Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds - Xbox 360

What We Already Know

Gamers have wanted Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 for -- no exaggeration -- a decade. For whatever reason, it's taken that long for Capcom and Marvel to come to an agreement for the third entry in the worlds-clashing fighting series. In the meantime, Marvel has gone from a popular comics company to a worldwide media giant, thanks to the explosion of comic book movies. Spider-Man, anyone? Capcom and Marvel finally confirmed Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: The Fate of Two Worlds at their Captivate 2010 event, sending gamers into a tizzy.

What We're Seeing Today

Uh, only what I've wanted since Captivate: playable Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. There were only a handful of characters playable here at E3 2010 -- including a dizzingly fast Iron Man, screen-encompassing Incredible Hulk and chest bouncing Morrigan -- but we already know Capcom will do their best to drag out the character reveals until the release.

I'm not a fighting guy, unless we're talking about Mortal Kombat, Primal Rage or Marvel Vs. Capcom. The button mashing nature of all three (yes, I'm actually a secret fan of Primal Rage) is what draws me in. Like guitar, I don't have the dedication for precise, longterm memorization, essential to becoming good at the top-tier fighting games. Marvel Vs. Capcom has always hidden its depth under a deceptive mask of simplicity and Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 takes that even further.

For example, in order to send someone into the air and initiative an air juggle, you press a single button. There's nothing complicated about it and barely anything to memorize, which means I was actually performing air combat in a fighting game, probably a first for me. Everything in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 moves so dizzingly fast, it's hard to imagine anyone could be keeping up.

The comic stylings of Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 aren't just an influence, either -- it's happening all over the screen during combat, essentially making it a part of the action. When I executived a powerful move with Wolverine, he darted across the screen, slashing the whole time and those slashes were actually represented on the screen, as though he was tearing away at the screen.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is simple, brutal and absurdly fun. Capcom, you've got a good one here.