Marvel Vs Capcom 2: A New Age of Online Fighting Has Been Confirmed!

After months and months of speculation and rumors, it’s finally official: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 will be hitting the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 as a downloadable title this summer.

Revealed last night (April 27^th) by Capcom, this PSN and Xbox Live Marketplace-exclusive re-release will not only include all of the features of past editions of this title but online play as well. Based off of the Dreamcast code (which is as closest to “arcade perfect” as console renditions go), Marvel vs Capcom 2 will also contain HD widescreen support, new volume and sound options (such as the ability to use custom soundtracks – who wouldn’t want to hear “Wanna Take You For a Ride”, though?), and every character and option will be unlocked from the get go. I’m especially joyful about that last update, as I’ve already spent a countless hours playing Marvel vs Capcom 2 on the PS2 and having to unravel everything again would be overkill, to say the least.

Even more intriguing is that this announcement has already affected the values of PS2 and Xbox editions of this title. Previously two of the most expensive titles for their respective consoles, the prices for these out of print games have plunged since the announcement of the superior downloadable update last night. Good thing I unloaded my copy of the PS2 edition awhile back for nearly 100 gorgeous dollar bills. Now I just have to wait two more months for online 2D fighting perfection.

A Lazy Saturday Afternoon Is Chock Full of 360 Rumors and News

Ahh, the weekend is finally here. After a long, grueling week of work and other "responsibilities", I've finally found some time to get back to my good ol' gaming blog again. However, while this Saturday afternoon may be a lazy one, this post will not be, as it's chock full of the most noteworthy news and rumors for the Xbox 360 currently making waves 'round the internet.

First, I'd like to talk about Marvel vs Capcom 2. Originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000 and later ported to the PS2 and Xbox over two years later, all versions of this excellent 2D fighter have been long out print. Due to the quality of this title (it's easily among the greatest and most addictive fighters of all time) and obscurity of it (Capcom no longer owns the rights to use the Marvel license, thus they are not legally able to give it a reprint), Marvel vs Capcom 2 has been fetching over $60 on the Dreamcast and Xbox and more than $100 on the PS2 as of late. This makes Marvel vs Capcom 2 one of the most valuable and sought after console titles currently on the market.

Rumors have it that Capcom may be re-releasing this infinitely-playable 2D fighter on both Xbox Live and PSN for an estimated cost of $15-$20 (after the points conversion). Not only has the ESRB rated it for both of the HD consoles, an Xbox 360 Achivements website has released an apparent list of achievements for the game.

Two loopholes stand out here, however. Not only has Capcom never re-acquired the Marvel license, but the achievements website that posted this may very well be the work of a jokester tricking gamers into believing a hoax. Also, the ESRB has rated games in the past that have never been released to the market.

Gamers may very well keep speculating on Capcom's legendary fighter coming to the current gen, but it would be wise not to bet any money on it until a major source (or even Capcom themselves) confirm this.

In other news, the March 2009 NPD sales figures have been announced, and Resident Evil 5 has debuted at the top of charts. Selling almost a million units on the 360 alone, the latest entry in the long-running series beat out even Pokemon Platinum for the DS. Didn't see that coming! Microsoft has also re-designed the notoriously aesthetically displeasing Platinum Hits covers (pictured above), and the company is even rumored to be coming out with a new Xbox Live Upgrade (said to be called 'Vip Membership', a level above the current Gold membership). More on that once some concrete info is released.

What a Difference a Generation Makes...

Dinosaur Planet was originally planned to be one of the last big-budget releases on Nintendo's aging Nintendo 64 back in the first half of 2001. Produced by Rare Ware while they were still owned by Nintendo, Dinosaur Planet was posed to push the Nintendo 64 to its graphical and size limits.

Rare planned for this to be a brand new, original IP full of fresh characters and massive level designs (well, for the Nintendo 64, anyway - this was in the age before The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion).

However, later in the year it was discovered that Dinosaur Planet would be altered to Star Fox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet. The main character would be replaced by the legendary Fox McCloud and this project would no longer be seeing an N64 release. This title was moved up to Nintendo's Gamecube due to the N64's limited and expensive development costs (which we could blame on the big N's wonderful decision to use cartridges instead of compact discs) and drying-up fanbase. It would simply make no sense to release such a high-profile title this late into the console's lifespan, so Nintendo was determined to make Star Fox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet a showpiece for their next-gen console.

Nintendo eventually shaved the Dinosaur Planet sub-title off the game entirely and released it as Starfox Adventures in September 2002. Although it was essentially a Rare adventure title with Starfox tacked on, Starfox Adventures would go on to receive generally favorable reviews (as the 80% from GameRankings proves) and become a high-selling Player's Choice title.