Capcom has a long history of putting together collections of some of its greatest franchises, and the latest entry in the Capcom Fighting Collection series sees the company once again making great strides towards preserving some of its most pivotal and beloved arcade classics. Hot on the heels of last year's Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection, Capcom is set to release Capcom Fighting Collection 2 in just a few weeks on May 16, 2025, and it's yet another feature-rich compilation bringing together classic fighting games that honors their original arcade versions while updating them with the bells and whistles that modern players would expect. Capcom's Fighting Collection titles are nigh-unmatched as virtual gaming museums, and going hands-on with Capcom Fighting Collection 2 only underscores that fact.
Ahead of Capcom Fighting Collection 2's release next month, The Best War Games played the current build of the game, which now showcases all the included titles' classic offline arcade modes, a robust suite of online and offline multiplayer options, and an impressive and user-friendly training mode on-par with the previous Capcom Fighting Collection titles. The icing on Capcom Fighting Collection 2's cake is its museum of digital artifacts showcasing the character and level designs, coin-op marquee cards, and concept art for the games collected therein. That some of these games are coming to home consoles for the first time in over 20 years only sweetens the deal and highlights how Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is an unmissable piece of fighting game history for genre fans.
New Capcom Fighting Game Collection Includes A Pair of Dreamcast Classics
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 collects eight new titles from the developers extensive history, giving fans another chance to experience them.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2's Games Are a 'Who's Who' of Genre Classics
Not to be outdone by either the first Capcom Fighting Collection or last year's Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 contains another star-studded roster of 8 classic Capcom arcade fighting games, a few of which are appearing on console for the first time in over two decades. As evidenced by the collection's artwork from renowned SNK and Capcom artist Toshiaki Mori, who goes by the more widely known pen name Shinkiro, the two stars of Capcom Fighting Collection 2 are arguably Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro and its sequel, Capcom vs. SNK 2. These two marquee titles are joined by another pair of Capcom classics that haven't received a port since the PSP, with both Power Stone and its sequel, Power Stone 2, included among Capcom Fighting Collection 2's 8 titles.
Notably, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 feels almost tailor-made to honor some of the more obscure and lesser-known titles in Capcom's back catalog, outside the two Capcom vs. SNK titles, with most of the other inclusions in the compilation qualifying as hidden gems or cult classics with dedicated fanbases but not the same kind of mainstream crossover appeal as Marvel vs. Capcom 2 or Darkstalkers. Titles like Plasma Sword (otherwise known by its Japanese title, Star Gladiator 2) represent one of the rare instances of Capcom experimenting with 3D fighting, and its inclusion in Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a stark reminder of how underappreciated a title it remains, especially when stacked up against contemporaries in the 3D fighting space from the same era.
The same can be said of the Power Stone games, which, other than their original home console ports on the Dreamcast and a collection released for the PSP nearly 20 years ago, seem to mostly be relegated to the annals of history. Their inclusion in Capcom Fighting Collection 2 sees these titles positioned to get the more widespread recognition they deserve as two of the greatest arena fighters to not come from the Super Smash Bros. Franchise. Capcom's previous Fighting Collection titles have done a great job of compiling known hits with more obscure games deserving of a second look, and Capcom Fighting Collection 2 leans into that fully by delivering the two fan-favorite Capcom vs. SNK titles alongside a slew of more original, experimental, and somewhat overlooked games from the company's back catalog.
Balancing Quality of Life Updates with Game Preservation in Capcom Fighting Collection 2
Capcom's habit of compiling and porting its best-known games to multiple platforms has positioned it as one of the leading AAA developers on the forefront of game preservation, and the Capcom Fighting Collection titles are perhaps the proverbial tip of the spear in Capcom's preservation efforts. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is no different, delivering the same slew of options that players should now come to expect from Capcom's Fighting Collection titles by presenting each of its 8 games' original arcade modes in the closest possible format to their coin-op counterparts.
Of course, like the other Fighting Collection titles, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 goes well beyond just porting over the arcade originals of each game. Capcom has delivered both the Japanese and English versions of all included titles, along with plenty of display options for playing these games in upscaled HD or through their original, practically arcade-perfect CRT filters. Included online modes — both casual and ranked — feature rollback netcode for seamless, lag-free play, and players can even engage in a bit of training while waiting to connect to an opponent. Along with these modern touches are several quality-of-life additions, like a quick save function, the option to tie all special moves to a single button for beginners, and full move lists for each character.
Perhaps the best feature included in Capcom Fighting Collection 2, and one that would only be possible in a modern compilation like it, is the game's incredibly robust Training Mode. Players can enter Training Mode from any of the included 8 titles, and within its user-friendly menus, they can seamlessly switch playable characters, opponents, stages, and even the game they wish to train with. Having the ability to select each game's training mode from the main game selection screen is great, but being able to seamlessly swap from one game to another within the Training Mode menu is even better, and it makes the often necessary act of training or brushing up on a particular game both intuitive and easy.
How Capcom Fighting Collection 2's Contents are Shaping Up Ahead of Release
Earlier previews for Capcom Fighting Collection 2 focused on Capcom vs. SNK 2, Project Justice, and Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, which incentivized us to spend most of our hands-on time with the collection taking a deeper look at three different titles: Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro, Power Stone 2, and Plasma Sword. Notably, Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro was originally released for arcades and the Sega Dreamcast as a Japanese exclusive in June 2001 before arriving in the West on the PS1 in 2002, making its inclusion in Capcom Fighting Collection 2 the first home console release of the game in 23 years. Similarly, Power Stone 2 was last released on a home console in 2000 courtesy of its Dreamcast port, and its inclusion in Capcom Fighting Collection 2's roster sees it breaking free of a quarter-century of console exclusivity on a dead platform. But from how these games play in both their online and offline modes, you'd be forgiven for thinking they haven't aged a day.
Power Stone 2 is Just as Frantic and Fun as It's Always Been
Both Power Stone and Power Stone 2 rightfully sit on many players' lists as two of the greatest Dreamcast games, and going hands-on with Power Stone 2 served as a stark reminder of how great the title truly is. Bigger and more advanced than the first Power Stone, Power Stone 2 features some noteworthy enhancements over its predecessor, including bigger, more interactive stages, an expanded roster, and subtle improvements to the visuals that give the title an undeniable early 2000s charm. For anyone who holds Power Stone 2 as one of their favorite fighting games on the Dreamcast, its inclusion in Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is reason for celebration, and it remains the same enjoyable and accessible arena fighter we remember.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2's Inclusion of Plasma Sword is a Reminder of How Underrated it is Within Capcom's Library
One of the more surprising realizations from our hands-on time with Capcom Fighting Collection 2 was just how great of a fighting game Plasma Sword is, which, like many of the other games in this compilation, has not seen a home release since its Dreamcast port 25 years ago. The closest analogue to Plasma Sword would be SoulCalibur, with players fighting on what initially appears to be a 2D plane and controlling 3D characters, until the press of a button reveals that those same characters can side-step and rotate around opponents to avoid incoming damage. Its predecessor, Star Gladiator, was a groundbreaking title for its time and Capcom's first 3D fighting game, and Plasma Sword showcases just how adept Capcom had become at working in 3D in just 2 years. Like the other titles we tried as part of our time with Capcom Fighting Collection 2, only the offline arcade modes were playable (with the online functionality limited during the preview window), but its single-player arcade mode is perhaps one of the better game types of its kind in the compilation.
Capcom vs SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro Remains One of Capcom's Best Early 2000s Fighting Games
Whether you have fond memories of the Capcom vs. SNK titles or are a complete newcomer to the crossover series, it becomes immediately apparent why these titles hold such a high place among die-hard fighting game fans when you dive into their gameplay. In particular, Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro is every bit the landmark 2D fighter as mainline Capcom games from the era, like Street Fighter Alpha 3, and it does enough to stand out as an essential piece of fighting game history worthy of any collection in its offline arcade mode. The key to Capcom vs. SNK's novelty is the Ratio system, which separates each character in its impressively large roster by a power ratio from 1 to 4. Players have 4 total points that they can spend on their team, allowing them to mix and match weaker and stronger characters. This leads to a trade-off where, should you opt for one incredibly strong character, that fighter could potentially need to withstand a 1v4 bout.
What's most impressive about Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro is how smooth and responsive the controls feel in its Capcom Fighting Collection 2 release, with reversals, counters, and combos feeling great to pull off regardless of character selection, and the original 2D visuals looking as detailed and fluid as they did in the original arcade release to showcase Shinkiro and Kinu Nishimura's artistry. Together with Capcom vs. SNK 2, the first Capcom vs. SNK represents both companies at their peak to deliver a crossover title for the ages, and that both games are arriving on modern platforms courtesy of Capcom Fighting Collection 2 potentially makes it a must-have for fighting game aficionados.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 Is Much More Than Just the Games
Similar to the other entries in Capcom's growing Fighting Collection series, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is about a lot more than just the games, even if the 8 titles it includes are its main draw. As you'd expect, the compilation includes an extensive museum chock-full of character designs, promotional artwork, promotional pamphlets for arcade owners, marquee cards, and other digital artifacts that, once again, showcase the artistry of both Capcom and SNK's talented designers. Along with the new artwork for the collection designed by Capcom vs. SNK's Shinkiro, there's the iconic and unmistakable work of legendary Capcom character designer and artist Akira Yasuda on materials related to the Power Stone games, Plasma Sword, and more. And the ability to view these materials at-will or while waiting for an online match means admiring them is never more than a button press away.
Aside from the digital museum that's part and parcel for a game collection like Capcom Fighting Collection 2, there are also several new challenges to unlock, a slew of achievements to earn, and hundreds of potential hours of gameplay for one to invest in either training or competing in ranked or casual online matches. Ahead of its release, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 has established itself as yet another essential entry in Capcom's Fighting Collection series, and its revival of several long-dormant games trapped behind exclusivity on outdated hardware highlights it as an important work in the field of game preservation.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 launches on May 16, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. The Best War Games was provided a PC code for this preview.