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Marvel vs Capcom 3
[embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf816Pj-36s ]
Why it matters:
3 on 3 tag battles are back. It's been 10 years since Marvel vs Capcom 2. However, The game was recently re-released on XBLA and PSN to great sales and is still played at major tournaments (like Evolution 2010). Of course, with a large fanbase and easy, yet deep gameplay, fans have wanted more. I have no idea what took so long, but now Capcom and Marvel are bringing the game to the masses with new characters (with frequent announcements), amazing visuals, and a ton of style. Even more important, you can use Thor to fight a magical dog. If that is not enough for you, just understand that this is the game you want when you have people over. Guitar Hero and Rock Band starting to get a little stale? Using the Hulk to fight Chun-Li never gets old. This game hits next spring.
Street Fighter x Tekken
[embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9EpHRdlI3M ]
Why it matters:
Set to come out two years from now. This is Capcom's return to its other vs series (think Capcom vs Snk, now renamed "x" to help differentiate it from the flashier vs series). Aside from the above video and one quick shaky cam video of the gameplay, Capcom says that there will be no more news until April next year. Still, the game is set to feature Tekken Tag Tournament style tag team and find a way to work the Tekken characters into the Super Street Fighter IV engine and playstyle. Also, Namco will be producing Tekken x Street Fighter which will use the Tekken 6 engine and see release sometime after the Street Fighter version. The companies are said to be in competition with each other (seeing who can take the most money out of my wallet apparently). This should be a good game for people who want something a little faster and flashier than Super, but not as crazy as Marvel.
Super Street Fighter IV Arcade & DLC Updates
Why it matters:
I've never fully understood why Americans are so concerned with Japan getting an arcade release, until now. Capcom is adding new characters, new costumes, and DLC balance updates to Super's Japanese Arcade release. They haven't announced the characters yet (some say Alex and Rolento and others say Elena and Hugo) but here's hoping that they've been using the money from costumes to bankroll the new characters and balance tweaks. That way everyone can enjoy the new characters without feeling shut out because they're cheap, can't afford it, don't have their own live account, et cetera. Capcom has made all of the other gameplay updates free, so let's hope they continue the trend. With this update, Capcom is really showing that they want the core series to have some legs and that it will be quite some time before Street Fighter V hits shelves.
Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online
Why it matters:
Many consider this the pinnacle of fighting games and fans have clamored to have a proper current generation release for quite some time. The main thing holding Street Fighter 3 back has always been the lack of the original, and familiar, characters but with SF3 favorites showing up in Super Street Fighter IV, Capcom must have decided now was the time to go for an XBLA and PSN release. Currently, there is no release date or information on what new features (outside of online) will be included. I'm hoping that they do something to clean up the art and make it look nicer on HD screens. Something similar to the work on Marvel vs Capcom 2 would be awesome.
The Big Picture:
Capcom seems to be setting itself up for a new and different game every year, while simultaneously supporting digital re-releases of fan favorites. This will keep fans happy and avoid flooding the market. If the games remain as different as they appear, each game will have its own crowd and scene without hurting the other games's sales and communities. It's also cool that Capcom is recognizing fan interest in balance updates, costumes, and new characters. I'm excited to see if these types of updates and changes will expand beyond the pure Street Fighter series and bring additions to Marvel vs Capcom and Street Fighter x Tekken as well.
The best thing for players is that if you can play one Capcom fighter, you can play, and enjoy, them all.