
There are still a few games that could’ve made it to this collection that many fans have been waiting for. Still, I loved the variety. If I got tired of Rugal beating me for the tenth time, I would switch to Power Stone for some chaotic gem-hunting fun. When I finished that, I’d return to my favorite fighting entries to try the arcade mode and see if I could beat my previous records. While I’m sure hardcore fighters will spend dozens of hours climbing the ranks, this collection is also superb for casual players and those who want some quick, classic bouts with a sprinkle of modern controls and many accessible features.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (PC Reviewed)
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is an excellent all-in-one package featuring some solid 2D and 3D fighting games, with gameplay variety, and a lot of replayability. Furthermore, they add some welcome modern additions that will make newcomers feel right at home.
Pros
- A superb lineup of classic arcade games
- Excellent QoL features for newcomers
Cons
- While varied, some games are more engaging to play than others
