Marvel Vs Capcom 2’s Iconic Designs Beat Every Marvel Game

None of the Marvel games have taken their characters to the level of vibrance and uniqueness as Capcom’s Marvel vs. Capcom 2. A 2D fighting game developed and published by Capcom, Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes first released in arcade cabinets in Japan and was subsequently ported to the United States in 2000. Known for its fast-paced gameplay and refined battle system, it featured characters across the Capcom and Marvel libraries. However, while its gameplay was solid, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 shined through the most when it came to its artistic approaches and its interpretation of Marvel’s heroes.

Crafted by legendary illustrator and character designer Bengus, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 brought a contemporary twist to the Marvel pantheon of heroes. This approach contrasts to other games like Marvel’s Avengers and Marvel’s Spider-Man, which have adopted a more realistic aesthetic. Moreover, the backgrounds in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and most visual effects are rendered in 3D while characters were animated in a traditional 2D style. This approach not only made Marvel vs. Capcom 2 the first game in its franchise to have 2.5D graphics, but also made Bengus’ designs stand apart from other interpretations of Marvel’s characters.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 2‘s visual balance makes the game stand out from other Marvel games. Bengus’ style makes Marvel vs. Capcom 2 look unique compared to other Marvel games, blending the aesthetics of Marvel’s 90s-era comics with a Manga-style focus. Rather than shying away from the color palette of the comics, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 makes the characters more visually striking. The influence of popular 90s artists like Jim Lee, Erik Larsen, and Todd McFarlane can also be seen when it comes to the game’s characters.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 2’s Colorful Designs Embrace The Comics

While other modern Marvel games to feature the Avengers’ characters and X-Men have largely brought their characters into dark color palettes and grading, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 opts for more contrast and vibrant colors. This stylized approach suits the game perfectly. The style complements the 2D sprites causing the characters to stick out from the 3D background, further underlining the color palettes and vibrancy.

This works in conjunction with the design of each character in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Just like other Marvel games, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 drew inspiration from the source material while putting its own twist on it. As a result, Bengus’ designs underline the spirit of each of the Marvel characters – in particular Spider-Man, Venom, and the X-Men – only this time from a perspective heavily influenced by Japanese art.

The Marvel characters in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 are as iconic as they get, and Bengus’ work reimagining them is still impressive. While very much in tune with Marvel’s comics from the 1990s, Bengus’ art adds another layer of flare to them, bringing them more in line with Street Fighter‘s traditional aesthetic while still retaining each character’s silhouette and personality. This kind of comic book-oriented approach has been seen less frequently in recent years, with most superhero titles adopting a more realistic aesthetic, but that only makes Marvel vs. Capcom 2 all the more unique.

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