The publishers at Capcom have been on a retro kick as of late, bringing back a number of old-school favorites for a new generation to enjoy. There’s the Mega Man X Legacy Collection games, along with Okami HD and the returning Onimusha Warlords, among others. But Capcom Beat-Em-Up Bundle literally came out of nowhere.
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It was announced a couple of weeks ago during Nintendo Direct and then dropped on us like a shot just a few days later. And that’s a shocker, because if this had been announced back at E3, it would’ve built up a hell of a lot more anticipation. All the same, though, we’re glad it’s here, even with mild blemishes that get in the way of beat-em-up perfection.
The collection consists of seven classic favorites that you remember from the arcade days of old. This includes Final Fight, a game that helped push the genre to new heights; along with other favorites like Warriors of Fate, King of Dragons, Knights of the Round and the oddball Captain Commando. In addition, there are two CPS2-powered games that have never seen a home release before, in the form of Armored Warriors and the even more bizarre Battle Circuit, in which you can select a character with a battle ostrich. You know, if that’s your thing.
Each of the games are represented right down to their original arcade coding, and you can even select between American and Japanese versions if you prefer. That kind of authenticity is cool, though the screen filter feature we’ve seen in previous releases is nowhere to be found. You stick with the default presentation with wallpapers on the side and, well, that’s about it. A mild disappointment, but at least everything is still easy to see.
Some folks may be sad that some of their favorite brawlers didn’t make the cut, mainly due to licensing. Yes, Alien vs. Predator would’ve been incredible, along with the Dungeons and Dragons games, which Capcom previously released with the Chronicles of Mystara collection for PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U. But those are minor nitpicks, as the seven titles included here provide enough variety to give you your $20 worth.
Great Gameplay and Multiplayer (Except For…)
The gameplay for each of the titles are perfectly recaptured. For instance, Captain Commando‘s penchant for using weapons and robot suits to level opponents is still intact; and King of Dragons has great reliance on projectiles and/or distant melee strikes. And Armored Warriors and Battle Circuit fit right into this collection, with their own wild and wacky gameplay techniques that people are sure to love.
Also, even with the limitations on filters, each title in Capcom Beat-Em-Up Bundle looks great, right down to the little animations, attract screens and noises. The music in King of Dragons never gets tiring; and Knights of the Round has cool themes, too. Plus, who dares forget about the laughs and grunts left behind by bad guys in Final Fight? Not us.
The games also offer both local and online multiplayer, supporting between two and four depending on the game. Local is truly where it’s at, because it’s fun getting some friends together and just beating up everyone. However, online needs some work, as we experienced some stuttering frame rates and sound issues with some of the games, particularly Captain Commando. Maybe the action is too manic for the servers to handle, but here’s hoping Capcom fixes these slight issues soon.
Aside from that, there aren’t too many features here. A music player and detailed gallery would’ve been welcome; and there aren’t really many unlockables to consider, save for Trophies and Achievements for PS4 and Xbox One, respectively.
Still a Great Collection That’s Worth Your Quarters
But the games still speak volumes, and each one remains fun in its own special way. Whether you’re kicking over drums to reveal hot, well-cooked food in Final Fight or teaming up a baby-driven robot with a ninja in Captain Commando, you’ll get more than enough value out of these games. And you have unlimited continues, so you can play all night without spending any extra quarters.
While not the company’s ultimate compilation, Capcom Beat-Em-Up Bundle is a worthy purchase thanks to its game selection, entertaining gameplay and multiplayer options. Again, it’s got some work that could be done with it, but there’s more than enough here that works; and there’s potential in the future to offer even more titles. I could imagine a second Beat-Em-Up package that includes some licensed favorites, like Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs and, yes, Alien vs. Predator. We’d love that, even if the licenses cost a bit extra.
In the meantime, put that roll of quarters to good use and add this game to your library.
WWG’s Score: 4 out of 5.
(Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.)
