Few words can make gaming fans the world over salivate faster than "Marvel", "versus", "Capcom". The first game in the series was a major hit, and the follow-up that came two years later was even bigger. Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes was a landmark fighting game and is often referenced in lists of the greatest games of all time -- but it wound up also having to keep people happy for eleven years before the next entry in the series was released. It has now been 5 years since Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds first came out, and the rumors of the announcement of a 4th entry (due reportedly sometime in 2017) have come to a fever pitch with the occurrence of Sony's Playstation Experience and Capcom Cup 2016.
In this list, we'll examine new characters that ought to be featured in the 4th installment. We certainly hope for a massive roster filled with all (or most) of the previous combatants in the series. We stuck to characters likely to make it in, factoring in characters Marvel is likely looking to push, avoiding characters whose rights are held by other movie studios than Marvel, and characters Capcom might push or use for fan service.
Here are 15 Characters We Want To See In Marvel Vs. Capcom 4.
16. The New Trinity of Avengers (Marvel)
Whether you agree or disagree with the changes Marvel has made lately (for the record, we are all for legacy characters passing on the mantle to new people, and think Falcap is the bee's knees), Marvel is pushing a new Avengers Trinity. Marvel has hedged their bets a bit, with the return of Steve Rogers and the recent The Unworthy Thor, but it does not appear as though Sam Wilson, Jane Foster, and Riri Williams are going anywhere anytime soon.
All three of the original mantle-holders have appeared in the game's previous incarnations, and since then, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has only boosted their profile with the population at large. So it only makes sense to have these new Avenger cornerstones have their way against Ryu and company. The Sam Wilson Captain America would likely be the only one of the trio to have their move set changed dramatically, but we say it would be a much better and more enjoyable fit than the old Steve Rogers moves. Riri could also be skinned for a Victor Von Doom Infamous Iron Man (or he could be an altogether different character if Capcom were so inclined).
15. Ant-Man (Marvel)
Scott Lang's stealthy shrinking hero is one of the lower profile Avengers rounding out the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the moment (despite a successful movie and upcoming sequel). As Marvel heads into a new phase of their film plans, and with Robert Downey Jr. not getting any younger, Paul Rudd's portrayal of Ant-Man becomes increasingly important as a potential tentpole. The most recent comic series was not really aimed at the mainstream comic audience and, as such, sticking him as one of the core Avengers fighting in a AAA fighting game makes all the sense in the world.
While it might not seem as though Ant-Man fits in a fighting game at first glance, there are several things to remember. The Servbot from the Mega Man series was a pint-sized brawler in MvC2, so small is not a problem. Ant-Man is able to shrink at will, so his going small could be either just a few special moves, or could be another mode to go into (similar to a fighter changing 'stance' during the bout). The MvC series has a number of wacky attacks, and having a giant swarm of ants acting as weapons isn't absurd in context. Lastly, Ant-Man has shown an ability to go big in Captain America: Civil War, and that could bring another awesome new dimension to a fighter version of Lang. Mark us down as rooting for the little guy to make the series!
14. Blanka (Capcom)
What's green, hairy, rolls into a ball, and emits electricity? The fan-favorite fighter from the Street Fighter series, Blanka, of course. While we wish we could have thought of a good joke to start the entry, we recognize that it is a joke how much Blanka has been underutilized in the Street Fighter games. Blanka has appeared in most, but not all of the previous Street Fighter titles, and was left out of the most recent entry, Street Fighter V.
Appearance-wise, Blanka may be the most outright fantastic of the original Street Fighter II crew. Supposedly mutated by electric eels after a plane crash when he was a boy, Blanka is a green-skinned (by default, but that can be adjusted with different palette options) monster. His moves include flying through the air as a flipping cannonball and electrifying his opponent. It is a wonder that Blanka has not, to date, appeared in an MvC game. It is high time that gets rectified, if only so that we can see Blanka can go toe-to-toe with The Hulk.
13. Captain Marvel (Marvel)
The addition of Captain Marvel to an upcoming MvC game is a no-brainer from the corporate synergy mindset, and judging from the trailer for Marvel Versus Capcom Infinite, it looks like creative team agrees. Captain Carol Danvers figures prominently in the most recent Marvel comics mega-event, Civil War II, and is currently headlining her own series in addition to being featured in a couple others. The character is also set to join the MCU as what Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige describes as "by far the strongest character we've ever had."
Captain Marvel might seem overpowered for a fighting game, but it is important to remember that uber-powerful characters are nerfed (their strength or power is curtailed for balance purposes) so they can join the fray. Remember, The Hulk is supposed to have nearly unlimited strength, but he can lose an MvC fistfight to a photojournalist whose claim to fame is fighting off zombies with stuff he finds at a shopping mall. There's an extra layer to the suspension of disbelief in a cartoonish fighting game like this, and, with that, Captain Marvel figures to be a fun and formidable foe for the game.
12. Daredevil (Marvel)
Marvel's Netflix shows are a runaway phenomenon that has yet to overlap with a Marvel vs. Capcom game. The granddaddy of the soon-to-be Defenders crew, old Hornhead himself, is a natural fit for a fighting game. Daredevil, who already is headed towards a third season of his own show, would instantly become a fan-favorite brawler.
Daredevil is a street-level character in the Marvel Universe... so that means no flight and no laser beams. But he is a highly skilled fighter with heightened senses, so an array of punches and kicks and flips is guaranteed for a move set. Moreover, Daredevil employs a trademark billy club that has a head that can be shot out and used as a concussive device or grappling hook, making for a potential projectile attack similar to Scorpion's in Mortal Kombat. Daredevil has also worn his fair share of notable costumes with different color schemes, so it should be no problem to come up with alternate costumes or palettes for our boy Matt Murdock.
11. Aldo the cleric (Capcom)
Capcom released a string of weapons-based medieval fantasy side-scrolling brawler games (sometimes referred to as 'hack-and-slash' games) in the 1990s. The game was originally released for arcades in 1991, and the Super Nintendo a few years later. The King of Dragons is exactly the sort of source material we could expect/hope a new Capcom fighter to emerge from. It seems as though in every fighting game in which Capcom uses a roster from previous games, they throw in at least one fan service character from an older game or series, regardless of any impending reboot or re-release. Moreover, several fighters have come from Capcom brawlers because they were a hallmark of the company for so long and the character's actions tend to translate well to a fighting game.
We picked Aldo to represent this series because he is the least like other characters from similar kinds of games. A cleric is typically a support character in video games -- relatively weak with attacks and prone to standing back and doing some healing. Aldo is not that kind of cleric. Aldo is burly and wields a mace or hammer, and somehow he is both slower and stronger than the selectable fighter class. A number of gimmicky attacks can be added to his move set to mirror the approach of previous fan service characters, from bringing in other characters from the same game to using weapons or items that were only temporary in the original game.
10. Spider-Gwen (Marvel)
The death of Gwen Stacy had been one of the sacred cows of Marvel Comics for decades; one of the characters to never, under any circumstances, be brought back to life (in order to preserve part of Spider-Man's pathos, presumably). While here and there, there were teases that turned out to not be the real deal, things changed dramatically with the introduction of Spider-Gwen (sort of). An unexpected hit from the "Spider-Verse" storyline, Gwen Stacy from Earth-65 was intended originally to be a temporary character. She was an instant hit with fans with her costume and attitude, and of course her solid storyline, where Gwen had been bitten by the radioactive spider that, in the main timeline (Earth-616), bit Peter Parker. This was parlayed into an ongoing series and a number of merchandising tie-ins, and Spider-Gwen has become a staple of convention cosplay ever since.
While there isn't presumably much different between the skill sets of Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen, it would be a great misstep not to include the web-slinging rocker. The knock on mainstream hero comics has long been that women were treated as window dressing or damsels in distress, and that not enough role-model-worthyodel-worthy heroines existed. Spider-Gwen is very much a role model type (and has one of the greatest costumes of the modern era), and her inclusion would help to balance the scales and be a fun and stylish inclusion in the fighter.
9. Black Panther (Marvel)
The great Black Panther push is already underway. Premiering in the MCU in Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther (portrayed by Chadwick Boseman) is set for his own solo film in the early parts of 2018. As a lead-up, the character's presence in the comics (while already fairly prominent thanks to his role in the most recent Secret Wars) is growing larger and larger. T'Challa is a forever intriguing and unique super hero; the regent of a highly advanced hermit nation who adventures alongside the Avengers.
An appearance by Black Panther in any upcoming MvC game should be a gimme. The Panther's fighting ability and combination of size and strength probably puts him right at the level we'd expect to find a Guile, and that makes for an interesting match. Of course, the warrior king's moves could also be scaled to verge on over-the-top; he could call in his royal bodyguards (the Dora Milaje), he could have some awesome Wakandan high-tech gizmo come out of the ground or the sky, or he could have some sort of spirit panther totem attack. Any way you cut it, Black Panther would be a great addition to the fighting game. Honestly, it's pretty surprising he hasn't featured in one already.
8. Q (Capcom)
Street Fighter III is something of the black sheep of the Street Fighter franchise (not counting the self-referential disaster of Street Fighter: The Movie game). It, and its subsequent iterations, are prized for their technicality and unique art style, but are often forgotten in terms of the mythology of the series. A number of new characters appeared in Street Fighter III and, while some have made it to the sequels, no character that debuted in any of the Street Fighter III games has appeared in a Marvel vs. Capcom game.
While there are a number of SFIII characters we'd love to see in MvC4, Q is at the top of the wishlist. Capcom's success in the fighting game arena is surely at least in part due to great gameplay, but a fighting game only goes so far without interesting characters with great design. Q, who first appeared in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, is an amazing character that needs more screentime. Sporting a creepy metal mask, trench coat, fedora, and gloves, Q lumbers around the screen like a combination of a ghost and a zombie. His attacks are all meaty and substantial and slow, and it's almost as if one could feel the impact of his strikes through the screen. Capcom continues to crank out new characters for every Street Fighter game, but it's a tragedy that ones as great as Q have been left in the dustbin.
7. Luke Cage (Marvel)
As with Daredevil earlier, the inclusion of Luke Cage (from the Netflix side of the Marvel Entertainment empire) would both be awfully fun and make great sense. Speculation abounds that after the Netflix team-up series The Defenders, the street heroes of the gritty shows may wander off and find their way into the Marvel movies slated to come out. If that is the case, there is no such thing as raising Cage's profile too high. The groundwork should start now.
Luke Cage as an in-game fighter would be fairly straightforward -- the guy is a bruising brawler with super strength and impenetrable skin. In practice, his fighting style would likely closely resemble Colossus from MvC2. Capcom could feasibly go overboard and bring Iron Fist (himself an Ultimate MvC3 combatant) or Jessica Jones into some of Cage's moves. They could also play to his bulletproof nature or some of the signature moves he had in the television show. In any event, he is a worthy inclusion on the MvC roster if the powers that be see fit. Our only request if this happens is that he gets an alternate costume that resembles the original '70s Power Man get-up.
6. Roberto Miura (Capcom)
Rival Schools United By Fate is a cult fighting classic by Capcom that has been mostly untouched for the better part of a decade. The characters from the series (which consisted of three games, one released in Japan only) will pop up from time to time in other games like Project X Zone or Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, but even a semi-official effort to expand the series has only recently begun. There have been MvC cameos from Rival Schools characters, but there has yet to be a full-fledged playable character. Sakura was in both MvC2 and Rival Schools, but she originated as a Street Fighter: Alpha character.
Enter Roberto Miura. Roberto is a soccer-playing heartthrob with some serious skills. The roster of Rival Schools is peppered with silly, gimmicky characters, but Roberto's foot-and-ball-centric moves provide a unique and fun experience that would translate especially well to the colorful and off-kilter Marvel vs. Capcom madness. Whether Capcom uses a Rival Schools character to revitalize interest in the franchise or just to fill out the Capcom side of the roster matters not; we just want to see Roberto do his thing.
5. Black Widow (Marvel)
Much has been written about Marvel's failure (or unwillingness) to market the Black Widow as much as her male Avengers counterparts in the wake of the Avengers movie franchise. While played by one of the most recognizable talents on the Earth in Scarlett Johansson, the level of merchandise has been lackluster to say the least. The character now has her own solo ongoing series in the comics, and that's a great step in the right direction. Much more progress could be made, however, by putting the super spy in the battlefield against the likes of Zangief and Felicia from Darkstalkers.
When thinking of how a Black Widow fighting game character might play out, your best bet is to start by thinking Spider-Man. Black Widow's acrobatic skill and stealthiness would allow her to jump and cling to the edges of the screen, much like Peter Parker or Strider. Outfit her with some pistols for ranged attacks, give her a stun ability for punches with her "Widow's Bite", and you've got the makings of an excellent combatant.
4. Klaw (Marvel)
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 broke ground on the series by taking a fan favorite 'jokey' villain in M.O.D.O.K. and putting him on the game's roster. This is, more-or-less, the rationale behind the pick of Klaw. Not much beats M.O.D.O.K. for silliness as far as villains go, so rest assured, we're not trying to out-ridiculous the selection. It can be done, mind you, just not in good conscience. Howard the Duck will likely get any sort of goofy entry into the game, or maybe Squirrel Girl. While Klaw's a classic loony '60s villain, it'd be a timely inclusion. It is virtually a given that Andy Serkis' portrayal of Ulysses Klaw in the Marvel movies will turn into a full-fledged supervillain down the line (likely in the Black Panther solo movie).
Who is Klaw, you ask? Well, after an accident, he is made completely out of sound (!!!), and uses a sonic gun shaped like a radar dish to either sound waves that are either dangerously loud or have concussive force. More interesting is his ability to construct things out of sound, many times in the comics coming in the forms of animals (and everything he makes out of sound is a reddish pink). Klaw would be a fun character in the game, with some real potential for some bizarre attacks. As a side note, this would not be the first video game appearance for Klaw -- he made his debut in the arcade version of Captain America and The Avengers in 1991.
3. Baby Head (Capcom)
Yes, Baby Head is pretty much exactly what you think he'd be. This left-field character is a baby who pilots a mech body that appears to be wearing parachute pants. He appears as one of four playable characters in the cult classic brawler Captain Commando, which came out in arcades in 1991 (and later received console versions). Baby Head is the strongest of the combatants and employs a set of fighting moves not unlike Mike Haggar from Final Fight (and some subsequent fighting games). Believe us when we say there's nothing quite like watching a baby inside a robot do a drop kick (and against cavemen, no less, if you make it to level 2).
The titular Captain Commando (get it? Captain Commando?) was a playable character in the first two Marvel vs. Capcom titles, and Baby Head appeared in a cameo for the Captain's special moves. While one might argue Baby Head seems too visually similar to MvC2's Tron Bonne, the mech that Baby Head drives is much more lithe and human-like, and not prone to shape-changing like the Mega Man machine. It is a longshot that Baby Head makes his fighting game debut anytime soon, but we can dream (and hope for subsequent Captain Commando sequels).
2. Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan (Marvel)
Ms. Marvel is a teen sensation hero, recent defector from the Avengers, and a founding member of the newest iteration of the Champions. Kamala Khan is an Inhuman shapeshifter who primarily uses her powers to elongate or grow her limbs, or to grow in size altogether. Given Ms. Marvel's popularity and relatively unique abilities, she would be a must-have for any new MvC cast.
Ms. Marvel's abilities would, likely, play out in MvC4 similar to Super Skrull's Mister Fantastic powers from MvC3 or Street Fighter staple Dhalsim. The big quirk that would belong uniquely to Ms. Marvel is her proclivity to enlarging her hands and feet when stretching out. Who wouldn't want to perform a stretchy uppercut that ended with a Volkswagon-sized fist? Taking things one step further, Capcom could utilize Ms. Marvel's secondary power of ultra-fast healing and have her be a character with the ability to regain bits of the life bar. While that's not a typical fighter skill, it might be worth toying with that as a possibility at the cost of maybe some power or initial durability.
1. Stan "The Man" Lee (Marvel)
Stan Lee, co-creator of dozens of classic Marvel characters, has become a very interesting character in Marvel mythology. Seen as something of a figurehead for the company, he has had a cameo in every Marvel Studios movie (and most other Marvel projects). Lee, who is in his mid-90s, has become a beloved icon in geek culture. Including him as a boss or secret character would be a grand gesture that would surely be appreciated by most fans.
If this were to happen (which would be great), he would very likely have a bevvy of powers, similar to how the Taskmaster played in MvC3. In fact, it is something of a cliche to have a character in a fighting game that either utilizes attacks and moves from all or most characters, or a character that mimics the move set of a specific character for each round. It is worth noting that this would not be Stan's only time being a playable character in a video game: he is also an unlockable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes.
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Who would you like to see in a new Marvel vs. Capcom game? Why do you think they would be a good fit? Sound off in the comments!