Game of the Day 3/17/2016: Marvel Super Heroes

[celerystalker]

Marvel Super Heroes is a rather well-known 1 on 1 fighting game frim Capcom that originated in arcades before eventually being ported to the PS1 and Saturn. This isn't typically the sort of game I'd do for a game of the day post; it gets a little pricey, it's pretty well discussed already, and Capcom has done a bunch of fighters like it. So, why?

Well, for one, I like the cast of this one better than most of the Marvel Capcom games, given that it isn't crossed with Street Fighter and it isn't all X-Men. I've always liked the Hulk, and getting to fight with Dr Doom, Spider-Man, Blackheart, and Iron Man is a nice change from the rest of these games. Secondly, I like its pacing. It's less Marvel vs Capcom 2 and more Street Fighter Alpha 2 in that regard, striking a nice balance between speed and technique that discourages button mashing and rewards technical play. Those are both great reasons to like this one, but I just wanted to get to a little-publicized feature in the game.

If you put the game in a console and are familiar with the arcade game, you're bound to notice cuts in animation, ranging from missing background features to idle animations to some moves looking a tad choppier. However, even in the US release on Sega Saturn, expanded 3M RAM mode is optional, much like the lauded import games. If you have a RAM cart inserted, going into the options menu allows a new option at the bottom in which this feature can be toggled. This restores those missing animations for the home version, making the Saturn version definitively better than the PS1. It's a neat feature I stumbled on when I left my RAM cart in from playing the Japanese X-Men vs Street Fighter, and my brother wanted to screw with his controller configuration. It doesn't make it arcade perfect, but it's definitely an improvement.

Anyway, it's just a really good fighter that I've always liked, and a lot of folks seem to not know about the 3M RAM mode, so I just wanted to talk about it, especially after reminiscing recently with my brother, and then seeing Niku-sama mention it in the Arcade Alley forum today. I included a screen of the US option menu to show the option. If only there was a little less slow down...

Any other fans of this one? Know any other US Saturn releases that utilize the RAM cart upgrade?

[Niku-Sama]

I feel I may have had an influence on this.....
be back to give my 2 cents on it


-back-
yes considering the price its going for any more its not worth it. this is a good game but its a good $20 complete game.
I got lucky last year and managed to get it for $4 on the Saturn a day before leaving for Vegas with a TON of other games too so it helped eat into my savings for one of the worst trips I ever had. Thankfully I was able to come back to it and try it out.
I had, for a few years prior been trying to find a PSX version for a good price but failed each time until I managed to nab an import copy for a few bucks. it played well, it was still the game I remembered from my childhood arcade times but it still felt a bit off, maybe too slow or less fluid. when I found the Saturn version it was a why the heck not and after I got back from hell....I mean Vegas, I tried it out.

mind you I'm not a huge Saturn fan, for the longest times I owned 4 systems (2 Japanese 2 US) and maybe 6 games (3 on each). but when I got back and played the huge stack I got at good will for cheap I finally could see what people were talking about
Marvel super heroes on Saturn, even without the expansion pack (because I forgot I had one) was so much better than the PSX version in my opinion. it felt more fluid in the controls and movement on screen and it seemed to overall handle it better.

I'm a huge fan of marvel vs Capcom, a game I have owned since new on PSX and I played marvel super heroes and M vs C back to back on PlayStation and all I can assume is some time in between some one at Capcom figured something out because M vs C on PSX plays just as well than Marvel Super Heroes on Saturn.

a lot of people say the Saturn is the king of 2d and this is a good example of that

[celerystalker]

I feel I may have had an influence on this.....
be back to give my 2 cents on it

You only feel that way because you did. Credited ya in the OP, even.

[Dangerboy]

Anyone happen to have the blue sweepstakes card from the PlayStation version? >_>

[Niku-Sama]

i'm curious now got any pics of this?

mines an import so obviously it doesn't have it.
OH that reminds me i should go pay for my auctions!

edit:
ack! Error Code #50055!

[Steven]

Is it just me or is the sound low on this port??

[bb_hood]

Love Marvel Super Heroes, Psylocke is the best. Thanos as the final boss is awesome too. Thanos in Marvel v Capcom 2 is so much weaker than his appearance in Marvel Super Heroes.

[Tanooki]

Mmmm love that and Xmen vs SF too, had both for my Saturn back in the day and played the hell out of it. Saturn like the DC were the CPS1/2 fighting fans system of excellence.

[Dangerboy]

i'm curious now got any pics of this?

mines an import so obviously it doesn't have it.
OH that reminds me i should go pay for my auctions!

edit:
ack! Error Code #50055!

I need the blue card in this image.

http://game-rave.com/sweepstakes.jpg

[Niku-Sama]

wow that looks really familiar

like I say mine was an import on PSX but i'll check my other Capcom fighters on the system. they might have stuck them in other games too

[celerystalker]

That has the Saturn logo on the card as well... was it only in the PS1 release?

[Dangerboy]

That has the Saturn logo on the card as well... was it only in the PS1 release?

The Sweepstakes was only ever advertised on the PlayStation variant - it's possible that the Sega Saturn version was planned / never done, or had a sticker on the shrinkwrap calling it out. I've never ever seen a Saturn copy with the call out / card / variant type.