Capcom Fighting Collection 2

A nostalgic punchfest packed with rare fighters, chaotic specials, and that classic arcade spirit Capcom does so well.

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Full Review: Capcom Fighting Collection 2
It’s Punch O’Clock Again
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who button mash, and those who pretend they don’t. If you’re either one (I’m both, depending on the day), then Capcom Fighting Collection 2 might hit you right in the childhood.

I grew up playing these games in smoky arcades and, later, on a too-small TV with a controller that always stuck to the left. Booting up this collection was like stepping into a very pixelated time machine — one where half the fighters are totally broken, everyone yells their attacks, and the music slaps way harder than it needs to.

What’s in the Collection?
This second volume pulls together 10 lesser-known (but still wild) Capcom fighters. Some of them I’d played back in the day, and some were totally new to me — which made this collection way more fun than I expected.

Here’s the lineup:

Plasma Sword (yes, the sequel to Star Gladiator — I’d forgotten too)

Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness

Saturday Night Slam Masters 2

Rival Schools EX

Darkstalkers: The Chaos Reign (unreleased version!)

Pocket Fighter Max

Red Earth Remastered

Capcom vs SNK Retro

Mega Man: Power Brawl

Final Fight Brawl Edition (a mash-up that works surprisingly well)

If you’re into deep cuts, this is pure gold. No Street Fighter II this time — and honestly, I didn’t miss it.

The Feel of the Fights
Gameplay-wise, it’s exactly what you’d expect from Capcom’s 2D fighting era: tight controls, fast pacing, and a bunch of characters that feel hilariously unbalanced.

But that’s kind of the charm. You don’t come here for tournament-level balance — you come here to watch a tiny chibi Chun-Li throw a refrigerator at someone.

Most of the games still feel responsive, especially with rollback netcode in online matches. Yes, there’s online — and yes, it actually works decently. I played a few rounds of Rival Schools EX against a guy from Brazil and only dropped a couple frames. Not bad at all.

Visuals and Vibes
Capcom didn’t go crazy with the visuals — and I’m glad. These games are preserved, not remade. The pixel art is intact, the CRT filters are optional, and the UI is clean without being modern in a way that would kill the vibe.

There’s also a museum mode with concept art, dev notes, and soundtracks — and I probably spent more time there than I should admit. There’s something weirdly relaxing about flipping through old promo art from the ’90s while jazz-fusion arcade music plays in the background.

Personal Highlights
If I had to pick my three standouts from the bundle:

1. Cyberbots
I forgot how absolutely bonkers this game is. Giant mechs, chaotic movement, and that over-the-top announcer voice. It feels like a prototype for Marvel vs Capcom.

2. Pocket Fighter Max
This one’s pure serotonin. The animations are ridiculously cute, and it’s the only fighter where I consistently laughed out loud at the special moves.

3. Darkstalkers: The Chaos Reign
I don’t know how they dug this up, but it feels like an alternate timeline version of Night Warriors. More violent, more shadowy, and Morrigan is somehow even more broken. I love it.

Things That Bugged Me (A Bit)
Let’s be honest — not every game in here is a gem. Saturday Night Slam Masters 2 is clunky as heck, and Mega Man: Power Brawl feels more like a minigame than a full fighter.

Also, while I love the retro aesthetic, I kind of wish there was more behind-the-scenes stuff — like interviews or making-of notes. But maybe that’s just me being nosy.

Oh, and no training mode in a couple of the titles. Not a dealbreaker, but I’d love to practice without getting my face kicked in repeatedly by AI.

Should You Play It?
If you're the kind of person who gets excited by weird fighting games that only ever came out in Japan, then absolutely. If you’re more into polished modern fighters with eSports-ready balance — this probably isn't for you.

But for me? This hit the sweet spot between memory and chaos. I got to revisit some of the strangest, coolest games from Capcom’s backlog, and a few even made it into my “I’ll play this again later” list.

Also, I now have a screenshot of a robot punching a werewolf through a diner window, and that alone was worth it.