Today we launch two new characters as DLC for Marvel Vs Capcom 3. Jill Valentine, of Resident Evil fame, and Shuma-Gorath, the “Lord of Chaos, Master of the Great Old Ones, Ruler of a Hundred Dimensions”. So definitely not just a big scary octopus.

Jill has appeared in many Resident Evil games over the years, but it’s her most recent appearance in Resident Evil 5 that defines her as a fighting games character. Which means that she’s FAST, and scary, because she’s being controlled by the device that Wesker has put in her chest. That pesky Wesker! It wouldn’t be entirely inaccurate to say that Jill sits somewhere between Wesker and X-23 in terms of playing style, but I’ll let you discover that for yourself.

Shuma-Gorath is, well, special. A little-known fact about Shuma-Gorath is that for quite a long time, Marvel didn’t want Shuma-Gorath in the game at all. We did, though, so the producer fought relentlessly and eventually Marvel conceded that he’d be allowed to appear, but only as DLC and not as part of the main roster. And so here he is, in all his glory.

And finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to say thanks to all of you who have expressed concern for Capcom staff based in Osaka and Tokyo following last week’s earthquake, and also for your patience and understanding for any possible delay that this DLC might have suffered. I’m pleased to say that all of our Japanese employees are safe and well. Our thoughts go out to the people of Japan and everyone who has been affected by this tragedy.

Thank you.

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If Street Fighter is a game of chess, with carefully chosen strategies played out in a precise and careful manner, then Marvel Vs Capcom 3 is like backgammon. Backgammon starring massive robots with eyes made of rockets that can shoot lasers into your brain, bombarding you with lightning-fast attacks while dressed in skin-tight clothing that would put a glamour model to shame. Roughly speaking.

The Marvel Vs Capcom games, like all of the versus games over the years, have always been more about crazy over-the-top action, super-stylish and comedic characters and screen-filling moves. It’s what sets them apart from other fighting games and gives them such broad appeal. It’s also one of the few occasions a Marvel fan can pit different super heroes against each other, and it’s certainly the only chance you have to pit Capcom characters against Marvel characters (even though everyone knows Capcom characters are the best). Just seeing it in action is probably enough for you to know whether or not you want to play it but, for some, it looks overwhelming and you haven’t really played a fighting game for years.

Here are my top 10 tips for newcomers to the Marvel Vs Capcom series:

1. Take the time to mess around with all the different characters. Some of the characters that have never been in a fighting game before have some really interesting moves, and even characters that you think you know inside out – like Ryu – have something new to play around with. Experiment so that you know you have the right team.
2. Don’t be afraid to use Simple Mode. It may make inputs easier, but winning a game of Marvel Vs Capcom 3 isn’t about who can do the most complicated moves, it’s about strategy and tactics.
3. It’s ok to block sometimes. Honestly. If you never block, you’ll never beat somebody who does block. Not losing health is as important as dealing damage. And since you’re blocking…
4. Use Advancing Guard! It’s easy to forget it’s there as an option when you start out. Just press the attack buttons when you’re already blocking and you’ll push your opponent away. Advancing Guard is a great way to make some space when your opponent is attacking relentlessly.
5. Don’t mash! It’s easier said than done, but if you don’t stop mashing, you’ll never learn how to play fighting games. It’s like that eureka moment when you suddenly realise that you have to brake early in Gran Turismo to get round a corner; that temporary sacrifice of instant gratification opens up an entire genre of gaming to you. And there’s never been a better time to get into fighting games. Instead, learn the basic Light Mid Heavy chain. Almost all the characters can use it to link into pretty much anything. It’s easy to do, and is a good replacement for the mashing that you’ve just given up.
6. Learn the timing for launching. The trick is to jump IMMEDIATELY after hitting the S button. And don’t forget to combo in the air.
7. Don’t be intimidated by Mission Mode. They’re meant to span the entire range of skills a good MvC3 player will have after extended play. If you only make it to the third or fourth mission, don’t be disheartened. You’ll be surprised how soon you’ll be coming back to smash previously insurmountable walls.
8. Don’t rage quit! It will increase a hidden rating you have that increases your chances of meeting other people that rage quit. Which, I guess, is fine if you don’t mind playing with dishonourable people.
9. Have fun! It’s easy to get involved in discussions on which character is the best, and to feel that your character choice is one of the weaker ones. Remember, ‘tiering’, as it’s called, is determined by tournament players, and you might not even be able to take advantage of the things they’re doing with a certain character to make them top tier. Make your choices based on characters that you like, both from how they play and how they look. In the end you’ll enjoy your game more and who knows, maybe one day you’ll become the player people associate with that character. Many players make a name for themselves by playing with ‘weaker’ characters.
10. And finally, always make sure your team synchronise their outfits. Red Hulk with red She Hulk and Viewtiful Joe makes a great team. So does Captain America, Chun Li and blue Iron Man. If you’re not colour co-ordinated, you’re nothing.

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 is available on PS3 tomorrow so grab it and follow these tips to make an early impact on the online arena. Tell us: which three-fighter team-up will you be using?

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Eleven long years have passed since we lead the great heroes and villains from Marvel and Capcom into some of the most stunning fights which have ever been seen in a video game. Now, we`re just a week away from the spectacular comeback of the Marvel vs. Capcom franchise – on February 18th Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds will finally find its way to your PlayStation 3 systems. The game didn`t even have to hit the market to win its first prizes (E3 2010 Game Critics Awards in the category “Best Fighting Game”, Best Fighting Game award from IGN and more) and has already earned some impressive review scores.

But why did it take Capcom so long to revive this popular franchise? How did the integration of all these different and unique characters work? And what is it that makes Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds more than just an HD-Remake of MvC 2? We asked Capcom for some answers. In reaction we did not only get some insights from game producer Ryota Niitsuma himself, but also an all-new world-exclusive gameplay trailer.

Lean back and enjoy the show!

Several years have passed since Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and the game established a huge fanbase. Why did the series almost die and why is it coming back to life now?

Unfortunately, it’s hard to really say why MvC almost died, but since it was originally quite popular, and because there has been a recent surge in fighting game popularity, the renaissance came about rather organically.

I guess it was a lot easier for you to pick out the Capcom characters appearing in the game than it was the Marvel characters. How did your collaboration with Marvel work out?

Actually, since we wanted to preserve the sense of each of the respective worlds of the Capcom characters featured in this game, we had frequent discussions with the people in charge of each franchise, which turned out just as difficult. Marvel, on the other hand, was very respectful of our position—as we were of theirs—and were very helpful in discussing what characters would be popular and suitable for a video game.

How significant was Marvel’s input in developing behaviours for characters that are not specifically designed to appear in video games?

With the Marvel characters, we put a lot of work into replicating their movements, designs, and mannerisms from the comics. Marvel gave us lots of precise direction regarding the character design, but was willing to leave the actual game balancing to us at Capcom. Regarding characters not originally from fighting games, we simply tried our best to carefully preserve their essence from whatever their original source was and see how we could siphon that into an interesting fighting game character.

What makes MvC 3 an outstanding game and not just an HD MvC 2?

I suppose to put it simply, the evolved graphics. We’ve faithfully created all of the characters and stages from the ground up, not just reworked old content from MvC2. You could consider this the next stage in the series’ evolution after MvC2.

Do you plan any DLC?

As of now, we’ve confirmed the decision to release two downloadable characters, but nothing else has been decided. We are considering a number of possibilities, so please stay tuned.

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Earlier today, I posted my interview with thatgamecompany about Journey, the upcoming PlayStation Network game that has an innovative approach to online play, allowing players to randomly encounter each other in-game, doing away with things like voice chat and player profiles in favour of the simpler pleasures of curiosity and human company.

It got me thinking about online play in general. While I don’t want to disparage gamers with stereotypes, I’m sure we’ve all encountered antisocial behaviour on our connected travels, whether is a foul-mouthed teen thinking he’s John McClaine in Call of Duty or a rage-quitter switching off their console after going 2-0 down in a game of FIFA.

My question is: if you were designing an online game, what would you do to prevent all this naughtiness?

I read an article recently about CAPCOM taking an interesting approach to rage-quitting with Marvel vs Capcom 3, in which they track which players are prone to quitting and tries to match them up against each other, essentially created a giant online naughty step, leaving the way clear for the better losers among us.

Or maybe you think that it’s not such a big deal, and that it’s a free world in which you can do whetever you want without the game trying to punish you. As for swearing, well, welcome to the Internet.

Let us know in the comments how you plan to change the world.

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Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds

For more information, visit —

• Website: marvelvscapcom3.com
• Twitter: @marvelvscapcom
• Community: capcom-europe.com

Taking you 4 a new ride in Spring 2011.

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