Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

For the past 20 years, Marvel vs. Capcom has not only been the original tag-team game but rather, the dominant tag-team crossover. The series dates back to not only the first Marvel vs. Capcom game, but to X-Men vs. Street Fighter, a mix up of Street Fighter Alpha and X-Men Children of the Atom. Shortly after, Marvel vs. Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter would follow up and these two games were a smash hit to the point that the next installments would include more Marvel and Capcom fighters beyond X-Men and Street Fighter. Thanks to the success of Marvel vs. Capcom, fans would be treated to other fighting game crossovers such as Capcom vs. SNK, DC Universe vs. Mortal Kombat, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Tekken vs. Street Fighter and so on.

Beyond the novelty of mixing these characters from numerous franchises into one game, the mechanics of stringing together combos and double teams are what makes these games fun and appealing. Some characters specialize in close range ground attacks, while others prefer taking you out from a distance, or just juggle you in the air without any chance of retaliation. The possibilities are endless with its large rosters.

So who are some of the top dogs of Marvel vs. Capcom? Read today’s list to find out!


10. Cable

If you’re awful at fighting games and don’t see yourself progressing in this genre, Cable is the ultimate character for you. A majority of his attacks are meant for long-range combat due to being a firearm-oriented character. Heck, even his hard punch attacks are essentially using a handgun. While he does have generic close range attacks, but even in the comics and animated shows, Cable was mostly a gun guy and this is accurately portrayed in this game for all players to enjoy.

So if you want someone easy to use and have no intentions of mastering this game, you can at least get the gist of Cable in no time.


9. Dante

Marvel-vs-Capcom-gameplay-1-700x394 Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

Similar to Cable, if you want a character that is easy to pick up and be a scrub at, Dante from Devil May Cry is another recommended selection. If you are familiar with that series where it is very combo oriented due to being hack 'n' slash, all of those qualities are perfectly represented in Dante’s transition to this epic franchise. You can use his guns from the other side of the screen, or use his swords for some killer combos.

If you want someone perfectly well rounded, Dante is the man. While you can rely on a small set of his moves for victory, out of all the characters, he probably has the biggest arsenal at your disposal, and his learning curve is relatively much easier in comparison to others.


8. Psylocke

One breakout X-Men character from Jim Lee’s run on the series in the early 1990s that is also loved in the games is Psylocke, the psychic ninja. While she was introduced in the X-Men Children of the Atom and was an assist in the first MvC game, she becomes fully playable in the second MvC game, which also adapts her abilities from the crimson dawn, most notably her ability to teleport. Due to her gimmick of being a ninja, she is a close-range fighter with killer martial arts moves.

Due to these skills, she can make some high number combos for some heavy-duty damage. A majority of her projectiles are pretty much faithful to how she is in the comics by using her psionic blade for her regular attacks and supers, which can be pulled on the ground or in mid-air.


7. Morrigan Aensland

Marvel-vs-Capcom-gameplay-1-700x394 Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

From Capcom’s Darkstalkers franchise, we have Morrigan, the leading female. She pretty much plays like she always has in all of her appearances so fans that have familiarity can instantly use her. As strange as this sounds, if you know how to use a Shotokan fighter from Street Fighter, such as Ken, Ryu, and Akuma, then you can pretty much use Morrigan since players can use her the same way with her button combinations for her soul fist (similar to a Hadouken) or her shadow blade (which you can say is a Shoryuken).

While she is generically similar to the two faces of the Street Fighter series with her basics, due to her smaller frame, she moves much faster and with more agility to easily get to the punch. So if you want to master the basics of this game on a foundational level, Morrigan is strongly recommended.


6. Storm

Marvel-vs-Capcom-gameplay-1-700x394 Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

Another iconic member of the X-Men who we are glad to have in most installments is Storm. Just look up Justin Wong’s videos of when he uses her and you can see why she is a valuable character. While she may seem like someone who is best used for long-range due to her powers from the comics, in terms of close-range, she is one of the best you can get. Her combos are pretty wicked and excellently well rounded to open up opponents to her supers such as her lightning storm for the finish.

She is someone you can either use as a starter, back up or the last restart - no matter what strategy you’re using. If you want to master the offensive, she is the character to start with.



5. Frank West

Marvel-vs-Capcom-gameplay-1-700x394 Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

From Capcom’s newer survival horror franchise, Dead Rising, we have its main character, war photojournalist Frank West. Just like how he is portrayed in Dead Rising, he mostly relies on foreign objects as his primary mode of offense such as bats and wrenches. Also in tune with the humor, he will put on a helmet of Servbot and do wrestling style diving headbutts on his opponents.

Due to coming from a game that features zombies, he uses zombies as his personal assists to keep the opponent at bay in order to set them up for an attack. So if you want some humor on your team that can do some damage, then have Frank on it.


4. Deadpool

Marvel-vs-Capcom-gameplay-1-700x394 Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

While the character has finally come into the spotlight thanks to his hit movie, dedicated fans have enjoyed the crazy antics of the Merc with the Mouth since 1991, and he finally joined the cast of the game in the third installment. While Ryan Reynolds doesn’t provide his voice, Nolan North, who has also voiced the character in Deadpool’s solo game and in other animated appearances still does an excellent job of capturing the spirit of his talkative nature and even breaks the fourth wall.

Pretty much everything that makes the character appealing in all of his other media appearances is masterfully presented in this game to the point that fans are going to instantly eat it up. While he can use guns with his supers, a lot of the fun in this character is when you use his generic attacks for some killer combos. For his regular moves, he even has a Shoryuken as a means of poking fun at Ken and Ryu. And just like in the comics, he has a teleportation device.

While previous installments of the series have done comedy characters such as Norimaro in the Japanese release of Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, no one can do it better than Wade Wilson.


3. Strider Hiryu

Originally from his original platform game, Strider is another great addition to the Capcom side of the roster. He is primarily a close-range character that can work on both the ground and in the air. His attacks rely almost exclusively on his blade and if you ever want to master stringing together combos, along with Psylocke and Wolverine, Strider is strongly recommended.

In addition, if you want to know what air combos are all about, he is your ultimate guide to them. Thanks to his inclusion in the franchise, his solo series was given a comeback to a new generation of gamers. If you have played his original game, how he is represented in the Marvel vs. Capcom series perfectly compliments his original game.


2. Magneto

Marvel-vs-Capcom-gameplay-1-700x394 Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

Representing a great balance of both long and close range of the roster is the Master of Magnetism, Magneto. Like most of the X-Men characters listed here, Magneto was first introduced in X-Men Children of the Atom and his sprites, frame rates, and his attacks are largely from that game and represent his status as an omega level mutant. Like Storm, he also has the ability to fly and juggle opponents in mid-air at will.

Due to his diverse range, mastering him requires quite a learning curve. While you can assume he is long-range, his close-range basic attacks can string together vicious combos that can lead into his supers such as his magnetic tempest, or his magnetic shockwave. If you are fighting against a character that is trying to stick and move, you can lure your opponent to Magneto’s range by using his hyper gravitation or fatal attraction to practically serve him his dinner.


1. Wolverine

Marvel-vs-Capcom-gameplay-1-700x394 Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

If there is one character that has been criminally removed from Infinite but can still enjoy in previous installments, it would certainly have to be the X-Men’s breakout character, Wolverine. How he is in the comics, movies, and animated shows in being offensive and wild is masterfully transitioned to this legendary franchise. He is fast and very easy to pick up no matter what version you play as.

If you’re someone who prefers to fight in close range with rapid-fire combinations with some slice and dice, Wolverine is your man. If you prefer sticking to the ground, you can finish your combo with his berserker barrage. If you enjoy air combos, you also have his weapon x super that unleashes an explosion of energy at your disposal for a more dramatic finish.

In the second MvC game, there is an alternate Wolverine selectable where he has the bone claws as opposed to his adamantium claws to represent his character between the latter half of the 1990s when Magneto removed the substance from his skeletal structure. There are some differences between their speed and attacks to the point you can notice it in the frame rate. Between X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Cal Dodd, the voice of Wolvie from the 1990s X-Men series actually does his voice. Some of his famous nicknames he gives to other people like bub and/or rookie are used in intros before fights, or in victory poses.

For the third installment, he is portrayed by present Wolverine voice actor, Steve Blum, who you may also know as the voice of Spike from Cowboy Bebop.


Final Thoughts

There is no denying that our list isn’t going to satisfy a large majority of Marvel vs. Capcom fans, and you have our full understanding if you don’t agree with this list and that’s cool. Call this an instance of agrees to disagrees. This is probably one of those lists that makes us re-evaluate if we should do top 20 lists in the future. At the very least, we can make some honorable mentions to Ryu, Spider-Man, Cyclops, Cyber Akuma, and Onslaught.

We know you readers have your own personal ideas on who the best characters of this groundbreaking franchise are. So please give us your thoughts in the comments ranking from X-Men vs. Street Fighter to Infinite of who you think truly deserves a place on this list.

Marvel-vs-Capcom-gameplay-1-700x394 Top 10 Marvel vs. Capcom Characters

Writer

Author: Justin "ParaParaJMo" Moriarty

Hello, I am originally from the states and have lived in Japan since 2009. Though I watched Robotech and Voltron as a child, I officially became an anime fan in 1994 through Dragon Ball Z during a trip to the Philippines. In addition to anime, I also love tokusatsu, video games, music, and martial arts. よろしくお願いします

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