Top Ten: Characters Missing from Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Issue 19, Jeff Wilson, Entertainment - By Jeff Wilson on Thursday, February 24, 2011 - 03:47

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (MvC3) for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 may be the game that fans of both Marvel and Capcom have been dreaming of for over ten years, but it is still far from perfect. While the gameplay is greatly improved from its 2000 predecessor, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (MvC2), MvC3 has only 36 characters, compared with MvC2’s whopping 56, thus leading to the inevitable discussion of, “Why is [insert favorite character here] not in this game?”

Here, we examine 10 characters that would have been welcome additions to the game.

1. Mega Man (Capcom)
Arguably one of Capcom’s most iconic characters, the conspicuous absence of the Blue Bomber in their newest cross-company fighter is a truly baffling phenomenon. While the Mega Man mega-franchise finds representation in MvC3 from both Zero of Megaman X fame and Tron Bonne from Mega Man Legends, any of the several different versions of Mega Man could bring a fresh style gameplay to the table. Who does not want to see the impossible arsenal of Mega Man Classic or the endless transformations of Mega Man EXE?

2. Venom (Marvel)
The alien symbiote host with the spider-powers and the Gene Simmons tongue is also an iconic fan favorite among gamers and comic fans alike. With an already established set of devastating and unique attacks, Spiderman’s nightmarish doppelganger is a shoo-in for downloadable content (DLC). Just try not to let him eat your brains!

3. Nemesis (Capcom)
First appearing in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Nemesis is a seven-foot-tall intelligent zombie bio-weapon who has a penchant for rocket launchers and a history of never taking “No” for an answer. ‘Nuff said.

4. Mephisto (Marvel)
While Galactus is certainly a harrowing final boss in his own right, the Devourer of Worlds has nothing on Mephisto. Alternatively called the Prince of Lies, the Lord of the Damned or simply Satan, Marvel’s resident Big Evil is the red-skinned Ruler of Hell and the father of Versus series mainstay Blackheart. In his home dimension, Mephisto has almost every power conceivable—including flight, superhuman strength, fire manipulation, teleportation, size-changing, altering reality, et cetera. In other words, he makes Galactus look like MODOK.

5. Frank West (Capcom)
The whacky protagonist of Dead Rising, photojournalist-turned-zombie-hunter Frank West made a name for himself battling the undead hordes with showerheads, baseball bats and shopping carts, among other things. If that does not qualify him to be a contender in MvC3, what does?

6. Cable (Marvel)
While the infamous Hyper Viper Beam may have been the most annoying move in MvC2, Cable’s volatile, take-no-prisoners play style more than made up for what he lacked in terms of character balance. With only slight tweaks in his gameplay and an updated wardrobe, this time-traveling mutant mercenary would be a worthy addition to MvC3. Besides, he is Deadpool’s best friend!

7. Hugo (Capcom)
Inspired by WWE wrestler Andre the Giant, Hugo is the largest character to ever appear in the Street Fighter series. Debuting in Street Fighter III, this German powerhouse represents the pinnacle of all fighting game wrestlers. Couple his inhuman size and strength with awesome hair—not to mention his bizarre relationship with a certain transsexual manager—and Hugo has the personality to back up his fighting skills.

8. Ghost Rider (Marvel)
The Satan-spawned cyclist Ghost Rider has such a unique fighting style that his appearance on this list needs no explanation. With his fiery motorcycle, steel chains and dreaded Penance Stare, Ghost Rider has more than enough reason to challenge Dormammu’s apparent monopoly on flaming heads.

9. Strider Hiryu (Capcom)
Strider Hiryu, also known unofficially as “that one ninja with the sword,” is the eponymous hero of Capcom’s Strider series. He slashes stuff with his katana and people love him for it. Oh, and he also has an army of robot jaguars for some reason. Cool, huh?

10. Human Torch (Marvel)
Despite the fact that Johnny Storm recently met his demise in the comics, the Human Torch remains, ironically enough, the coolest member of the original Fantastic Four with his ability to fly and spontaneously generate fire. Needless to say, the Human Torch would bring some much-needed flare to MvC3. Flame on!