Capcom has a long history of putting together collections of some of its greatest franchises, and the latest entry in theCapcom Fighting Collectionseries 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’sMarvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection, Capcom is set to releaseCapcom Fighting Collection 2in just a few weeks on Jul 14, 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’sFighting Collectiontitles are nigh-unmatched as virtual gaming museums, and going hands-on withCapcom Fighting Collection 2only underscores that fact.
Ahead ofCapcom Fighting Collection 2’s release next month, Game Rant 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 previousCapcomFighting Collectiontitles. The icing onCapcom 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 howCapcom Fighting Collection 2is an unmissable piece of fighting game history for genre fans.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2’s Games Are a ‘Who’s Who’ of Genre Classics
Not to be outdone by either the firstCapcom Fighting Collectionor last year’sMarvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection,Capcom Fighting Collection 2contains 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 andCapcomartist Toshiaki Mori, who goes by the more widely known pen name Shinkiro, the two stars ofCapcom Fighting Collection 2are arguablyCapcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Proand 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 bothPower Stoneand its sequel,Power Stone 2,included amongCapcom Fighting Collection 2’s 8 titles.
Notably,Capcom Fighting Collection 2feels almost tailor-made to honor some of the more obscure and lesser-known titles in Capcom’s back catalog, outside the twoCapcom vs. SNKtitles, 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 asMarvel vs. Capcom 2orDarkstalkers. Titles likePlasma 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 inCapcom Fighting Collection 2is 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 thePower Stonegames, 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 inCapcom Fighting Collection 2sees these titles positioned to get the more widespread recognition they deserve as two of the greatest arena fighters to not come from theSuper Smash Bros.franchise. Capcom’s previousFighting Collectiontitles have done a great job of compiling known hits with more obscure games deserving of a second look, andCapcom Fighting Collection 2leans into that fully by delivering the two fan-favoriteCapcom vs. SNKtitles 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 theCapcom Fighting Collectiontitles are perhaps the proverbial tip of the spear inCapcom’s preservation efforts.Capcom Fighting Collection 2is no different, delivering the same slew of options that players should now come to expect from Capcom’sFighting Collectiontitles by presenting each of its 8 games' original arcade modes in the closest possible format to their coin-op counterparts.
Of course, like the otherFighting Collectiontitles,Capcom Fighting Collection 2goes 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 — featurerollback netcodefor 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 inCapcom 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.
Earlierpreviews forCapcom Fighting Collection 2focused onCapcom vs. SNK 2,Project Justice, andStreet 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, andPlasma Sword. Notably,Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Prowas 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 inCapcom Fighting Collection 2the first home console release of the game in 23 years. Similarly,Power Stone 2was last released on a home console in 2000 courtesy of its Dreamcast port, and its inclusion inCapcom 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
BothPower StoneandPower Stone 2rightfully sit on many players' lists as two of thegreatest Dreamcast games, and going hands-on withPower Stone 2served as a stark reminder of how great the title truly is. Bigger and more advanced than the firstPower Stone,Power Stone 2features 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 holdsPower Stone 2as one of their favorite fighting games on the Dreamcast, its inclusion inCapcom Fighting Collection 2is 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 withCapcom Fighting Collection 2was just how great of a fighting gamePlasma Swordis, 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 toPlasma Swordwould beSoulCalibur, 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 3Dfighting game, andPlasma Swordshowcases 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 withCapcom 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 theCapcom vs. SNKtitlesor 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 Prois every bit the landmark 2D fighter as mainline Capcom games from the era, likeStreet 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 toCapcom 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 aboutCapcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Prois how smooth and responsive the controls feel in itsCapcom Fighting Collection 2release, with reversals, counters, and combos feeling great to pull off regardless of character selection, and the original2D visualslooking as detailed and fluid as they did in the original arcade release to showcase Shinkiro and Kinu Nishimura’s artistry. Together withCapcom vs. SNK 2, the firstCapcom vs. SNKrepresents both companies at their peak to deliver a crossover title for the ages, and that both games are arriving on modern platforms courtesy ofCapcom Fighting Collection 2potentially 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 growingFighting Collectionseries,Capcom Fighting Collection 2is 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 byCapcom vs. SNK’s Shinkiro, there’s the iconic and unmistakable work of legendary Capcom character designer and artist Akira Yasuda on materials related to thePower Stonegames,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 likeCapcom 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 2has established itself as yet another essential entry inCapcom’sFighting Collectionseries, 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 2launches on June 25, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. Game Rant was provided a PC code for this preview.
