Although Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat are seen as the symbols of the fighting game genre, their styles are not guara??nteed hits, with many preferring to venture toward other IPs ?for their daily dose of adrenaline.

But diving into a new fighting game is not a trivial matter, after all, no one wants to fall in love with a title only to find either a bare-bones experience or no one else playing it. Here are the best fighting games to play right now that are not part of the Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat franchises.

10. Killer Instinct

• Release date: November 22, 2013
• Available on: PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
• Developed by: Double Helix Games (At launch) / Iron Galaxy Studios
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

To start with a well-placed Wind Kick, we have Killer Instinct. Released in 2013 as a reboot, KI earned praise for its action-packed gameplay but divided many given?? its small roster and content approach. Fast forward 10 years and 20 characters later, and the game has grown to be an unquestionable ?success.

Looking a little more into its combat, Killer Instinct offers an easy-to-pick-up but highly technical approach that revolves around the ability to Combo Break. To put it on as few words as possible, the mechanic allows you to interrupt your opponent's offense through a well-timed input. Get the timing wrong, however, and you will be in for one hell of a t??ime.

9. Brawlhalla

• Release date: October 17, 2017
• Available on: Mobile, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch
• Developed by: Blue Mammoth Games
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

Brawlhalla is a live-service platform fighter that plays just like you would expect, you pick a character and then battle your foes until they either fall or are propelled out of the screen. Given its free-to-play status and cross-play/progression features, the game can?? be? seen as the ideal pick for those looking to play online with friends new to the genre.

Brawhalla is also widely know??n for its crossover characters. But don't worry, as to avoid turning a F2P game into a ??pay-to-win experience, all of them (except Rayman) are presented as skins to already existing and free-to-obtain units.

8. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2016)

• Release date: December 16, 2016 (PS4) / March 7, 2017 (PC / Xbox One)
• Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Series S/X
• Developed by: CAPCOM
• Does it have rollback netcode? No

An enhanced version of the title of the same name, now running at 60fps, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 allows players to pick from a roster of 50 signature characters as they take part in 3v3 battles. In true MvC fashion, air combos are the? norm her?e, and a well-timed assist can change everything.

?If you c?an, I recommend playing the game's PC version, as even if its base roster already packs quite a punch, its community has done a phenomenal job by producing a wide array of extra characters.

7. UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes

• Release date: January 24, 2024
• Available on: PS5, PS4, PC, and Switch
• Developed by: French Bread
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

The latest installment in the series and a direct sequel to Exe:Late[cl-r], UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes takes a natural step forward by smoothing its predecessor's edges and adding new mechanics to th??e mix. True to the franchise's fame, the title also features one of the most diver??se rosters in the market.

It's important to point out that, even if visually similar to other sprite-based series like BlazBlue and even its older sibling Melty Blood, UNDER NIGHT is a completely different beast. The reason? The way its Grind Grid system awards control, all while penalizing backpedaling and pushing you to be as?? efficient as possible.

6. Soulcalibur VI

• Release date: October 19, 2018
• Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
• Developed by: Bandai Namco
• Does it have rollback netcode? No

After the mixed reception of Soulcalibur V, Project Soul decided to bet all of their remaining chips in Soulcalibur VI, a soft reboot of the franchise taking p??lace in a new timeline.

But although the game ended up failing to meet its publisher's expectations, SC6 succeeded in presenting the most polished version of the franchise's signature combat, now featuring improved animations and getting a breath of fresh air through new mechanics. In true Soulcalibur fashion, yo??u will also find a good amount of single-player content here, be it from its in?-depth character creation system or its Soul Chronicle and Libra of Soul modes.

5. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

• Release date: December 11, 2023
• Available on: PS5, PS4, and PC
• Developed by: Arc System Works
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

An updated version of Granblue Fantasy Versus, now featuring new mechanics, improved visuals, and the more than welcome addition of rollback netcode, GBVS RIsing's ability to blend standard fighting and RPG elements makes it one of Ark System Works's most distinct games.

Apart from its story mode bosses, that can be seen in the game'??s cooldown mechanic. Also featured in the vanilla version, the mechanic does exactly what you might expect and adds different cooldowns to Special Moves/abilities, thus forcing players to plan their every move to maximize their damage and options.

4. Dragon Ball FighterZ

• Release date: January 26, 2018 (PC, PS4, Xbox One) / September 27, 2018 (Nintendo Switch)
• Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Series S/X, and Switch
• Developed by: Arc System Works
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

The game responsible for raising the bar when it comes to anime/manga-based titles, Dragon Ball FighterZ takes the already over-the-top approach of most tag fighters and turns it up to 8000 by allowing players to both fly? across the screen and m?ake use of all of the planet-destroying moves they wish to come out on top.

The above is then paired with a roster featuring faces going from the classic Dragon Ball Z anime adaptation (and its many non-canon movies) to Super and even GT. In other words, no matter which season is your favor??ite, you are sure to meet a representative here.

3. The King of Fighters XV

• Release date: February 17, 2022
• Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Series S/X
• Developed by: SNK Corporation
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

Even if it hurts not seeing KOF as part of the big three, The King of Fighters XV is considered by many as the franchise's best entry point since XIII. After all, long gone are the days when your execution needed to be pitch-perfect to land damaging combo??s.

The game also showcases significant improvements in presentation when compared to XIV, as well a?s a few new mechanics that premiered both at launch and later in the game's cycle (I'm looking at you, Advance Strike). The roster also doesn?'t disappoint and features a total of 59 characters at the time of writing.

2. Guilty Gear Strive

• Release date: June 11, 2021
• Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
• Developed by: Arc System Works
• Does it have rollback netcode? Yes

The first Guilty Gear game to go mainstream, Guilty Gear Strive is the seemingly final chapter in the Soul Badguy story and the most inviting title i??n the franchise. Truly, what ArcSys manage??d to accomplish deserves commendation, as they succeeded in giving the series an overhaul while keeping its soul intact.

But that was not achieved without its losses, as many see the removal of certain moves/mechanics as a tone-down. For me, although I believe GG Strive excelled in adju??sting its scope to make sure everything would be up to pa??r, I can't say that I don't miss the wild Dragon Install Sol combos featured in the older entries.

1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• Release date: December 7, 2018
• Available on: Nintendo Switch
• Developed by: Bandai Namco and Sora Ltd
• Does it have rollback netcode? No

The latest in the series that helped coin the term platform fighter, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes the first spot in our list given how its easy-to-pick-up mechanics? and welcoming presentation make the game a guaranteed fit for all, no matter if they are newcomers looking to have fun o??r seasoned players.

Another huge difference between the game and pretty much all other fighting games in the market lies in its star-filled roster of 82, which features both Nintendo staples and wild crossover characters. Have you ever imagined having Bayonetta and?? Samus fare off against Joker and Sora? Well, wonder no more.

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Free water is back too

The Evolution Championship Series, or Evo as it's more commonly known, is back for another year. The organizers behind the annual fighting game tournament held an ann??ouncement stream tonight spotlighting which games would take the main stage, as well as to note some changes to the long-running series.

Evo 2023 is still being in Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay, and is set to run August 4 through 6. Returning from Evo 2022 are panels, exhibitions, and other events that featured on the main stream. Every main stage game is set up with a $25,000 prize pool as well, guaranteeing some cash in the pocket of the winners alongside bragging rights. Evo Community Tournaments are also returning to spotlight games off the main stage. A pre-release Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising tournament  will also be hosted.

A notable change, though, is in the format. For grand finals, only the Top 6 will be hosted on-air, rather than the Top 8. The idea is to cut down on the stream going ove?r, as it sometimes did with some of the game with longer sets.

Here's the main stage lineup for Evo 2023.

//twitter.com/EVO/status/1628212520120094720

Evo 2023 Main Stage lineup

• Street Fighter 6
• Guilty Gear Strive
• Dragon Ball FighterZ
• Tekken 7
• The King of Fighters XV
• Melty Blood: Type Lumina
• Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
• Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3

That last one is a big surprise, but a very welcome one. For those who have been watching Evo and following fighting games for a while, Marvel Vs. Capcom is an exciting series to see return to the main stage. Another moment in the spotlight gives the players who have been playing and grinding on this game over the years to show off just how much Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 has grown since its last stage appearance.

All that, plus the debut of Street Fighter 6 and the return of some well-established heavy-hitters, could make this a really good Evo?? lineup. We'll see who takes home the Top 6 trophies in August.

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Schoolgirl Superhero

You may remember, at the start of the year, we reported that a modder had made the world that little bit better, having successfully modded a playable Juri Han into Capcom's comic-book fighter Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 �well, it seems that Ms. Han is not the only street fighter squaring up again??st the Marvel alumni, as a brand new mod brings with it the inimitable Sakura Kasugano!

Talented modder Dragonify released a video showcasing their hard work in action, as Sakura �sporting her Street Fighter V duds �steps up to the plate against a team of Marvel vs. Capcom comrades. Mapped over the form of Ryu, a given considering Sakura's shoto move set, Sakura is equipped with many of her distinct specials, including her air Tatsu, high-arc Shinku Hadoken, and even her running double Dragon Punch. You can check Sakura out in the video below and download her files from Nexus Mods.

//twitter.com/DragonifyDev/status/1536427077364244480??s=20&t=cjF114DTGAA9hNq_3mRxJA

In recent years, multiple new characters have been added to the UMvC3 roster via mods. Sharp eyes will spot SFV's Rashid also putting in an appearance in this video, while Dragon Ball Z's Goku, Marvel meme Morbius, and even *checks notes* Smol Ame have also been made available to the popular fighter's PC community. Given that UMVC3 is now a creaky 11 years old, it's a testament to the Marvel vs. Capcom community, international??ly renowned for its passion and dedication toward the crossover fighting fr?anchise.

Sakura Kasugano is yet to be revealed for the roster of Street Fighter 6, but it's good to know that the fight-lovin?g teen is still keep?ing her fists and feet flying after-hours.

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Juri's Duty

You might find yourself swamped with genres and sub-genres in the modern gaming scene. Well here's a spoiler for you: There are two genres of video game in this heavily packed-out market: Games with Juri in them, and shitty games. Adding Juri is what makes a game a five-star classic. You could put her in fucking Garfield Kart and it would, by definition, become instantly better than Forza Horizon 5.

Presented for your consideration: Juri in Capcom's excellent comic-book slugfest Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. While the sneaky taekwondo-kickin' lass did not make the cut for the original 2011 release (Yes, it was that long ago), nor its "Ultimate" variant released *checks notes* nine months later, skilled modder MarrowOchi is attempting to rectify this major issue, by putting Street Fighter's bad gal into the UMvC 3 roster herself!

//twitter.com/MarrowOc??hi/status/1485900925000638472?s=20&t=w6IbfPGrNYqgSPO-P2ivqA

As you can see in the clip above, MarrowOchi (with help of fellow modder Lean) has already got Juri locked into MvC's comic book world, and has even implemented several of her "normals," (that's standard strikes to you RPG players), into Juri's arsenal. Juri's basic movement, character portrait, and health bar are present and correct, but it will be quite some time before her fans are able to t?ake her out for a spin(kick). Still, she's looking good! Of course, she is. Duh.

Juri isn't the first character to find herself added to Marvel vs Capcom 3 courtesy of the mod community. As reported by GameRant, Street Fighter's Rashid and Urien and Marvel's Thanos, Cyclops, and Psylocke have also previously put in an appearance thanks to some smart skin-swapping. All of this goes without saying that it's pretty wild to see the UMvC 3 faithful keeping the game alive, over a decade after its initial re??lease. It should come as no surprise, really, it's Mahvel baby.

So, let this be a lesson to all game devs out there. Bung Juri in your game, something something, profit. I'm hoping that we'll see The Spider make her grand debut in The Witcher, Tekken 7, Horizon Zero Dawn, NieR Automata, Chase H.Q., and Wordle very soon.

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Look for physical PS4 and Xbox One copies on the same day

Did any of you end up buying the PlayStation 4 re-release of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3? Excitement from the Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite announce?ment had me considering it, but? in the end I came to my senses once I remembered how very bad I am at these games. I'll stick to watching the pros.

Next up, Capcom is bringing the fighter to Xbox One and PC on March 7, 2017 with a $25 digital release. We already knew the month, so that's not exactly surprising, but this is: there's also going to be a physical PS4 and Xbox One release of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 on the same day.

Priced at $30, these physical editions will see a "limited release" at GameStop and EB Games, and they'll include an exclusive?? 10-page com??ic with original art from Marvel's Sean Chen and Gerardo Sandoval. I feel bad for folks who jumped on the digital version not knowing this would happen.

Ultim??ate Marvel?? vs Capcom 3 Physical Version Coming March 7th! [Capcom-Unity]

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Jeez. How many more copies of this game do you need? Capcom has us in a continual air juggle with these upgrades and re-releases lately, so it's easy to become indifferent to a new title with an old name. That said, even if you have it already in some other form, you're going to want to get this Vita version of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. It's ... freakin' beautiful. Portable fighting ??has never looked so good or played so? well. 

Damn it, Capcom. Take our money. Again.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (PlayStation Vita)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: February 15, 2012
MSRP: $39.99

"Portable port" is a nasty term, but there's no nastiness in UMvC3 on Vita. In fact, this is nearly pixel-perfect, with the Vita's OLED screen practically sparkling with color and light effects. The frame rate is turned up to full-blast and never drops. Aside from some very small differences, like the stage backgrounds being static instead of animated, if you've seen the console version of this game, you've seen the Vita version. It's easily one of the best-looking Vita launch games, and easily the best-looking portable fighter?? in existence. 

But what about the gameplay? Fast, air-hit happy, team-based three-on-three is the order of the day, just as before. Good news again, as the control is ??spot-on, with the Vita's beautiful d-pad easily translating the action. Those who enjoy using the analog stick also have that option. The small, clicky face buttons are a dream for fighting moves, and even during fast-input combo-ing, they hold up nicely. I'd go as far as to say that nothing is lost as far as control is concerned -- this game plays much like holding a PS3 controller, which bodes well for the future of fighting games on the Vita.

The Vita's front touchscreen and rear touch panel can be used for optional touch controls, but it feels silly to use them after knowing how great the standard controls are. While the touch input option is somewhat f??un, I doubt that any fighting game fan will take them seriously, and even novices will become bored after using them for awhile. Fighters can be moved with finger swipes, and attacks come from rapid taps on eit??her surface, with a beautiful flourish of perfectly chained air attacks coming way too easily. While neat to try, standard controls should be used for maximum enjoyment.

What's neat is that you can mix standard controller play with a bit of touch control. For example,?? you can opt to touch the upper corner near your life bar to use assists or switch characters. Touching the combo meter lets you immediately use it with a single touch. I doubt that any serious users would bother, it's neat that the option is there.

The online options of this portable game closely mirror those of the full console version. It's really easy to jump into ranked matches, and they went down smooth?ly, with little in the way of lag. There's also match and room creation for player matches, as well as spectating. Of course, a local multiplayer mode is available through an Ad Hoc connection.&nbs??p;

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a portable port that makes no concessions on playability or visual quality, and that's a truly rare thing. Aside from the optional touch controls, it adds absolutely nothing new in the way of features or character roster, and makes no apo??logies? for it.

If you're a fighting game enthusiast who enjoyed the console version Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and have dreamed abo?ut being able to ta?ke it anywhere, this game is a dream come true.

The post Review: Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Vita) appeared first on Destructoid.

Bwahahaha! Bow before me, scrubs. No one can touch me at Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3!

?Okay, so that's not true. I suck. And I'm a sore loser on top o??f that. But, with the PlayStation Vita's touchscreen controls and a little practice, I'm busting off moves and aerial raves like never before. Look at me!

Diehard fighter fans will scoff, but this opens up the game to a lot of other types of gamers that maybe aren't as skilled with the quarter circle movement and the frame timing. Sure, it's more casual, and the balance kind of goes out the window, bu?t the touch controls are actually quite ??fun. I couldn't see buying the game to only use the touch controls, but they're a neat option that I'm enjoying.

Watch on as I give the Vit??a a reach around and come out looking like a champ. 

The post With Vita I am the greatest UMvC3 player alive! appeared first on Destructoid.

A piece of downloadable content for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 that puts Magneto in a kingly uniform has caused a bit of a stir in Spain. According to Spanish reports, the unifor????m greatly resembles that worn on occasion by its king, Juan Carlos. 

There is talk that the Spanish royal house may ask Capcom to remove this DLC, mirroring an event that happened once before when Marvel portrayed Magneto wearing similar garb in The Pulse: House of M. The royal house has not officially made a statement on the matter thus far, but says it will "discuss" the game content? and whether it's cool with it. 

Drawing pictures of kings is serious business!

[Thanks, Darknil!]

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Today, the Mash Tactics crew is getting its hands dirty in Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. Back before the original Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 was out to the public, Jon Carnage boasted a 2nd place spot on the world leader board. An achievement that is constant disputed to this day. Come watch as Carnage defends his honor, and spams attacks against Wesley, live on Mash Tactics, today at 4pm Pacific.

Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4pm Pacific. Watch Jon Carnage and Wesley Ruscher down energy drinks and freestyle rap about the human perineum on Destructoid's Twitch TV channel. Also, there are videogames being played. ??Join us for your chance to win prizes, talk to industry guests, and witness all of the glor?ious antics.

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When Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was released, fans jumped for joy at the long awaited return of the Marvel Vs. series. With the addition of brand new characters, a new mechanic called "X-factor," and the promise of even more characters in the form of DLC, this appeared to be the fighting game to get. However, not even a year later, amidst complaints of how "broken" X-factor was and how certain characters were overpowered, Capcom responded with the announcement of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. As ??a budgeted upgrade to the "vanilla" version, there was some hostility towards Capcom's releasing this game to cash in on the flaws of the first insta?llment.

Now that the game has? launched, I've been fortunate to spend enough time with it to form an opinion on how it stacks up as a new installment in this franchise. Is this game a legitimate update that is worth your money, or should this have been an optional DLC purchase as many people were demanding?

Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 [reviewed])
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: November 15, 2011
MSRP: $39.99

I'm going to start out by saying that I am a HUGE fan of Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Whereas most of the other people on staff have probably played this game casually, or got into it at launch but tapered off as other big releases hit, I have been playing it non-stop since its release. From my experience with the first installment, while the roster was plentiful, in? order to play the game competitively, there were only a few characters I had to choose from -- Wekser, Dormammu, and Spencer was my team, and those are all characters quite familiar in high-level play.

You can imagine my excitement that Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 now boasts 12 new characters to try and incorporate into my team -- six from the Capcom universe (Frank West, Strider, Nemesis??, Firebrand, Phoenix Wright, and Vergil) and six from Marvel (Nova, Rocket Raccoon, Iron Fist, Hawkeye, Dr. Strange, and Ghost Rider). Characters such as Phoenix Wright, Strider, and Frank West, were highly anticipated??, while others like Nova, Iron Fist, and Rocket Raccoon seemed obscure but blend in perfectly.

The first observation about these new characters is that they are all very unique, which I see as a major plus. None of them play alike and they have very unique styles of combat. Phoenix Wright needs to collect evidence during battle in order to become a useful character, but just like in his games, Wright's expert use of evidence can completely destroy an opponent when used at the right time. Frank West, previously seen in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, must take pictures to raise his level and allo?w access to certain moves and more? powerful weapons.

On the Marvel side, Iron Fist is a highly grounded character?? who relies on "rekka"-style motions to perform combos (think Fei Long), while Dr. Strange is all about luring his opponents into a false sense of security, zoning them, then catching them in an trap. Each character is so different that it makes discovering how to play them a game in itself, which is something that I feel was slightly lacking in the ?original cast of characters. I found myself spending hours in training mode, playing with each character and learning how to fully utilize each one. If Capcom's goal was to add some variety in gameplay, then they definitely succeeded.

They also decided to revisit the old roster to give them much needed balancing. Certain characters who went largely un-played received new attributes that made them viable on any team. Captain America in particular seems like someone I definitely want to use now that?? he has a double jump and an "off the ground" (OTG) Shield Slash that lets him maximize his damage potential. Ryu has been powered up with new types of Hadoukens in invisible and multi-hit flavors as well as a new hyper that definitely allows for new styles of play. Felicia is a character that I would have loved to see used?? more, and now with an added ground bounce to her Air Delta Kick and OTG Sand Splash, I can't wait to see how she fares against the rest of the cast.

As far as the more popular cast goes, none of them seem to have been completely nerfed. While Capcom did fix certain aspects like invincibility on some characters' assist types, those characters who were used often in the vanilla version are still just as good. In fact, some of them like Storm and Magneto even go??t new tricks to play with. It remains to be seen how the old characters will match up with the new cast once people start playing the ??game competitively, but from my time with the game, it seems like Capcom made an effort to buff under-powered characters just enough to give them a chance against those who were already good.

Concerning the game modes, there isn't much here even compared to the original version. A welcome addition is spectator mode, which was admittedly lacking in MvC3. There is also the promise of a post-launch game mode titled "Heroes and Heralds" which allows for attaching?? attributes to your team such as parries, invincible assists, and projectile invincibility via collectible upgrade cards. Unfortunately, that mode isn't on disc, so I haven't had as much time with it as I'd have hoped.

In fact, what comes on disc is slightly disappointing. The post-launch "Event Mode" that was a part of MvC3 is nowhere to be found, and while I didn't play it as much, the game still feels lacking without it. The only mode on disc besides Arcade, Versus, and Online is a Mission mode meant to train your in how to play each character. However, this mode only scratches the surface of each character; Capcom should take a few hints from the BlazBlue series in how to create a useful training mode that is more educational and intuitive to use. Finally, for those who have an MvC3 sav?e file, you get a non-competitive Galactus mode unlocked at the start that's fun for about five minutes.

Then there are the changes that Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 brings to the combat engine. First off, the Delayed Hyper Combo (DHC) glitch has been removed, so if you were one to rely on that tactic, get ready to rethink your technique a bit. The other big change involves the highly controversial X-factor. Many in the fighting game scene disliked the presence of X-factor, since it allowed for one character to take out a whole team if played correctly. In Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, it seems like the damage done by characters in X-factor has been toned down a bit, and the length of time spent in X-factor shortened. On the other hand, X-Factor can now be ??let off in the air, which will surely encourage experimentation and subsequent innovation in use of the technique. So while it remains to be seen how much these changes to X-factor will affect h?igh-level play, at first glance, it seems like things have been adjusted accordingly.

For those who have yet to play Marvel vs. Capcom 3, seeing as how this game is being sold for $40, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 offers a budget entry into a fast-paced fighting game full of unique characters an??d fun gameplay. There is no better time than now to give the series a try. For those who have been playing the game since launch, the new characters will rejuvenate your interest in this game and challenge your imagination in trying to incorporate them into your established gameplay. The only downside to this game is that what comes on disc seems lacking.

In making the inevitable comparison with Super Street Fighter 4, things don't look too good for UMvC3. Super Street Fighter 4 offered much more content, such as team battles and a replay channel, for a reduced price, while Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 doesn't do the same. Whereas SSF4 seemed like a bargain to most, UMvC3 definitely feels like a $40 game. With?? only a couple of modes to choose from and a less than stellar training mode, I had hoped Capcom would have stepped up their game and given us just a little more. St??ill, at this price, it's hard to complain.

Regardless, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 represents a new age of heroes that will take you for a ride if you choose to make the investment. My greatest joy with the Marvel series is discovering new combinations of fighters and design??ing teams such as the "Raccoon City," "Devil May Cry," and "Guys with Swords" teams. With this extended cast of highly viable characters, the only thing holding you back from picking a group of characters you enjoy is your imagination. While this hastily released upgrade definitely has some room for improvement, there is absolutely enough new c??ontent to warrant the purchase.

The post Review: Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

So, about that Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 -- it's got quite the opener. Having been tragically born without the fighting-game gene, I can't really do much with the series other than watch others play professionally. But I do love the? characters from both sides, and this full cinematic trailer is a lovely bit of fan service.

Perhaps one day we'll get a cinematic of this visual fidelity that actually depicts the fights from beginning to ??end. As a species, we're probably not ready for such a thing.

Full cinematic trailer for U??ltimate M??vC3 is kinda the coolest thing ever [Capcom-Unity]

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Capcom didn't do a very good job keeping the full roster of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 a secret from the gaming world when they announced the first four of twelve new characters back at San Diego Comic Con. For the sake of today's reveal though, let's pretend that we never saw that and revel in the fact that Dead Rising's Frank West and Marvel's Rocket Raccoon are now officially part of UMvC3's cast of warriors.

I got a chance to give the drunken photographer and furry guardian of the galaxy -- as well as most of the new cast of UMvC3 -- a go at a Capcom pres??s event last week and I have to say both these unconventional fighters suit the game quite well. 

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 [Previewed])
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release: November 15, 2011

As Ca??pcom's Seth Killian put it best, Rocket Raccoon is "f*cking annoying." Like a real life raccoon that is digging through your garbage cans in the middle of the night, this nocturnal mammal is all about getting in close and crossing up your opponent. He's quick, small, can hover and has myriad traps at his disposal that make him well prepared for most situations.

Rocket Raccoon's roc?ket skates are perhaps the best air dash in the game. Using this move will let him, on smaller characters, dash in fast and then move behind for a quick mix up. His bear claw trap -- known as the flapper -- is great for off-the-ground attacks and can be paired with his giant pendulum swing attack for a quick wall bounce. Perhaps my favorite of his moves is his teleport, which is great for a quick hop in front or behind and enemy and if done with the heavy attack actually has the little booger burrow under the ground, making him invulnerable for a ridiculous amount of time.

Frank West is up there with Phoenix Wright when it comes to having layers of moves. Key to making the Dead Rising superstar a powerhouse is the use of his photography. At the onset of a round Frank starts at level one, with a limited move set. For example: quarter circle forward followed by strong attack has him unleashing a powerful baseball bat swing. Leveling up Frank with his photography opens up new moves -- such as a roundhouse kick and Captain Am??erica style ?flip -- and powers up his previous attacks like the bat, which transforms into a flaming spike infused bludgeoning stick.

Frank can also drink to help power up his photography potency. Normally it takes three photos to level up, with level four being the highest, but consuming the bottle gives the action journalist a triple shot. Drinking too much does have its side effects -- as it should -- causing him to puke his guts out and thus be left o??pen for a quick beat down. Frank's photography also has one?? other useful property: it can pull opponents off the ground and be super cancelled.

While these two new characters were the main focus for the preview event, I did want to touch on my two favorite additions to UmvC3: Phoenix Wrigh?t and Vergil from Devil May Cry. The reasons I have fallen for both the characters are at the opposite end of the spectrum, but both were incredibly fun to play.

Vergil, hands down, is my new go-to character. He's faster than Dante and has fantastic rang??e, mix-ups, and off-the-ground abilities. First off his forward strong attack's range takes up almost half the screen. This move followed by a launcher leads to surprisingly fast air combo beat downs. Vergil's teleport is also extremely useful for mixing up opponents with its frontal, behind, and over the head positioning. There is one super that has him emit swords around his body (similar to Strider's discs) and when paired with the behind telep??ort it can lead to a very lethal cross-up combination. 

Now Phoenix Wright on the other hand is a favorite only for how insane his move set is. He's basically useless until he gathers enough evidence during a match. As you search for three successful clues -- denoted with a bright yellow folder -- his attacks are almost nonexistent. Once ga?thered pressing down-down-special launches Phoenix into courtroom mode. From here, hitting your opponent with an objection turns the clumsy lawyer into a beast -- albeit for a limited time. His giant finger attack can easily juggle opponents in the corner and he can also shoot off different beam attacks with his collected evidence. And if you can land a level three super, which does a ludicrous 6,00 points of damage, kiss your foe goodbye.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is just two weeks away and I for one am getting pretty excited. I know some may feel burnt that Capcom is updating this game already. But at a measly $40, the 12 new characters, Galactus mode, and post launch free Heroes and Heralds mode -- which is bringing over a hundred cameo characters with new art -- should offer fans plenty of worthy action. Now if only this wasn't a supposed Capcom troll.

The post Rocket Raccoon and Frank West ‘officially’ join MvC3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Galactus mode might be a silly excuse to smash the crap out of the cast of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, but did you know its origins came to be from an old arcade hack? When talking to Capcom's Seth Killian about the mode and the fact that it was cool to finally be able to play as a boss -- without the need for a hack a la Master Hand in Super Smash Bros. Melee -- he shared with us the inception of this idea.

"I was trying to think of things we could add into the game without messing up the dev [development] schedule," Killian said. "Well, one of the things I remembered was there was an arcade board hack to play X-men Vs. Street Fighter, where you could play as Apocalypse."

"I re?membered my arcade had it," Killian continues. "It wasn't like I was sitting there after school everyday 'I have to play as Apocalypse', but I would fool around with it and I had a good time. So I thought, that had to be easy because the character is already in there. So we did and it all started with an ar??cade hack."

It's pretty neat to think that a fun throwaway mode's roots come all the way from someone tinkering with an arcade board back in?? the late '90s. So the next time you're modifying a game, just remember, you too may be inspiring th??e minds of future game developers around the world.

The post Ultimate MvC3’s Galactus mode was inspired by a hack appeared first on Destructoid.

Mega Man has definitely been given the cold shoulder by Capcom lately. This year alone the little blue guy has had two games canceled -- Mega Man Universe and Legends 3. His latest insult: he was left off the roster of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 -- a series that he has been a staple of since MvC 1. But if his inclusion in this poster found in the Days of Future Past inspired background in UMvC3 is mo?re than just a cruel parody, all might not be lost f??or the super fighting robot.

I recently had a chance to speak to Capcom's fighting guru, Seth Killian, about the meaning behind Mega Man's inclusion on this poster and the chances of future DLC beyond the free Heroes and Heralds mode set for launch.

"It's just a poster in the background," Killian said. "On the original comic [cover] there was a character in that position who was also not slain or apprehended. But?? I guess we didn't have to put Mega Man in there."

W?ith all the flack that Capcom has received about Mega Man's disappearance from gaming you'd think that  they'd pick a different character to be in that slot, rather than a g?uy with such a strong following.

"Yeah, just tweaking the Mega Man ?fans," Killian joked. "I haven't had my nose broken in, so we need to bring them back... and a ra??ge storm for me."

There was an awkward pause after Killian said this followed by a tentative "sorry," which to me kind of leaves the door open for the blue bomber's return. I for one, would love to see Mega Man as DLC -- hopefully his X incarnate -- and UMvC3 does have the proper tools in place to make it happen. All the current DLC from MvC3 is suppor??ted and there is also the free Heroes and Heralds mode that will be?? available at its November 15 launch.

When I questioned Killian if we'd see more DLC past Heroes and Heralds mode he responed "We'll see." So Mega Man and more DLC for UMvC3 has neither been confirmed or denied. The dream still lives??... at least for now.

Here's a break down of the characters pictured on the poster as well as the original Uncanny X-Men ??issue that inspired it.

Top Row: Cyclops (slain), Colossus (apprehended), Captain Commando (apprehended?), Marrow (slain)

2nd Row: Ruby ?Heart (apprehended), Iceman (slain), Jin Saotome (slain), Gambit (apprehended)

3rd Row: Hayato (apprehended), Psylocke (apprehended), Cable (slain), Me??g??a Man

Bottom Row: Rogue (apprehended),? Son Son (slain), B.B. Hood (apprehended), Amingo (slain)

The post Is Mega Man coming to Ultimate Mar??vel Vs. Capcom?? 3? appeared first on Destructoid.

Still mad that Ulitimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is coming out less than a year after you paid full price for the prequel? Get over it. Your 'tude might lead you to miss out on the most crazy-crazy-crazy-all-the-time experience in fighting game history. 

Heroes and Heralds mode is free, post-launch DLC that will allow you to collect cards based on other Marvel and Capcom characters, giving your fighters new properties and abilities. Unlike Street Fighter X Tekken's newly announced Gems Mode, which Capcom's Seth Killian says is "actually trying to (be) balance(d)", Heroes and Heralds mode is place where you can "just throw balance and sanity to the wind completely". With new combos, invisibility, super armor, projectile invincibility, and parries (complete with Daigo moment), I can see why he might say that.

It also sounds like Galactus will be getting a mode where you can finally play as the god-like planet eater. My question is, who will possibly be able to put up a fair fight against that dude? I'd like to say Gold Lightan or PTX, but I think we all know there is really only one right answer to that question.  

The post Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3’s batsh*t crazy new modes appeared first on Destructoid.

The imminent existence of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has been the only thing stopping me from picking the original up. It's been a difficult road, but it will ?pay off soon. The new edition of the game -- with 12 new characters -- will be shown of??f throughout New York Comic-Con. Sadly I'm stuck in bleak Scotland, but I'm not jealous or anything...

Since we can't all be there, Capcom have put together a wee spotlight for two of the new characters. Both these chaps come from a background in doling out legal justice. Phoenix Wright crushes his enemies? under the might of a whimsical, baffling justice system, even throwing the book at Doctor Doom. Nova, like all good cops, uses the powerful Nova Force to subdue his foes, he absorbs energy and then blasts it back all ove??r the place. What a mess.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 extends the game with 12 new fighters, 8 new stages and new modes. You'll be able to get your grubby little mitts ?on it on November 15 in North America and November 18 in E??urope on Xbox 360 and PS3. Fight! (in a month.)

The post Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Laying down the law appeared first on Destructoid.

[photo credits: fixelexif]

On October 4th, our good friends over at iPlayWinner and Southtown Arcade teamed up with Capcom to stream an "invite-only" NorCal Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tournament. Many of the top players from the Bay Area gathered at San Francisco's premiere arcade to not only compete for prizes donated by Madcatz but also get their hands on the latest build of Capcom's other upcoming fighter, Street Fighter X Tekken.

After many great matches showcasing the power of Nemesis' one-frame Level 3 grab, how annoying Ghost Rider's jumping S can be, and some brilliant uses of Virgil's Level 1 Ouroburos in combos, coL.cc's Ryan "Filipino Champ" Ramirez showed that these players still have a lot to learn if they are going to beat his Dark Phoenix. But as Capcom's Seth Killian mentioned to me multiple times that nigh??t, "Just wait till you see Phoe??nix Wright...."

For some more coverage of this event, read on!

Southtown Arcade is a growing arcade tucked away in downtown San Francisco, and it's starting to be the hub of the city's fighting game community. The owners of the arcade aren't in it for the money -- like many of us, they miss the arcade days of the past. Therefore, this location was the perfect place to hold this Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 invitational.

It was really amazing to watch these professional fighting game players, some who had never played the game before, pick up the new characters. Dacidbro, a competitive BlazBlue player in his own right, picked up playing Virgil that night. Before long, he was fully utilizing Virgil's quick teleport to initiate some crazy mixups. Two other characters that impressed me were Hawkeye and Captain America. Hawkeye's? instant Level 1 Hyper Arrow was fast enough to catch Dark Pheonix right after her transformation, earning that player his win. As far as the Captain is concerned, many people were starting to utilize his new off-the-ground Shield Slash to extend his already powerful combos.

Check out this awesome match between D??acidbro and X-Ray, one of the top eight finishers at EVO 2011, to see how amazing Virgil can be!

Not only did Capcom bring Ultimate MvC3 to Southtown Arcade, but during the tournament, there were also two demo units of Street Fighter X Tekken. I've had some time with this game already, but it was great to pick it up and play against some high-level fighting gamers. The attitude for this game was pretty mixed amongst the competitors. Some players picked up the game fairly quickly, using Tag cancels to extend their juggle combos. Others took a while to warm up to the game. Filipino Champ, a seasoned Dhalsim player in Street Fighter IV, no??ticed that most of Dhalsim's normals are completely different and will require extensive adjusting if he wants to maintain his previous strategy.

All in all, this was an awesome event that shows how close Capcom seems to be with its fighting game community fans. Special thanks goes out to Southtown Arcade for? hosting the event, Capcom for bringing the games fo??r us to play, and iPlayWinner for inviting me along!

The post Ultimate MvC3 Norcal vs Capcom event at Southtow?n in SF appeared first on Destructoid.

Pushing the fight against two universes one step further, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 will have reversible cover art in North America. The default box art is the work of Capcom illustrator Shinkiro; on the other side is a comic-style piece by Mark Brooks.

High-resolution versions of both are attached. Which do you prefer? It's a tough call. Either way, I figure if we continue making a big deal over these covers, ??this tre?nd may one day become the norm. Couldn't hurt.

The post Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3’s box art has two sides appeared first on Destructoid.

You can't talk about the fighting game scene in America without mentioning Capcom's special combat adviser, Seth Killian. He's done it all, from competing in tournaments himself and organizing EVO, to ??working on Capcom's many fighting games to get the battle systems just right. He took time out of his busy schedule this year to answer some of my questions.

In this two-part interview, we first discuss the growing popularity of EVO as a fighting game competition as well as what separates it from other e-sports events. We then go on to talk briefly about the EVO stream, as handled by Team Spooky, as well as his finesse for commenting on matches. In the second part of the interview below, we discuss his competitive gaming past and nerd out about the new announced (and unannounced) characters in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

And just when he thinks the interview is over, I challenge Seth to a grudge match from our Destructoid vs. Capcom tournament at E3. The results of that grudg??e match are coming soon!

The post Evo2k11: Interview with Capcom’s Seth Killian appeared first on Destructoid.

If you know me, you know that right now my favorite game to play is Marvel vs. Capcom 3. So when I had the opportunity to interview producer Ryota Niitsuma on the newly announced Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, I j?umped at that chance. I was unaware until I got there that I'd also be asking questions to Hidetoshi Ishizawa (Neo_G), the battle designer of many of my favorite fighting games.

In this interview, I asked them to talk briefly about the new characters and what their thoughts were on the level of play exhibited at EVO. We then talked about which Mega Man character would fit best into this game and Niitsuma-san broke my heart by explaining that Zack and Wiki would be two characters very unlikely to be put in the game. Stay tuned for more interviews from this year's?? EVO tournament!

The post Evo2k11: Interview with producer Ryo??ta Niitsuma and Neo_G appeared first on Destructoid.

Retailer GameStop is hoping you're hype enough to pre-order Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, but is throwing in a bonus to m??ake sure: the "Femme Fatale" costume pack.

The package is supposedly "exclusive" to GameStop, and will feature alternate outfits for four of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom's female fighters.

• Chun-Li: Street Fighter Alpha Costume
• Storm: Morlock Costume
• X-23: X-Men Evolution Costume
• Morrigan: White Shirt, Pants/Business Attire Costume

I can hear you now, you're already mad: "Palette swaps as a pre-order incentive? F**k you, Capcom! I want Mega Man Legends 3!" But according to GameStop's listing, these aren't mere swa?ps, but "?actual 3D modeled costume variations."

Also of note, while Capcom hasn't officially announced the release date, GameStop is listing November 15 for the game's launch. Mark your calendars ??accordingly.

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 - with Bonus! [GameStop]

The post GameStop’s Ultimate MvC pre-order pack is for the ladies appeared first on Destructoid.

Another panel at EVO was the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 panel, which I was personally excited for. Being a huge Marvel vs. Capcom 3 fan, I wanted to see what Niitsuma-san had to say about this newly announced game. Serving on this panel with producer Ryoto Niitsuma were Capcom's Seth Killian and Neo_G, who is the battle designer for UMvC3 and many other Capcom fighting games.

Ni??itsuma-san started off the panel by mentioning that this would be geared towards the fighting game fan. He noted that the key additions were the highly anticipated Spectator mode and tweaks to X-fa??ctor. After showing a slide of all the characters that are included in the game, the panel went on to talk a little about each announced character as well as hold a question-and-answer session with a special surprise at the end!

One person asked about the evolution of X-factor. Niitsuma-san explained that the original idea came from the fact that in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, often times the match would come down to one character versus three, with practically no way for comeback. X-factor was a feat?ure designed to always g??ive a player the chance for victory.

Another question was asked by famed MvC2 player Cl0ckwork. He wanted to know if the producers were surprised by the evolution of gameplay in MvC2. Neo_G responded that?? the fighting game community ended up perfo??rming tricks that the designers themselves didn't know were actually possible.

After confirming that Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 would launch simultaneously with a strategy guide, they offered the audience a surprise. With them was a list of every single change made to each character plus some general character changes. One change for every character is that each will have a move that can do increased damage with but??ton mashing. The audience laughed when it was revealed that Wesker would have the ability to speed up if he hit the opponent with his sunglasses, and erupted into cheers when they said Tron lost her invincibility on the assist and that Sentinel had even LESS health...albeit by a fraction.

This was a really fun panel to attend, since everyone in the audience was a huge fan of the game?, and it showed. Later on, I will have time to meet with Niitsuma-san and ask more questions about what was discussed at the panel, so keep reading for more coverage from EVO!

The post Evo2k11: Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 panel appeared first on Destructoid.

[Every Friday, Destructoid will pose topical a question to the community. Answer it if you want!]

Earlier this morning I had a bit of sarcastic fun, but now is the time for serious business and a serious question. With all the controversy surrounding Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, which way are you pla??nning to vote with your wallet? Yes or no??

Arguments against the game include its content being packaged as a new retail product rather than DLC, the omission of characters like Venom or Mega Man, and Capcom hating its fans.

Arguments for the game include the fact that Capcom has been doing stuff like ?this since foreve?r, the content being good enough to justify the purchase, and bitter fans needing to get over themselves. 

Which si??de of the fenc?e do you fall on, and what's your reasoning? That is the question.

The post The Question: You buying? Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3? appeared first on Destructoid.

Destructoid has uncovered some mindblowing news that will shock and awe the gaming community -- we have discovered, through serious JOURNALISM, that Capcom does not owe you Mega Man or any other character in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. 

"It's been an open secret for a long time," said an industry figure who is definitely not made up. "When we make a videogame, we don't need permission from fans to put in the ?characters we want. If Capcom wants to include Firebrand and not Mega Man, based on what will make a more balanced videoga??me, it can do that, because Capcom's making the game. Not the fans."

Our reports show that at least 75% of fans don't understand that they are not executive producers for the videogames they like, and as such, have no creative control. Studies indicate they also fail to grasp that if their favorite Capcom character isn't considered good enough for UMvC3, that's s?omething the industry calls "Toug?h Shit."

We'll have more on this breaking story as it develops, including reports that Capcom isn't holding a gun to anybody's cock and forcing them to buy UMvC3 if they don't like it.

The post REPORT: You’re not owed any UMvC3 character! appeared first on Destructoid.

I had a chance to chat with Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 producer Ryota Niitsuma following the announcement of the game here in San Diego on the eve of Comic-Con 2011. He was surprisingly pretty upbeat for a guy that had all of his surprises ruined by a leaked list of game characters.  

In our interview Niitsuma explains why Ultima?te is a disc-based release and not DLC. He also goes into some of the changes we can expect for the battle engine. He was a pretty good sport when we asked if we could expect any other surprises. 

Read on for our interview with Ryota Niitsuma.

Destructoid: I'm going to ask something you've probably already heard a few times since today's announcement: Why wouldn't this release just be downloadable add-on content instead of a disc?

Niitsuma: After the release of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 there were plans to release DLC. But, as you know, less than a month after the game was? released we had the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. That had an impact on everything, and it threw off our whole development schedule. We decided that instead of doing the DLC we could put it all together in one package, add some additional stuff to make it robust and deliver it as a disc. 

So how much of this new game was carried over from content planned for the original game? How many of the new characters were planned for the first game?

I would say that it's about half and half.

The original game had a story mode. Will Ultimate continue with this and add new story bits for the new characters? Will Frank Tieri be brought back to continue the work he started in Marvel vs. Capcom 3? 

First off, we did bring Frank Tieri back. With all of the new characters in the game we had to write new endings and quotes. The stories for the new characters are all new and original for this game. This game is not Marvel vs. Capcom 4, of course, so there's not anything like story continuation. There are s?ome tweaks here and there,?? but the basic backbone is still the same. 

How much of the gameplay has changed? Is it simply tweaks and improvements for existing characters, or are there new modes? 

It's not just minor tweaks. There are some definitive changes in the game in terms of the battle system and the characters themselves. We've really tried to balance it all out and make it feel better. We did listen to a lot of user feedback?? and take that into account, especially when making changes to the battle system in the game. We've added new modes, for example, a spectator mode. We wanted to make sure the network and online parts of the game are more robust. While it's not a complete shift, it's vastly improved over the previous version. 

Can you go into detail on what has changed for X-Factor?

One of the biggest things for X-Factor is that we've en??abled use in the air. Say y??ou're doing an air combo. In the middle of that combo you can activate X-Factor and can continue to chain combos in the air after you've activated. That's one of the biggest changes. We've also made some minor adjustments to the strength of attacks in X-Factor as well.

Would there ever be a return to being able to chose more than one instance of one character? Like, having three Dantes or something. 

We purposely did not enable that. [laughs]

Can we talk about the character leaks?

Sure, you can ask about them now. [laughter]

Today was kind of an emotional rollercoaster for series fans. Some where unsure of what to think when the game was first announced. But later, when the new characters were leaked, people said things like 'Oh, Phoenix Wright? I'm definitely buying this.'

[Niitsuma smiles]

Would you say that this leaked list is all? Any more surprises?

It's a shame it got out, but that list, those names -- these are the characters we are adding to the game. But, this is only a list of characters. You have not been able to see anything substantial on them yet. As we get closer to the release date we'll be releasing new gameplay footage that will show you how these ?characters work. I think for the fans of our fighting g?ames that's where the real fun is, seeing these characters move and act. 

The post S?DCC: Interview: Niitsuma on Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Many series fans wondered why Capcom decided to release a new disc instead of a downloadable update for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 after yesterday's announcement. Game producer Ryota Niitsuma told us that the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan created delays that forced them to change up their original plans to release DLC for Marvel vs. Capcom 3. 

"After the release of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 there were plans to release DLC," Niitsuma told Destructoid yesterday. "But, as you know, less than a month after the game was released we had the earthquake and tsunami in J??apan. That had an impact on everything, and it threw off our whole development schedule."

"We decided that instead of doing the DLC we could put it all together in one package, add some additional stuff to make it robust and de??liver it as a d??isc," he continued.

Way to sh?ake things up, stupid tectonic plates.&??nbsp;

The post Japan dis??aster led to disc-only release of Ultimate MvsC3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Like a lot of gamers anticipating a big Marvel vs. Capcom 3 announcement today, I came away with mixed emotions after Capcom finally let loose details on Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 -- twelve new characters, some new stages, and online options, all for $40. It's not a bad deal or anything, but considering that vanilla Marvel vs. Capcom 3 just came out a few month ago, it does feel a little too soon. At first, I thought I would have been happier if they just threw Nemesis, Phoenix Wright, Strider, and Mega Man, up for sale as DLC for $5 a pair (or if they just included Mega Man at all) and called it? a day.

Then I saw this trailer, and I started to become a believer. The Ant-Man cameo immediately made me think of Garret Morris, and I can't say no to Garret Morris. Then there's the live stream going on right now (the one that may or may not be over by the time you read this) that's showing off all sorts of cool new stuff, like Ryu's new Sakura-esque ability to charge regular fireballs (with the option to turn said fireballs invisible) and a bunch of other stuff I didn't see coming. Like Super Street Fighter IV before it?, this game? may turn out to be more than just a roster update. For now, I remain hopeful.

Also, I totally called Iron Fist.

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 Announced [Capcom-Unity]

The post Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 trai????ler: Ant-Man is the balls appeared first on Destructoid.

Well, that was fast. The full roster of new characters for Capcom's Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has been revealed. The game was announced this morning, with only fou????r characters revealed officially by Capcom.

The leak comes directly?? from Capcom's official site, which didn't do a very good?? job of hiding character art for the remaining fighters on its own servers.

Marvel

• Hawkeye
• Ghost Rider
• Doc Strange
• Iron Fist
• Nova
• Rocket Raccoon

Capcom

• Firebrand
• Strider
• Frank West
• Nemesis
• Phoenix Wright
• Vergil

That's a total ?of 12 new characters. Can you guys please stop complaining about the lack of Frank West and Phoenix Wright now? Oh, wait..?. now we can complain about the lack of Mega Man, right? Get to it!

The post Record time: full Ultimate Marv??el vs. Capcom r?oster leaks appeared first on Destructoid.

Later this year, Capcom will be updating another one of its popular fighting games with a new retail release. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is going to offer twelve more characters, eight additional stages, re-balanced gameplay, and Spect?ator mode in November for $39.99 on PlayStati?on 3 and Xbox 360.

The new combatants shown today are Firebrand, Strider, Ghost Rider, and ??Ha??wkeye. (Eff yeah, Strider!) We have the latest screenshots, character art, and even the box art included in the gallery below. Look for video footage of these new characters to go up later today.

The post Capcom announces Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 appeared first on Destructoid.