Introduction

Marvel VS Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes is a crossover, tag-team fighting game developed by Capcom, and released on January 23, 1998, developed for the CPSII Arcade board. It is the third game in the Marvel VS Capcom video game franchise, and the fifth overall Marvel fighting game developed by Capcom, serving as the sequel to Marvel Super Heroes VS Street Fighter. The game features a playable roster of 21 characters and 22 assists, split (mostly) evenly between the two companies. Much like its predecessors, and unlike the games that came after it, MVC1 features 2-VS-2 tag-team fighting gameplay, rather than the 3-VS-3 gameplay the series is well known for. In addition to this, assists are no longer teammate based, but rather based on a separate roster of characters who each have a unique function, distinguishing them from the playable roster. MVC1 also added the additional feature of Duo Team Attacks, where both player characters come out to attack for a limited period of time until their meter runs out, distinguishing it from the team supers of future Marvel games.

Marvel VS Capcom EX Edition, as it is known in Japan, is the PlayStation 1 port of the game. It is considered inferior to the arcade version for the reason that it removes the tag-team mechanic altogether. While it offers a mode under the name of "Cross Over" mode to give tag-team functionality, teams must be identical to one another in this mode, serving as a compromise to the PS1's small memory size. Therefore, the arcade version is vastly preferred over the PS1 port.

Community Links

RedGGPO : https://redggpo.com A newer alternative to fightcade with better emulation.
Discord RedGGPO : https://discord.gg/fkdY65N Official RedGGPO discord for matchmaking and platform discussion.
FightCade : https://www.fightcade.com An online plateform for arcade gaming, where people gather to play online and chat about the game.
Discord MVC1 Group : https://discord.gg/NFGqcXD A Discord group useful for finding people to play Fightcade games with.

Notation

(OR what smashing all those buttons and twirling that stick actually does!) Some abbreviations first: (Hopefully this doesn't get too confusing)

JP/LP - light punch SP/MP - medium punch FP/HP - hard punch SK/LK - light kick FK/MK - medium kick RK/HK - hard kick

PP - means press any two punch buttons KK - means press any two kick buttons

F - forward

B - back

U - up

D - down

QCF - Quarter circle forward meaning roll the stick from D to DF(down forward) to F

QCB - Quarter circle back meaning roll the stick from D to DB(down back) to B

HCF - Half circle forward meaning roll stick B, DB, D, DF, F

HCB - Half circle back meaning roll stick F, DF, D, DB, B

SPD - quick 270 degree motion with stick. I find the easiest way to do this motion is F, DF, D, DB, B, UB(up back).

FTD - Front to down means do what it says

BTD - Back to down means B, DB, D

DP - Means F, D, DF

CDU - means hold D/DB/DF for a bit(time varies) and then go U

CBF - means hold B/DB/UB for a bit(time varies) and then go F

Are you guys figuring out this abbreviation thing yet?

Game Mechanics

Dashing: B/Fx2:

A slight dash across the screen for offensive or defensive purposes. Some characters have an air-dash.

Super Jump: D then U or Kx3:

A more extended jump with higher verticality.

Switch Fighters: HP + HK:

This will only work, though, if your secondary fighter still has some energy left in their Health Meter. When you switch, the secondary character comes flying in from behind you. They start at the top of the screen and attack your opponent, coming down at them at an angle. Your secondary character is vulnerable at this time.

As soon as your secondary character lands, they'll do a quick little "taunt" thingee to sort of "announce" their arrival and then prepare to fight. You are also vulnerable at this time, so switch wisely. Once this is done, your secondary fighter becomes your active fighter,and the previous fighter becomes your secondary.

When one fighter completely loses their Health Meter, they are "dead" and your other fighter jumps in, to finish the fight... alone.

Tech-Throws: F + MP + HP before you get thrown:

Throws are in this game, and I'm pretty sure everybody's got one, whether it's a "true" throw, or some kind of hold. You can lighten the damage that throws take away by Tech. Hitting out of them.

Dual Team Attack: QCF + HP + HK (requires 2 levels):

You can evoke a Hyper Combo, where both of your characters (if they're both still alive) come in and blast the opponent with their Hyper Combos.

Dual Combination Attack: QCB + HP + HK (requires 2-3 levels):

If both characters on the team are still alive, they both have a chance to go in at the same time for a short amount of time. During that time, the player controls both characters and has infinity meter until time runs out.

Guest Character: MP + MK:

Before the match starts, you're given the chance to choose a Guest Character for a limited amount of times during the match. Each Guest Character has their own way of attacking during the match.

Push Block: Px3 while blocking:

Every character can do a push block when they block while they're blocking. Doing this, you'll quickly give your opponent a push back so that they're out of range. This can be pretty useful when you have a quick character who's really "picking on you."

Variable Counter: B, D, DB + HP + HK (requires 1 level):

Your teammate (if they're still alive) will come in and help you out by smacking your opponent with one of their moves. After a Variable Counter, the teammate that helped out will be left fighting.

Helpers

There are 20 helper characters with 2 secret helper characters that I know of but there are probably more. Just push a button during the helper select screen and you get whichever helper the random selector was on. There is a limited amount of times you can use each helper which is dependent on how useful they are. Helpers are very useful in creating distractions among other things. You can easily connect many supers after a helper connects too. It is important to note that all helpers can be knocked away if hit. All attacks from helpers take chipping damage.

Unknown Soldier - Forgotten World
He shoots out some beams at your opponent covering most of the bottom half of the screen.

Tia - Capcom Mascot
She makes a whole bunch of dice rain down as far behind your character as possible.
The worst helper in my opinion.

Anita - Darkstalkers
Her disembodied doll heads float around her as she walks forward, making a shield of sorts.
Eventually, she will release her doll heads forward.

Lou - Chariot
He's an elf that shoots several arrows and flame at your opponent.

Michelle Heart - Wings of Ales
She appears on the same level as the opponent and shoots beams in three directions.

King Arthur - Ghouls n Goblins
He throws lances at your opponent. The fun part is that if he gets hit, he loses his armor!

Saki - Nigiirochou no Kiseki
She shoots a laser at your opponents.

Ton-Fu - Strider
She does a long range kick in the middle of the screen

Devilot - Cyberbots
She comes in on a mech which self-destructs after a LONG time.
It's unblockable though so use her in cornering!

Psylocke - X-Men
She does a Psi-Thrust super on your opponent.

Iceman - X-Men
Makes a whole bunch of ice blocks fall onto the screen.

Cyclops - X-Men
Optic blasts his opponent. Uses his low(jab) optic blast.

Thor - Marvel Comics
Shoot lightning at his opponent.

Storm - X-Men
She throws out a vertical typhoon a bit in front of you.

Jubilee - X-Men

Shoots out several firecrackers at different angles that slightly track the opponent, pops her gum and leaves!

Juggernaut - X-Men
Comes barreling toward the opponent, doing a weak version of his Juggernaut Headcrush.
Fills the entire screen.

Rogue - X-Men
She does her rushing punch special from XSF.
Starts from the middle of the screen and moves diagonally upward.

Colossus - X-Men
Shoulder charges the opponent. I hate this guy. I really wish Capcom has left him out.
5 frigging uses!

Magneto - X-Men
Throws out an EM disrupter.

US Agent - MSH vs SF
Does a Charging Star across the screen.

Secret Helpers:
To get the secret helpers push start and the corresponding buttons before the helper select screen pops up.

Shadow - MSH vs SF
Does his Somersault Super move(the one where he does three flash kicks).
Good anti-air.

Sentinel – XCOTA
Flies across the screen and physically attacks the opponent.
Mostly fills the entire screen.

How To Get Your Helper:

The Helper Select grid is labeled from 1 to 20 from left to right, top to bottom.

Shadow and Sentinel are 21 and 22, respectively. For instance, say you want Ton-Pooh.

Since she is the first square on the 2nd row, her number is 5. To select her, before the Helper Select gird appears. Simply hold down FP and JP, since 4 + 1 = 5.

Below is the compilation of what buttons to use for selecting the character.

JP = 1

SP = 2

FP = 4

SK = 8

FK= 16

RK = 32?

01 Unknown Soldier: JP + START
02 Lou: SP + START
03 Arthur: JP + SP + START
04 Saki: FP + START
05 Ton-Pooh: JP + FP + START
06 Devilot: SP + FP + START
07 Anita: JP + SP + FP + START
08 Pure and Fur: SK + START
09 Michelle Hart: SK + JP + START
10 Thor: SP + SK + START
11 Cyclops: JP + SP + SK + START
12 Magneto: SK + FP + START
13 Storm: JP + FP + SK + START
14 Jubilee: SP + FP + SK + START
15 Rogue: JP + SP + FP + LK + START
16 Psylocke: FK + START
17 Juggernaut: JP + FK + START
18 Iceman: SP + FK + START
19 Colossus: JP + SP + FK + START
20 U.S. Agent: FP + FK + START
21 Shadow: JP + FK + FP + START
22 Sentinel: SP + FK + FP + START

Basic Strategy

MAGIC SERIES

One of the things that makes MvC stand out (good or bad) from other fighting games is the so called "Magic Series" of each fighter. This is the ability of each fighter to link their attack buttons together while attacking.

To do the series though, you have to connect with the first hit. It doesn't matter if the opponent is blocking or not. Each fighter has a ground, jumping, and super jumping magic series.

For example: Strider's ground magic series is the Hunter series. This means that on the ground, he can link all six buttons (or any other combination) together while attacking his opponent. So if he was on the ground and hitting Ryu, he could hit JP, SK, SP, FK, FP, RK. Or he could skip a few and do JP, FK, FP, RK. However, he can not cycle backwards through the buttons such as JP, FK, SP. He can only, on the ground, go from punch to kick and only by increasing strength. I really hope this is understandable as this is essential to being a good player at this game. Here are the Magic Series I know of although I'm not sure if they are all in MvC:

1) Hunter Series: defined above

2) Weakest to Strongest:

Basically, you can link a weak(JP or SK) to medium(SP or FK) to strong(FP or RK).

Remember, you can also just do JP - RK or FK - FP. You don't have to do all the buttons.

3) Weakest to Any: Able to link a weak(JP or SK) to one button of stronger strength.

4) Punch to Kick: Shuma Gorath had this ground series in MSHSF.

You can only do, one punch of any strength to one kick of any strength.

Venom has this ground magic series.

5) Kick to Punch: I think Blackheart had this in MSHSF.

Other then that, I haven't seen anybody else with this series.

6) None: Characters, like Dan in MSH, have no ground magic series.

You can't link any buttons together.