Marvel vs Capcom 3: Everything there is to know

After 10 years of rampant speculation we can finally confirm that Marvel vs Capcom 3 is indeed a reality. Revealed last week during Capcom’s annual Captivate event by Keiji Inafune himself, the combo-crazy fighter will return to PS3 and 360 in spring 2011, continuing a fighting-game resurgence that began with the universally lauded Street Fighter IV. Naturally the most pressing questions (Who’s in it? How many characters will there be?) were answered with “wait and see” responses, but we did leave with a good indication of what’s in store.

As fun and memorable as it was, Marvel vs Capcom 2 didn’t feel like a comic book at all, much less a representation of the Marvel Universe. Part three is zoning in on a “living comic book” presentation, applying various shading techniques for a defined, unique art style as well as adding signature quotes, intros and outros and other in-game events to drive home the idea that you’re playing a colossal comic crossover. With style angled much more towards comics than Marvel’s movies, the whole experience should be distinctly sketchy – that’s sketchy in a positive sense, of course.

Last year’s re-release of MvC2, which has nearly sold a million units, proved that totally insane juggles and triple-digit combos are just as fun and addictive now as they were ten years ago. That said, the expectations are so high the dev team isn’t about to trot out the same game with a “3” on the box. Capcom told us they’re analyzing both MvC2 and Tatsunoko vs Capcom for ideas on what worked and what didn’t, leading us to believe MvC3 will be some kind of hybrid. Capcom assured us they don’t plan on alienating the base that kept MvC2 alive for a decade and will keep the 3-on-3 fight style, but they’re also striving to “maximize depth and minimize complexity.” A tricky balance, for sure.