battles
Ryu on the Kattelox Island stage. Here, Deadpool activates his X-Factor, granting him and his team increased damage, speed, and health regeneration.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is a fighting game in which players compete in battle using characters with different fighting styles and special attacks. The game features
tag team-based gameplay similar to previous installments of
the series. Players select teams of three characters to engage in one-on-one combat, and can choose to switch between them at any point during the match.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is the first entry in the franchise to feature
three-dimensional character models as opposed to two-dimensional
sprites. However, gameplay remains restricted to two dimensions, resulting in a
2.5D graphical design. The game includes a new "exchange button", which is used to launch opponents into the air, swap characters while performing
combos, and slam the opponent into the ground. Players can use each button to string together attacks and form combos, as well as perform special moves using a combination of button presses and joystick movements.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 also features an alternate control scheme designed for players unfamiliar to fighting games called "Simple Mode". Simple Mode allows players to perform special moves and hyper combos with single button presses at the expense of limiting a character's available moveset. It can be activated by players once per match, and can also be used to extend combos. Each character has their own unique ending sequence, which is earned upon completion of Arcade Mode. Other offline modes include Versus Mode, where two players can fight against each other locally; Training Mode, which features several customization options for training purposes, such as the ability to adjust the Hyper Combo gauge, set AI difficulty, record and playback moves, and even simulate input
lag; and Mission Mode, which features character-specific challenges designed to test players on their ability to execute complex combos.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 includes online play using Microsoft's
Xbox Live and Sony's
PlayStation Network services.
Playable characters Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds contains a base roster of 36 characters, featuring both new and returning characters to the
Marvel vs. Capcom franchise. Two additional characters,
Jill Valentine and
Shuma-Gorath, are also available as
downloadable content. According to producer Niitsuma, character selection was a collaborative process between Capcom and Marvel Comics. Marvel gave Niitsuma and his team precise directions regarding the Marvel characters' designs, but was willing to leave game balancing to Capcom. In regards to characters who did not originate from fighting games, such as
Deadpool and
Arthur, Niitsuma's team tried to "preserve their essence" from their source material and see how they could siphon it into an interesting fighting game character. Marvel also gave Tieri full use of their library of characters for storyline purposes. As a result, several unplayable characters from the Marvel and Capcom universes, such as the
Fantastic Four,
Ghost Rider,
Daredevil,
MegaMan Volnutt,
Nemesis, and
Phoenix Wright, make cameo appearances in the campaign stages and Arcade Mode endings. Characters new to the franchise are
bolded.
Marvel characters Capcom characters ==Development==