Review – Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3

Being confronted by about seven messages in quick succession regarding DLC when turning on UMVC3 for the first time didn’t fill our hearts with glee. Nor did testing out ‘touch’ mode, which amounts to jabbing at the touchscreen in a single place until you’ve won. And the fact we won four fights in a row, perfectly, by spamming a single move didn’t exactly set our hearts a-flutterin’.

But that’s about it for the negatives here – this is just like its bigger brother: it looks just as good and runs as smoothly as before, controls are functional and fluid (though naturally not a patch on a joystick) and the selection of modes – single player, Heroes and Heralds, ad-hoc and internet multiplayer and a few other bits and bobs – offers a full experience on the handheld.

To compare it to the other brawler on Vita, Blazblue (review due on Saturday), UMVC3 is the much more casual choice of the two. While the hardcore fan will definitely have something to keep their attention, the simplified control scheme (as with the original release) and addition of idiot-friendly touch mode shows the market Capcom is aiming for.

Rather than really hurting anything, it actually gives players an interesting choice between two accomplished, though very different, fighting games. You can land a 38-hit air-ultra by tapping the screen repeatedly, but then you don’t have to. UMVC3 is an accomplished fighter on handheld and offers more than enough content to keep you playing a while – though it’s not as deep as the competition.

This is the choice for those wanting a relaxing, satisfying time, while Blazblue should be the choice for those looking to learn and hone their craft.

80%

Review by Ian Dransfield