Forget Marvel and Tatsunoko, I Want Capcom vs. Capcom!

This started off as a simple Tweet, but ended up big enough that I figured I might as well just make a short(?) post out of it. We’ll see how that plan holds up by the end of this.

Anyway, ever since Capcom and Marvel’s latest team-up went awry, there has been some buzz about the game getting revamped into a Marvel vs. Capcom 4. But that was years ago, and there’s been nothing official for the series since, other than an Arcade1UP cabinet featuring the hugely popular second game. But that aside, it seems that the common belief is that nothing is happening, at least not anytime soon.

Elsewhere, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom has been even quieter for even longer, with nothing since the January 2010 release of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars on the Wii over a decade ago. Given that the western rights to the various franchises involved were spread across myriad companies, it was a miracle that we got it here at all, and given the way companies eat each other up, rights expire, or just get transferred to new companies, it’s hard to say where everything sits as I write this.

And to that, I say: Who needs ’em?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Marvel, and I’d miss having Iron Man, the Avengers, and others squaring off against some of my Capcom favorites. Likewise, Gold Lightan is awesome, and characters from Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, various Tekkaman incarnations, and Yatterman certainly drew my interest. But between what sounded like an almost diva-like attitude from Marvel under Disney and the treasure hunt that would be rounding up all the Tatsunoko guys?

Like I said, I love ’em, but… I really don’t think Capcom needs them for a big crossover fighting game.

So forget Marvel vs. Capcom and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. What I want is “Capcom vs. Capcom.”

Just think on that for a moment: a fighting game with nothing but Capcom characters.

And for you smartasses out there, yes, I know that Capcom has made fighting games like Street Fighter, DarkStalkers, and more that are technically nothing but Capcom characters, but you know that’s not what I’m talking about. And Capcom Fighting All-Stars doesn’t count, either, as almost everyone in that crossover came from other fighting games.

You know what I’m talking about here. Bring in a bunch of Capcom’s biggest and brightest from previous crossovers, characters who didn’t originate in fighting games, but would go on to appear in fighting games, all without all the licensing. Give me your Striders, your Bionic Commandos, your Arthurs, and of course, your Mega Men. (And sure, throw in a few Street Fighter, DarkStalkers, and other such characters in there for good measure.)

Capcom’s been at these crossovers for a while, and there are a lot of characters who have appeared in one but not another. Can you imagine having all of these guys in the same fighting game, for example?

How crazy is it that we’ve never had a fighting game where MegaMan Volnutt (Tatsunoko vs. Capcom) could fight Tron Bonne (Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3), or even a Servbot (Marvel vs. Capcom 2)? Where the original Mega Man (Marvel vs. Capcom, Marvel vs. Capcom 2) can finally test his metal mettle against Dr. Wily’s ultimate creation, Zero (Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite)?

And even with eight already-existing Mega Man characters — as many as the playable roster of the very first iteration of Street Fighter II — that’s still only the tip of the Capcom iceberg.

It probably goes without saying, but there are a plethora of backgrounds and theme tunes that would be nice to have under one single roof, too (even if, say, Dr. Wily’s Military Base might need to be updated).

Now, I know what some of you are probably thinking, particularly if you frequent this site: “Hey, why not just do a whole Mega Man fighting game?”

And I’m right there with you. Have been since the mid-’90s, back when things like that, a Mega Man beat ’em up, and a Mega Man RPG were on every fan’s wish list, and we only had two series to work with. But to be honest, I’m not sure that would have the kind of return-on-investment that Capcom would be looking for in a project like this. I know I’d buy it.

But I’d also buy this. I like several of Capcom’s other properties, and I’d like to see what they could do if they went mad in a sort of Super Smash Bros. kind of way with their own properties. And hey, next year is the 40th anniversary of when Capcom Co., Ltd. was established, so what better way to celebrate than with many of their best and beloved properties (plus a few lesser-knowns — bring on Maximo!) in a game genre they effectively defined?

Of course, Capcom seems to really be devoting all their fighting game resources into Street Fighter 6 right now. That said, even an announcement on the anniversary year might be nice enough, just to kind of put a pin in it, so to speak.

Still, much as I’ve wanted something like this, I’m not sure what the chances of it happening are. I’ve actually wanted an all-Capcom fighting game ever since Marvel vs. Capcom — there was already a Marvel Super Heroes fighting game, so why not a “Capcom Super Heroes” equivalent, right? But if it hasn’t happened by now, well, who knows?

In any case, I figure interested parties making a little bit of noise on social media and elsewhere probably can’t hurt, right?

Huh… 943 words. So much for “short.”

Thanks for reading!

LBD "Nytetrayn"

David Oxford, or “LBD ‘Nytetrayn’,” as he is sometimes also known, is a freelance writer of many varied interests who resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If you’re interested in hiring him, please drop him a line at david.oxford (at) nyteworks.net.

For a full list of places to find him online, click here.