Marvel vs. Capcom (マーヴルVSカプコン Māvuru versus Kapukon?) is a sub-series of fighting games within the Versus series created by Capcom, in which characters created by superhero comic book company Marvel Comics and Capcom's own characters appear together. While it was the first Vs. series involving Capcom, the name Marvel exists to distinguish it from Capcom's other Vs. series with SNK (Capcom vs. SNK), Tatsunoko Productions (Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes) and Namco's 2005 crossover RPG with Capcom (Namco x Capcom).
The Marvel characters depicted in these games were often based on their incarnations in various early 1990s animated series and were often voiced by the same voice actors.
Many of the characters and fighting mechanics used in these games were first developed and refined in two other fighting games Capcom had developed earlier, serving as precursors to the series: X-Men: Children of the Atom, which featured characters strictly from the X-Men universe, and Marvel Super Heroes, which gleaned characters from Marvel's entire roster (X-Men included).
Although the tag-team fighting concept was not new, it was refined with this series. New fighting game terminology, such as Aerial Rave (the act of performing a combo on an opponent while the opponent remains airborne) and Variable Combination (the act of having two or more characters on the same team to perform their Hyper Combos at the same time) were added to the fighting game vernacular with this series.
Games
Precursor Games
Main games
- X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996)
- Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997)
- Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (1998)
- Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000)
- Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011)
- Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (2017)
Compilation
Story
There does not appear to be a concrete story behind each game in the series, although several plot points run across the various games of the series. However, various pairs of characters - typically one Marvel and one Capcom, were often partnered with each other during game play (although later games randomized the partnerships so that it was possible to complete the game facing all-Marvel or all-Capcom teams).
Throughout the games, several interesting subplots emerge exclusively to the series, some of which contradict the others:
- Psylocke is the one who rescues the amnesiac Cammy, who lost her memory after the battle with Apocalypse in X-Men vs. Street Fighter, from The Hand and its leader, Matsu'o Tsurayaba.
- Zangief and Colossus defend Russia against Omega Red. In one ending, Omega Red apparently kills Ryu, prompting Ken to also seek revenge.
- Wolverine seeks Akuma as he believes Akuma has information about his own past. However, in order to get the information from Akuma, he must win a fight to the death.
- Chun-Li was made an honorary member of the X-Men, despite the lack of mutant powers on her part. Ryu is also offered membership in both the X-Men and Avengers, but turns it down both times, preferring to continue on his own path.
- When Onslaught emerges, Charles Xavier subconsciously calls the Capcom heroes to help stop himself. Jin Saotome is attacked by M. Bison after defeating him and is near death, but the two cyborgs, "Shadow Lady" (Chun-Li) and "Shadow" (Charlie), revive him as a being like themselves.
- In the Hulk's ending, Captain America makes the sacrifice. Meanwhile, Zangief battles Jin's Cyberbot, Blodia.
- Magneto and M. Bison team up, intending on betraying each other at a later time. In Magneto's ending, Magneto eventually manages to get the upper hand and kills him. Bison's Shadaloo henchmen (Balrog, Vega, and Sagat) join him afterwards, fearful of Magneto's power. The opposite happens in M. Bison's ending.
- Apocalypse captures Akuma and turns him into Cyber Akuma.
- Charlie is kidnapped by Bison, who uses Shadaloo's technology to transform him to a super-soldier henchman known as Shadow. However, Shadow turns on Bison, who then tries to subject Chun-Li and Jin Saotome to the same fate.
- In Sakura's Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter ending, she is seen as an adult and as a mother with a son.
- Akuma is hinted to be the father of Dan. However, this ending, much like Dan himself, is a parody of SNK's Art of Fighting series.
- In Ken's endings, the events of the games never actually happened. In X-Men vs. Street Fighter, he was playing the game itself with his son Mel, while the events of Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter appear to be a dream. He wakes up and continues his training with Ryu.
Characters
Marvel Characters
This is a list of all the Marvel characters that have appeared in the Marvel vs. Capcom series, most of which have appeared in Marvel comic books:
X-Men characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Apocalypse | Final Boss | Sub-Boss | No | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Beast | Cameo | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Cable | No | No | No | Yes | Deadpool's downloadable costume's quote | Unconfirmed |
Colossus | No | No | Assist | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Cyclops | Yes | Yes | Assist | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Daken | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Dazzler | No | No | No | No | Cameo & Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Deadpool | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Gambit | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Iceman | No | No | Assist | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Jubilee | No | No | Assist | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Juggernaut | Yes | No | Assist | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Magneto | Yes | No | Assist | Yes | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Marrow | No | No | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Multiple Man (Madrox) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Mystique | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Nightcrawler | No | No | No | No | Cameo & Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Omega Red | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Onslaught | No | No | Boss & Secret Character | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Phoenix | Cameo | No | No | No | Yes (Also Dark Phoenix) | Unconfirmed |
Psylocke | No | No | Assist | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Professor X | Cameo | No | Cameo | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Rogue | Yes | No | Assist | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Sabretooth | Yes | No | No | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Sentinel | No | No | Secret Assist | Yes | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Silver Samurai | No | No | No | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Spiral | No | No | No | Yes | Cameo | Unconfirmed |
Storm | Yes | No | Assist | Yes | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Wolverine | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (& Bone Claw Wolverine) | Yes | Unconfirmed |
X-23 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
The Avengers characters
Character | Appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Abomination | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Black Widow | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Blade | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Captain America | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) | No | No | No | No | Support Card (as Ms. Marvel) | Yes |
Destroyer | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Enchantress | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Fing Fang Foom | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Hawkeye | No | No | No | No | Yes (Also downloadable costume as Ronin) | Yes |
Hulkbuster | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Hulk | Mentioned | Yes | Yes (& secret Orange Hulk) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Iron Fist | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Iron Man | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Loki | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Luke Cage | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Maestro | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Mandarin | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Nick Fury | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Red Hulk | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Red Skull | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Scarlet Witch | No | No | No | No | Cameo & Support Card | Unconfirmed |
She-Hulk | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Taskmaster | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Thanos | No | No | No | Yes | Support Card | Yes |
Thor | No | No | Assist | No | Yes | Yes |
Ulik | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Ultron | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Yes |
U.S. Agent | No | Secret Character | Assist | No | No | Unconfirmed |
War Machine | No | No | Yes (& secret Gold War Machine) | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Wasp | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Winter Soldier | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Spider-Man characters
Character | Appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Doctor Octopus | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Green Goblin | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
J. J. Jameson | No | No | No | No | Cameo | Unconfirmed |
Kinpin | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Spider-Ham | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Spider-Man | No | Yes (& secret Armored Spider-Man) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Venom | No | No | Yes (& secret Red Venom) | Yes | Support Card as Anti-Venom | Unconfirmed |
Doctor Strange/Ghost Rider characters
Character | Appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Blackheart | No | Yes | No | Yes | Cameo | Unconfirmed |
Clea | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Doctor Strange | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Dormammu | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Ghost Rider | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Mephisto | No | Secret character | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Shuma-Gorath | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes (DLC) | Unconfirmed |
Fantastic Four characters
Character | Appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Black Panther | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Yes |
Doctor Doom | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Fantastic Four | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Galactus | No | No | No | No | Yes ("Galactus Mode" in Ultimate) | Unconfirmed |
Silver Surfer | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Super Skrull | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Uatu The Watcher | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Guardians of the Galaxy characters
Character | Appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Gamora | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Groot | No | No | No | No | No | Partial |
Rocket Raccoon | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Other Marvel characters
Character | Appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Bullseye | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Daredevil | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Elektra | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Howard, The Duck | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
M.O.D.O.K. | No | No | No | No | Yes | Stage background |
Nova | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Serpent | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Shanna the She-Devil | No | No | No | No | Cameo | Unconfirmed |
The Punisher | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Capcom Characters
This is a list of all the Capcom characters that have appeared in the Marvel vs. Capcom series, most of which have appeared in other Capcom games:
Street Fighter/Final Fight characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Akuma (Gouki) | Yes (semi-secret character) | Yes (also as Cyber Akuma) | As a moveset for Ryu | Yes | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Cammy | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Charlie | Yes | Yes as Shadow, secret character | Secret Assist, as Shadow | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Chun-Li | Yes | Yes | Yes and as Shadow Lady, secret character | Yes | Yes | Yes |
C. Viper | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Dan | No | Yes | No | Yes | Cameo | Unconfirmed |
Dhalsim | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Guile | No | No | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Ken | Yes | Yes | As a moveset for Ryu | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
M. Bison (Vega) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Cameo | Unconfirmed |
Mike Haggar | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Ryu | Yes | Yes | Yes (as Complete Change version) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sakura | No | Yes and as Dark Sakura, secret character | No | Yes, also transforms into Dark Sakura | No | Unconfirmed |
Zangief | Yes | Yes and as Mech-Zangief, secret character | Yes, also transforms into Mech-Zangief | Yes, also transforms into Mech-Zangief | No | Unconfirmed |
Darkstalkers characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Anakaris | No | No | No | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Anita | No | No | Assist | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Baby Bonnie Hood (Bulleta) | No | No | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Bishamon | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Demitri Maximoff | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Felicia | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Hsien-Ko (Lei-Lei in Japan) | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Jedah Dohma | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Lilith | No | No | Secret Character | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Lord Raptor | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Morrigan Aensland | No | No | Yes (and as Lilith-Mode Morrigan, secret character) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sasquatch | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Mega Man characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Dr. Wily | No | No | Cameo (background) | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Mega Man (original) | No | No | Yes | Yes | Cameo and Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Roll | No | No | Yes (Secret character) | Yes | Cameo and Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Servbot (Kobun) | No | No | No | Yes | Cameo and Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Sigma | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (DLC) |
Tron Bonne | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Vile | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
X | No | No | No | No | Cameo, Support Card and Zero and Frank's downloadable costume | Yes |
Zero | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Resident Evil characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Albert Wesker | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Claire Redfield | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Chris Redfield | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
HUNK | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Jill Valentine | No | No | No | Yes | Yes (DLC) | Unconfirmed |
Leon S. Kennedy | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Licker | No | No | No | No | Cameo and Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Nemesis T-Type | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Tyrant T-002 | No | No | No | No | Cameo | Unconfirmed |
Ghosts 'n Goblins characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Arthur | No | No | Assist | No | Yes | Yes |
Astaroth | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Firebrand | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Princess Guinevere | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Devil May Cry characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Dante | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Lady | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Trish | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Vergil | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Strider characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Grandmaster Meio | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Yes |
Strider Hiryu | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ton Pooh | No | No | Assist | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Ōkami characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Amaterasu | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Sakuya | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Viewtiful Joe characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Captain Blue | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Viewtiful Joe | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Dead Rising characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Chuck Greene | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Frank West | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Steven Chapman | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Star Gladiator characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Hayato Kanzaki | No | No | No | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
June Lin Milliam | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Cyberbots characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Blodia | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Devilotte | No | No | Assist | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Jin Saotome | No | No | Yes | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Ace Attorney characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Franziska von Karma | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Godot | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Judge | No | No | No | No | Partial | Unconfirmed |
Maya Fey | No | No | No | No | Partial | Unconfirmed |
Miles Edgeworth | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Missile | No | No | No | No | Partial | Unconfirmed |
Phoenix Wright | No | No | No | No | Yes | Unconfirmed |
Other Capcom characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Akira Kazama (Rival Schools series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Batsu Ichimonji (Rival Schools series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Captain Commando (Captain Commando) | No | No | Yes | Yes | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Cyber Blue (Battle Circuit) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Edward Falcon (Power Stone series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Felynes (Monster Hunter series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Fou-Lu (Breath of Fire series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Gene (God Hand) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Hideo Shimazu (Rival Schools series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Kenji (Red Earth) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Kyosuke Kagami (Rival Schools series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Lin (Breath of Fire series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Lou (Three Wonders) | No | No | Assist | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Michelle Heart (Legendary Wings) | No | No | Assist | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Missile (Ghost Trick) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Myria (Breath of Fire series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Nathan Spencer (Bionic Commando series) | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Nina Wyndia (Breath of Fire series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Pure & Fur (Adventure Quiz series) | No | No | Assist | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Rathalos (Monster Hunter series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Rathian (Monster Hunter series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Ryu (Breath of Fire series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Saki (Quiz Nanairo Dreams) | No | No | Assist | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Sissel (Ghost Trick) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Sōkil (Onimusha series) | No | No | No | No | Support Card | Unconfirmed |
Unknown Soldier 1P (Forgotten Worlds) | No | No | Assist | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Original Characters
Character | appears in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XvSF | MvSF | MvC | MvC 2 | MvC 3 - UMvC 3 | MvC I | |
Abyss | No | No | No | CPU | No | Unconfirmed |
Amingo | No | No | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Norimaro | No | Yes | No | No | No | Unconfirmed |
Ruby Heart | No | No | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Sonson III (Sonson series) | No | No | No | Yes | No | Unconfirmed |
Ultron Sigma | No | No | No | No | No | CPU |