We know all too well about my history with Marvel Vs. Capcom.
But I’ve never really been that engaged with the Marvel side of the roster, aside
from the general pop-culture consciousness.
If only there were a Capcom crossover game that pulled from my own wheelhouse, one with...
well, giant robots would be a good start.
Now, what can we find with plenty of giant robots... wait, what’s this seahorse doing
here?
Behold, the massive stable of Tatsunoko Production, the folks behind Speed Racer, Gatchaman (AKA
Battle of the Planets), Tekkaman Blade, Generator Gawl, Genesis Climber Mospeada (AKA one-third
of Robotech), Yatterman, the list goes on.
Point is, it’s colorful characters, along with the occasional giant robot (‘sup, Gold
Lightan), and they’d likely mesh well with an equally absurd mix of Capcom characters.
This isn’t some high-concept piece about saving the world, or restoring peace to the
universe.
It’s about Casshern throwing down with Frank West, just ‘cuz.
And that’s fine, so long as the mechanics are spot on.
Problem isn’t the mechanics, though.
As far as modern two-on-two fighters go, it’s pretty standard, and sound in its execution.
The problem is its platform.
Let’s face it, the Wiimote isn’t suited at all to fighting games, save for maybe the
two-button-centric Smash Bros. As such, the Wiimote controls are dumbed down to the point
of insult, with one button and a waggle for super attacks, or waggle the other way and
you win.
I honestly couldn’t stand it.
Fortunately, you can plug in a nearby GameCube controller and have a little more control
over the action, though this device is still less-than-optimal.
Your best bet is to dust off your Wii Classic Controller, if you’ve got one lying around.
But once you’ve figured out how to make things work, the rest of the game goes fairly
swimmingly.
This is my favorite kind of game: one that refuses to take itself seriously, and which
caters to a broad base.
Your standard Chun Li and Ken the Eagle and the like certainly take the forefront, but
don’t forget that this was the premier outing for MVC3 combatants Viewtiful Joe and Frank
West.
In addition, this game represents the acknowledgement of three different Mega Man series in the
same game, with Roll from the original canon, Zero from the X series, and Legends-style
MegaMan Volnutt.
Broad appeal.
It’s a good thing.
And the final boss?
Let’s just say it’s a fast throw out of left field, with a whole lot of kanji around
for whatever reason.
Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom was never out to shake up the world like MVC3 did.
Firstly, it’s a Wii-exclusive release, putting it in the hands of a huge install base that
excludes the HD-preferring hardcore set.
It focuses too much on balancing the players’ abilities rather than the characters, with
its multitude of simpler and simpler control schemes.
From a technical aspect, it’s a stepping stone on the way to the ideas and concepts
we appreciate in the latest and greatest release.
But, if you’re going to be a stepping stone, why not be as fun as possible?
And it’s in that frame that this game shines.
It’s not about tournament domination, so much as it’s about just enjoying some classic
characters from the past 30 years of video games, and 40 years of anime.