The depression and hype of Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3

When it comes to fighting games, I have put up with a lot from Capcom. Street Fighter 2, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Street Fighter 3. When games like Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition and Blazblue: Continuum Shift II came out, I held out hope that any updates to Marvel vs Capcom 3 would be via DLC.

Then Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 was announced.


I have two conflicting sides to the existence of Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. The side of the educated consumer who feels like he's being milked and cheated, and the side of the avid fan who will shell out any amount of money due to the hype.

I am torn between two factors. First is that Ultimate is coming out less than a year after the original version. Even Street Fighter IV was nearly a year old before Super released. Why such a fast turnaround to Ultimate? Fan outcry may have been harsh but making the game obsolete before even a year seems worse than dealing with subjective views of balance.

On the other hand, Ultimate promises 12 new characters plus it's highly likely several mechanics will be rebalanced such as character strengths and X-Factor. As of lately, additional characters have been priced around the 4 or 5 dollar mark. If I use cold, calculating logic, these twelve characters would be worth $48 by themselves, but we're getting them plus a changed game for $39.99.

But if Capcom stays the course, does that mean a third iteration is inevitable? Super Street Fighter IV: Yun Edition is already out as an example. What will happen when Ultimate releases? Will fans accept it? Will they attack it again? Will more rage only serve to create the third iteration in a shorter amount of time? I can only shell out so much money.

On the other hand, Ultimate has already promised one thing every conscientious gamer criticized the game for: spectator mode. Nearly every other fighter offers those waiting in line something to watch while they wait their turn. Only in vanilla Marvel vs Capcom 3 do players waiting in line either have to stare at two cards shove into each other or make friends with other obnoxious online gamers.

But who am I kidding, it all about the characters when it comes to Marvel and it's already promised so many characters that make me cry at the thought at once again surrendering my money to another one of Capcom's schemes, unwilling on the inside but all too drawn in by the hype. Not only are Frank West and Strider returning, Phoenix Wright is making his fan requested debut and a racoon by the name of Rocket Racoon will be fighting as well.

A FUCKING RACOON. Shut up and take my money Capcom.