We love Capcom Fighting Collection 2! There, that's the review done.

Seriously though, this is a particularly strong lineup of actual arcade Bangers (yes, with a capital B), that doesn't have anything approaching a full-on weak spot across a stellar roster of classic titles, so it's not really a surprise, is it? Indeed, outside of losing console-specific extra modes (which aren't really the point here anyway), it's not the easiest of game collections to pick fault with.

Where Capcom Fighting Collection focused on a whole bunch of very nice Capcom stuff, but perhaps a little too much on Darkstalkers, this time we're getting served up a much stronger selection overall that delivers, amongst other things, the Power Stone games, available for the first time here since the Power Stone Collection in 2006. Why, Capcom?

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

We (or at least this writer) will be honest, the inclusion of Power Stone and Power Stone 2 alone is enough to warrant a purchase, personally. These 3D fighters bring us right back to our Dreamcast days, and there's still a whole lot of chaotic multiplayer fun to be had, with the second game especially wowing us all over again. If you can look past some chunky graphics — which can, perhaps, make deciphering what's happening on screen a tad tricky to modern eyes at times — there's hours upon hours of silly, knockabout fun to be had with pals in these two enormously colourful classics.

Not only this, but with rollback netcode, and all the other modern bells and whistles you're getting in this collection (online casual, ranked, lobby play and online leaderboards for every game), this is the best we've ever had it with the Power Stone franchise. We can't wait to get fully stuck into online when the full thing releases so we can literally party with you all like it's 1999 - unfortunately, online play wasn't available in the review period.

It helps, too, for newcomers to the mayhem, that the rules are so simple and effective. Grab the gems, power up, wreck everyone. What's not to love? And especially when it all looks this great, and fully gives you the sense you're playing an impressive piece of video-gaming history. Maybe you'll take it all in and get a feel for where some of its mechanics went, how other games lifted and morphed and moulded what's here into stuff that younger gamers may recognise. Also, as with all the other games in the collection, you can double the native resolution as it's playing, to add a little more clarity and polish to what already looks fab.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

Then we've got Street Fighter Alpha 3, this writer's legit favourite Street Fighter game (you won't find any -ism schisms in this review, we promise). As with all other games included in the collection, you're getting both its Western and Japanese variants, meaning that Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper is here for the very first time outside of Japan. Yes, mate. Again, we could sit and wax lyrical about this one all day — if you're eyeing this collection, we're sure you already know how great it is — but to be clear, it's really flipping great. If the killer combat doesn't get you, the visuals will.

All the games included in Capcom Fighting Collection 2 are straight-up arcade ports, so you do lose any adventure modes, items shops, and other single-player content that was added to console ports. But listen, that's a good thing. The arcade versions, especially with the likes of the SNK and Street Fighter games, are superior and worth ditching stuff for. Less latency, faster, harder opponents and far better looks in terms of keeping it retro-for-real. We'll also admit to having an insatiable lust for the arcade audio you get in these versions. It all sounds so dirty.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

Moving on. Quickly now! On top of the majesty of Street Fighter Alpha 3, perhaps the pinnacle of what's on offer with regards to fighters in this collection, is the pairing of Capcom vs SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro and Capcom vs SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium.

Again, here we have two absolute crackers being re-released for the first time since ye olden days, and they really are still as good as ever. We're talking about some of the greatest arcade fighters of all time, now with sexy new rollback netcode so you can fight your mates and other folks. You get filters, quick saves, and galleries to unlock, and there's a bunch of achievements to work through, as with every other title. Honestly, any one of these games we're mentioning could become a proper obsession, so don't be surprised if you end up unlocking every last cheevo.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

You can hit up separate training modes (à la the first Capcom Fighting Collection) for every game, replete with onscreen input displays, hitboxes, and even the original arcade marquees for you to dig in and become a master.

Now. This is quite a positive review thus far, so it's around this time that we usually balance things out by hitting out with some negatives...

However, we're struggling to find any, so we'll keep thinking on that as we continue lauding Capcom, this time for refusing to rest on the laurels and filling the remaining spots on this roster with lesser games. We've got the likes of Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein, a 3D fighter from 1998, the incredibly cool Project Justice, and Capcom Fighting Evolution (ah, we knew we'd find a low point of sorts if we prodded for long enough).

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

What these titles, which round out the eight available games here, give you — instead of some bulking out of the listings with filler — is a clutch of genuine cult classics, especially when it comes to both Plasma Sword and the superb Project Justice. We spoke about Project Justice a little in our preview, and it's worth pointing out again here how this game (and Plasma Sword to a lesser extent, perhaps) are fascinating examples of a very specific time in fighting game evolution.

They're games very carefully straddling a line between 2D and 3D, making the best of the available tech of the time. To go too far into 3D was often a convoluted mess, but to take elements of the third dimension, to allow deft shifts into and out of the foreground and background, for example, added so many new layers to scraps, which still feel wonderfully underplayed and hugely strategic today. Never mind the fact that it also brings us back to the hugely underutilised idea of sexy team mechanics.

Sticking Project Justice on for the first time — especially if you've never played it — prepare to be shocked at how great, how stylish and effortlessly cool it still is. Even the menus in this game are awesome, and once the fighting starts, it's still a wonderful thing to behold. A genuinely gorgeous piece of pugilism than feels as intricate, strategic, and involving as ever. Not bad for a 25-year-old slice of action.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

Finally, to go back and think on those negatives now that we've overdone it on the gushing praise. Capcom Fighting Evolution is a game that we can't see anyone bothering with much beyond curiosity and historical lessons, especially when you've got fighters that play so much better in the form of the included Capcom vs SNK double-bill. Power Stone also suffers as soon as you play its sequel - we can't see us returning to it much, but it's easy to forgive this, for the sake of completion.

With unlockable galleries full of intriguing artwork and design sheets, loads of music remixes, those gorgeous Marquees for each game, and achievements to keep you locked in for the long haul (never mind all the online and local MP fun), we've been utterly charmed by this one. An essential addition to any learned gamer's Switch collection, and a fantastic time for anyone who just straight-up loves very good fighting games. We can't think of much Capcom could have done to make this collection any better. Now, who wants a game of Power Stone 2 online?

Conclusion

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 brings an incredibly strong roster of classic arcade fighters to Nintendo Switch in one of the best compendiums of its work to date. This is top-notch fare, a slew of incredible games, some appearing for the first time since their original releases, replete with rollback netcode for online play, tons of unlockables, Japanese versions of all eight titles, and modern training modes to catch you up to speed. With both Power Stones, an unbeatable Capcom vs SNK double bill and Project Justice leading the charge, there's really very little to complain about here. Excellent stuff.

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