Things pick up significantly among videogame releases this week. The latest installment in the Lego franchise hits shelves and a few new RPGs come to portable systems. But as exciting as these offerings may be, they pale in comparison to the game I’ve been waiting for years to play: ‘Marvel vs. Capcom 3’.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (360, PS3)
The thing I really love about fighting games is the purity. They don’t dick around with stories and choices, or pretend to be something they’re not. You get an intro, you get an ending, and you get plenty of fighting in between. I could almost go without the single player mode completely if it wasn’t such a great way to get used to playing the game.
‘Marvel vs. Capcom 3’ is a sequel that’s long overdue. It’s been eleven years since the last game in the series. In that time, a ‘Marvel vs. Capcom’ shaped hole has been open in the gaming world. ‘Street Fighter IV’ was good, but that’s just not the same.
In addition to being a damn fine game to play, ‘Marvel vs. Capcom 3’ is also sure to be embraced by the competitive fighting game community as well as the pro scene. If you’re into fighting games, check out Shoryuken for coverage and alerts to upcoming tournaments, and check their Wiki for some great character guides.
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (DS)
The ‘Dragon Quest’ series may be more familiar as ‘Dragon Warrior’ if you’re an old-school NES gamer. It’s gotten a little cuter since then, but it remains a series well worth playing for RPG fans.
‘Dragon Quest VI’ is a remake of the 1995 Super Famicom game that was never released here in the states. It features a job class system like that of ‘Final Fantasy V’, as well as a real world and a dream world like the light and dark worlds of ‘Link to the Past’.
I’m still stuck on ‘Dragon Quest IX’, but I’ve got a fourteen hour drive to Boston next month for PAX, so ‘Dragon Quest VI’ might be the game of choice in the near future.
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (PSP)
Hopefully, I can get through enough of ‘Dragon Quest VI’ on the way to Boston that I’ll be able to jump on the PSP on the way back for another 1995 Super Famicom-only release – ‘Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together’.
If I get half as hooked on ‘Tactics Ogre’ as I was on ‘Ogre Battle’ and ‘Final Fantasy Tactics’, then I’m in for a hell of a lot of time on my PSP. Tactical role-playing games are horribly addictive and so easy to play in thirty minute bursts during lunch, before bed, or while waiting for laundry to dry.
One of the finest points of ‘Tactics Ogre’ isn’t even the gameplay, as engaging as it looks. The composers for the game, Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata, are two of my favorites. Take a listen to the opening of ‘Final Fantasy Tactics’ and tell me it’s not amazing.
HuskerGuy
On the fence with MvC3. Fighters tend to die a quick death in my collection but depending on how many buddies pick it up I may jump. I am looking forward to Mortal Kombat in April though.
Dick Ward
AuthorI experience the same thing with fighters, but I’ve heard very good things about the net code in MvC3, which means playing it online with friends should be no problem at all. That’s a biggie for me.
I’ve never been a huge fan of the Mortal Kombat series, but I have high hopes for the web series that will be coming out before the new game’s release 🙂
William Henley
Between last week’s release of a Time Travel RPG, and this week’s release of Dragon Quest, the DS is really starting to look attractive to me right now! Also, from a brief search on Amazon, looks like Final Fantasy 4 got a remake for the DS a couple of years back. Plus, Kingdom Hearts Re:coded got released a month ago. 4 games right there on the DS that I am interested in. Hmmm, wonder if the 3DS will be backwards compatable with these games. However, I am seeing used DS Lites and DSIs for like $74 on Amazon.
What is the difference between the different DS models?
Dick Ward
If I were to buy a DS today, I’d either get the DSi XL for it’s bigger screen or wait for the 3DS in May.
Then again, if you need something to hold you over, there’s nothing wrong with the DS Lite. It’s what I use now and it’s a fine system.
The DSi gives you the ability to download DSi specific games and it adds a camera. It can also connect to WPA2 wireless networks if I’m not mistaken, though the game has to support that too (Dragon Quest IX apparently doesn’t)
The 3DS will indeed be backwards compatible with both DS and DSi specific games, so you can’t possibly be blamed for holding out until then 🙂
HuskerGuy
So I’m incredibly weak and picked up the CE of MvC3. A good friend of mine convinced me since he picked it up as well.
Dick Ward
AuthorI support the decision! What system did you grab it for?
HuskerGuy
PS3. Pretty much any multi-platform release I nab the PS3 version. My 360 is console exclusives only, more or less (Black Ops being the sole exception).