It's been roughly ten years since MvC 2 hit arcades, and fans have spent plenty of time in those years dreaming of a sequel that would be even more fast, frantic and packed with familiar faces. Finally, after all this time, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is becoming a reality. Capcom recently unveiled the game, which is slated to hit the Xbox 360 and PS3 in late 2010 or early 2011.
Only a handful of returning characters have been glimpsed so far. While we wait for more details, we've decided to republish our Players Wanted: Marvel vs. Capcom 3 features from last summer. In his half, we spotlight the Capcom favorites we want to see fighting alongside Ryu, Mega Man, and the other MvC regulars.
Zack and Wiki
Videogames need more pirates. That's just a statement of fact. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 may already boast Ruby Heart, but we see no reason why another more recent pirate hero can't set sail for fighting and adventure.
Zack and Wiki star in their self-titled adventure game on the Wii, one of the more criminally under-appreciated games of this console generation. Maybe a stint in a new Marvel vs. Capcom game would help give this treasure-hunting duo some much-deserved respect. And it so happens that many of the more colorful and interesting fighters in Capcom's stable are actually pairs.
Yin and Yang anyone?
Zero
Given how vital Mega Man has been to Capcom's success over the years, it's only fair that he sits at the front of the Marvel vs. Capcom pack.
However, he's not the only one in the Mega Man-verse that can hold his own in a brawl. It was tempting to nominate the even more futuristic Mega Man X for a slot, but we have a better suggestion. We're going with Zero.
Zero is a frequent partner of Mega Man X, and lately he's moved out on his own and established himself as a force to be reckoned with. Zero is much more "in your face" than X, as he favors bladed energy weapons to a Mega Buster. His proclivity for swords will have him fit right in with the likes of Strider and Ruby Heart. Plus, he's arguably cooler than Mega Man, regardless of the time period...but that's just our opinion. We could be wrong...
Arthur
Arthur is a true gaming icon that nonetheless hasn't seen much love n recent years. Perhaps it's because the modern gamer isn't quite accustomed to the punishing difficulty of the Ghosts & Goblins series. Maybe everyone's sick of games that involve heroes storming castles to rescue princesses.
Whatever the case, Arthur's armor is probably a bit rusted by now. A Marvel vs. Capcom gig would give him the perfect opportunity to polish the weapons and get back in the game. Arthur could take a page or two from Jill Valentine's book, tossing ghouls, ghosts and all sorts of creatures at opponents. And it goes without saying that Arthur needs an alternate costume depicting him in his trademark boxer shorts.
While Arthur already put in a cameo appearance in the series as an assist character, we feel a hero of his stature deserves a true starring role.
The Tyrant
Before Marvel vs. Capcom 2, we doubt many gamers ever considered the cast of Resident Evil as proper fodder for an anime-influenced fighter. Jill Valentine's late appearance proved it can be done and done well. We see no reason why Capcom need stop there.
We have one of the finest zombie hunters on staff, so why not one of the toughest zombies around? (And with Chris Redfield in the mix for MVC3, this addition just makes more sense.)
There are many flavors of Tyrant about, and we'd be happy with almost any selection. Perhaps not Nemesis, as his rocket launcher and nigh-immortality gives him a steep advantage, but as most Tyrants rely on clawed appendages and brute strength to get the job done, they seem like ideal candidates. Let's just hope Umbrella plugs up those weak spots beforehand.
Dante
Dante is practically begging to put in an appearance in a Marvel vs. Capcom game. Had Capcom's Vs. series of games gone on any longer, we imagine he would have. Most of the characters on the rosters alreayd have two things in common: Flash and pizazz. Conveniently, those are two qualities Dante understands without hesitation.
Dante is all about slaughtering his enemies in the most stylish ways possible. He has twin pistols – Ebony and Ivory – that help soften foes up, and then he sticks it to them with one of his many swords. The guns would make for easy juggle combos, and we can only imagine what Dante's devil transformations might look like in game. (We're gonna venture a guess: They would look awesome.)
If Dante isn't a part of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, we're going to be very surprised and more than a little disappointed. If any dream list candidate deserves to become a reality, it's this guy.
Albert Wesker
We don't see how the Tyrant is showing enough love for Resident Evil. We feel the franchise could do with even more zombie goodness. So why not go with the best of both worlds? Albert Wesker is part man, part zombie and all kick-ass fighting game combatant.
Most RE games failed to show off Wesker's physical skills. He generally stalked about in the shadows, cradling a gun and showing off his slick collection of shades. RE5 has finally shown gamers a glimpse of what Wesker can truly do. This Progenitor-enhanced villain mopped the floor with Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, tossing them dozens of feet, teleporting here and there, and generally using Chris as a human wrecking ball.
That's the kind of character we'd like to get our hands on in a fighting game. And the shades don't hurt either.
Wayne Holden
As mentioned, videogames need more pirates. We can think of at least one major pirate hero Capcom has to offer, even if this one is slightly untraditional.
Lost Planet's Wayne is a snow pirate, an entirely new type of buccaneer who makes his home not on the high seas but in the frozen wastes of E.D.N. III.
Wayne is skilled in fighting the giant, monstrous Akrid that inhabit E.D.N. III, so he should be right at home in the odd menagerie of Marvel vs. Capcom. Wayne's Vital Suit helps him withstand the punishing environment, and we'd like to see this hulking mech come into play during the game's flashier tag-team sequences.
Frank West
With all the zombies we're attempting to throw into this franchise, we figure Jill could use some backup. But rather than choose the boring route and toss in more STARS members, we figure we might look to another franchise entirely.
Frank West singlehandedly slaughtered an entire town full of zombies in Dead Rising. We figure we can probably put up a fight against elsewhere.
West is a famed photojournalist who found himself a little too close to a zombie outbreak. In the course of three days, he learned all there was to know abut staying alive with tens of thousands of crazed killers at his heels. Frank should definitely come equipped with some of the more eclectic toys he picked up in the mall, including his Mega Man gear and lightsaber.
Dead Rising 2 may be focusing on a new zombie-slaying hero, but Frank is currently moonlighting as a combtant in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars. It can't be that hard to translate him over to this series, can it?
Dr. Wily
In Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Mega Man is countered by his nemesis Tron Bonne. Wait, who? If you weren't paying attention during the PSX era you probably missed the Mega Man Legends series altogether. We don't see why Mega Man can't go up against a more seasoned and time-honored foe this time around.
We're referring to Dr. Wily, of course. This mad doctor may not look like much, but his vast army of quirky robots make him one of the most feared men in the world. His fighting skills would be limited, as the character isn't the first we think of when we think of CQC. However, he has been the enemy for Mega Man, and he and his robot minions seem like a natural addition to the melee. An appearance by Wily could also bring about the appearance of many other classic Mega Man foes, and that sounds like a good thing to us.
Okami Amaterasu
Okami Amaterasu is like a watercolor painting come to life, and that look would translate very well to marvel vs. Capcom.
Moreover, Okami knows a thing or two about kicking butt. Most characters in Marvel vs. Capcom are humanoid in appearance, aside from goofballs like Shuma Gorath. Okami would add a nice dash of variety in addition to visual spectacle. The character is unique and violent enough to warrant more attention than is currently given, which is a shame seeing as how Hulk vs. a wolf is just too cool of an opportunity to pass up.
| Which character tops your wish-list? | ||
