Capcom Dives Deep with New Fighting Game Compendium

The Capcom Fighting Collection 2 fuses nostalgic 2D brawlers with experimental 3D ventures.

In today’s gaming world, experiencing Street Fighter II is far from a challenge. However, encountering rarities such as Project Justice and Plasma Sword is quite uncommon and considerably more elusive. Capcom’s recent strategy focuses on highlighting these lesser-known gems within its expanding repertoire of retro collections.

Interestingly, what is labelled as Capcom Fighting Collection 2 actually marks the third installment in Capcom’s series. Its precursor in 2022 spotlighted 2D classics like Darkstalkers, Cyberbots, and, unsurprisingly, Street Fighter II. This was trailed by the much-anticipated Marvel vs. Capcom anthology. The latest collection doesn't solely venture into a singular domain; rather, it reflects on eight distinct fighting games launched between 1998 and 2004, catering to arcades and consoles, including the Dreamcast.

Primarily, this assemblage categorizes these games into two broad spectrums. First, there's an assortment of 2D crossover titles merging personalities from varied franchises. This comprises two SNK vs. Capcom games: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro and Mark of the Millennium 2001. They are complemented by Capcom Fighting Evolution, a title merging figures from Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, and Red Earth. Notably, Fighting Evolution stands out as it lets Ryu battle a dinosaur.

Enhancing this assembly, Red Earth introduces itself not as a crossover but as a pristine 2D fighting marvel. All these games shine with polish, showcasing breathtaking animations, rich character designs, and unique gameplay dynamics centered around team strategies and power-ups. Released during the era when 2D fighters seemed in decline, these games are some of the genre’s most flamboyant examples as Capcom tried to keep its appeal alive.

Fascinatingly, the collection further unveils a set of early 3D fighters. These explorations into new dimensions each exude unique vibes. Rival Schools and its sequel showcase ambition with their spacious and interactive arenas where players can gather items and power boosts during combat. Meanwhile, Tech Romancer emphasizes weapon-centric battles, whereas Project Justice offers control over various combat teams in an intriguingly deep narrative revolving around competitive schools.

While these 3D ventures haven’t withstood the test of time quite as robustly as their 2D siblings—control complexities and slower, physics-defying action being drawbacks—they remain pivotal. Many players, including those discovering them anew, can now access these titles that had previously seen sparse releases. For instance, before this collection, the most recent release of Project Justice was a PSP version in 2006. Thus, for many, accessing these classic games is overdue.

Beyond merely the games, which appear in their English and Japanese versions, the collection provides various enhancements, such as online play, a music jukebox, and an artwork compilation. Though not as abundantly featured as some other retro offerings like those from Digital Eclipse, Capcom's current collection succeeds where it counts. It presents eight venerable games that exemplify the fighting genre’s evolution while finally rendering them accessible to modern-day enthusiasts.