Capcom made my dreams come true when it finally released Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics. I played all the games in this collection when they were originally released in arcades and home consoles in the ‘90s and early ‘00s and have begged for a collection for nearly 25 years. I’ve played this compilation non-stop for weeks and don’t plan to stop anytime soon. It’s everything I could have hoped for, and more!
I’ve mostly played the Steam version of Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection on my gaming rig, but when I traveled to Berlin to cover IFA 2024, I downloaded the game to the Asus ROG Ally X to continue playing. While the ROG Ally X is a brilliant upgrade to the Asus ROG Ally, I wasn’t sure how these games would look and play on one of the best handheld gaming consoles. The experience would be much different than playing on my LG CX OLED TV and with the Hori Fighting Commander Octa controller.
Thankfully, the trepidation I felt wasn’t warranted. Quite the opposite. Though I still think playing Marvel vs. Capcom on one of the best TVs for gaming or best gaming monitors is optimal, playing it on the ROG Ally X is pretty darn fun. I’ll detail why below.
Looks great on the display
All the games in the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection were originally developed for the arcade. They all feature large sprites and a ton of colorful and flashy special moves that draw your attention. What worked for arcade monitors works equally well on the ROG Ally X’s 7-inch display. Everything just pops off the screen.
The ROG Ally X’s native 1920x1080 resolution perfectly captures every detail of the character's sprites, backgrounds, special effects and everything else on the screen. The 60Hz refresh rate also ensures the games run as smoothly as possible. Asus’ system handles two-dimensional graphics as well as three-dimensional, which this collection proves.
I should note that the ROG Ally X has a higher resolution than most arcade displays, which typically have a 320x240 resolution. Because of that, the games in this collection look sharper than their arcade counterparts, even if the Ally X’s display isn’t nearly as big. Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection simply looks gorgeous on the ROG Ally X.
Precise controls
I’m very particular about what controllers I use for fighting games. Despite growing up in the arcade era, I’ve always preferred fight pads that have six face buttons instead of four. Because of that, I worried that playing the MvC collection on the ROG Ally X wouldn’t feel right. I’m happy to say that playing these games on the handheld (mostly) feels natural.
The fact I can play this game on PC and then switch over to the ROG Ally X and continue where I left off when I'm out of the apartment is huge.
Since the ROG Ally only has four face buttons, I have to remap the buttons for all the games with six-button controls. This is something I have to do when playing fighting games on a normal controller, so I’m used to this. The main exception is Marvel vs. Capcom 2, which has a four-button controller layout that’s perfect for modern controllers. This is the game I played most on ROG Ally X and likely the one most people will too since it’s the signature title of this collection.
But whether it’s Marvel vs. Capcom 2 or any of the other games, the controls are tight and responsive. The D-pad lets you easily perform half-circle motions, dashes and more. The four face buttons and four shoulder buttons are also very responsive. Though it takes a little getting used to, playing MvC collection on ROG Ally X functions as well as with a normal controller.
Take the fight outside
Being able to play games like my beloved X-Men vs. Street Fighter anywhere I go —including another country — is incredible. I know this isn’t something unique as systems like the PlayStation Portable and others have also featured Capcom fighting game collections. But the fact I can play this game on PC and then switch over to the ROG Ally X and continue where I left off when I'm out of the apartment is huge.
I should also note that since this isn’t a graphically intensive game, it won’t drain the handheld’s battery as fast as something like Cyberpunk 2077. I was able to play for well over three hours on a single charge. On top of that, the system also remains relatively cool since MvC collection isn’t that demanding.
Bottom line
The Asus ROG Ally X is arguably the best Windows 11 handheld out there. Because of that, it’s no surprise that I’m having such a fun time playing Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection on it whenever I’m out and about. Kicking ass (or getting my ass kicked) outdoors is just a blast.
If you own the ROG Ally X, do yourself a favor and play this collection on the system. I promise you'll have as much fun as I am.
