The world of fighting games is often home to characters from other media. Crossover fighters attract a lot of attention. Some games go beyond just a few guest characters though. There are fully dedicated Marvel fighting games out there. These titles have included some real standouts across the entire genre.
There are tons of great fighting games that feature characters from comics. Some of the biggest fighting games have included Marvel characters. A Marvel-dedicated series is even one of the best-remembered older games, with tournaments still running decades later. Although, it isn’t just Marvel V Capcom. There’s plenty more Marvel fighting games worth checking out.
For a media franchise unrelated to fighting games, there are quite a lot of examples here. If you want to focus specifically on Marvel, there are some great games to check out. These are some of the top Marvel fighting games.
Best Marvel Fighting Games
5. Marvel Contest of Champions
Source: Kabam
Marvel Contest of Champions is one of the few Marvel fighting game that doesn’t hail from Capcom! This one was originally a mobile game, but it was such a success it eventually got arcade machines too. It’s a fighting game where you play as various Marvel characters in a style similar to DC’s Injustice. This was a free fighting game and had an impressive amount of content.
It’s not the most up to date fighter, but still has its fans. Given that most of the iconic Marvel fighting games hail from over twenty years ago, it’s still one of the newer selections for the best Marvel fighters.
4. X-Men Vs Street Fighter
Source: Capcom
Before there was Marvel vs Capcom, there were these earlier crossover Marvel fighting games. X-Men Vs Street Fighter is a Marvel fighting game that uses the style of a Street Fighter title, but contains characters from Marvel’s X-Men too. This 1997 game is notable for starting the Marvel Capcom series. If you prefer the more classic Street Fighter format, then this is a fantastic fighter to jump into.
Back in the 90s, the X-Men characters definitely held more sway with the public’s consciousness than other Marvel heroes. It was these characters who got films, classic cartoons, they were the focus. So for the initial forays into crossover fighting games, X-Men were the focus. However, this was just the start of a while series of major Marvel fighting games.
3. Marvel Super Heroes Vs Street Fighter
Source: Capcom
The direct sequel to X-Men Vs Street Fighter, this game expanded the title out to include the whole of Marvel! You could now use a lot of different characters rather than just the X-Men. It included the big hitters from Street Fighter but allowed them to meet and battle superheroes. There were still plenty of X-Men around, but other heroes got a look in here as well.
It also introduced the variable assist that’s become a key part of Marvel V Capcom. The series becomes a mainstay of competitive fighters and the first title is where a lot of the unique mechanics began.
2. Marvel Vs Capcom Infinite
Source: Capcom
This title is the latest instalment in Marvel V Capcom, Infinite. This takes the mechanics of the game back to its original style. It also cuts the teams down to 2-v-2 rather than 3s. However, it does introduce a new combo system and an infinity stone mechanic. It also has a story mode, if you want a more expansive experience from your Marvel fighting games.
This one isn’t the most popular for competitive fighting. At least compared to the more retro titles that rank among the best fighting games of all time.It introduced more casual friendly elements and had a clear inspiration rom more modern interpretations of Marvel heroes. While not an esports title really, it’s one of the most polished Marvel fighting experiences.
However, if you want something more casual it’s the most accessible in the series.
1. Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3
Source: Capcom
The Marvel Vs Capcom is probably the premier Marvel fighting game. This is a series which mashes the world of Marvel comics up with the fighting game characters from Capcom, the developers of Street Fighter.
This game is a 3-v-3 fighter, where you pick three characters out of the entire Marvel and Capcom roster to take on an opponent. You can switch between characters by using assists. The mechanics of gameplay are as tight and rewarding as you’d expect from Capcom. This game is still played at some of the biggest fighting game esports tournaments too.
3 is the most polished version of the game that’s still pretty widely available. All three are worth checking out though. This Ultimate edition brings a lot more content into the game and is much more well-remembered by fans of the series than Infinity. It’s the better form of the classic Marvel V Capcom games.
Those are some of the best Marvel fighting games. There might be more joining this list in the future though. Leaks from 2022 indicated that EA was working on their own Marvel fighting game, so we might see an upcoming fighting game devoted entirely to the world of Marvel comics!
In recent years, we’ve seen even moree Marvel games released. The hero shooter Marvel Rivals has become hugely popular. If anyone is working on a new Marvel fighting game, it seems now is a great time to launch one.