Anticipating Marvel vs Capcom 3's New Characters: Disney Buyout Edition
September 01, 2009
Surprising us all, the Walt Disney Company has swooped in to buy Marvel Entertainment, giving the media conglomerate control over key Marvel franchises such as Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four, and all of your other favorite costumed characters. What this means for the future of the Marvel universe is unclear at this point, but where many see Doctor Doom and gloom, I'd like to think that this buyout opens the door for some interesting gaming results. With Marvel and Disney now under the same banner (and recalling Disney's own history with Capcom-developed games featuring familiar animated properties), I'd say the time is coming for a handful of Disney characters to join the fight of the highly anticipated yet completely unannounced Marvel vs Capcom 3. So, adding to yesterday's list of Capcom and Marvel characters that deserve a shot at glory, consider these five Disney creations for your future fighting game needs.
Disney
Darkwing Duck
Armed with his signature gas gun, martial arts mastery, and flashy entrances, the terror that flaps in the night is a perfect addition to the lineup. The aforementioned gun shoots a variety of different explosive canisters to cover enemies in laughing gas, smoke, tear gas, and just about anything else that fits into the gun's barrel. If only there were some way to turn his massive ego into an offensive attack. For added fun, an alternate color palette option should change his purple costume into evil counterpart Negaduck's orange motif.
King of the Terra-Fermies
An obscure character to be sure, this leader of a tribe of rolling creatures from the center of the Earth originates from the comic book adventures of Scrooge McDuck and memorably appeared as the boss of the African Mines in Capcom's Ducktales for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy. His specialty involves rolling into a ball and crashing into those who stand in his way. As a super move, this translates into summoning his many fellow Terra-Fermies to join him in flattening opponents outright.
Gizmoduck
Also originally hailing from Ducktales, Scrooge McDuck's personal security guard offers plenty of firepower in his robotic suit, sporting everything from flamethrowers to blasters to heavy explosives. A helmet-mounted propeller gives him the gift of flight, while his wheel is perfect to slamming into opponents. Press all of his buttons at once for an unpredictable explosive finisher of a super attack.
Megavolt
Part of Darkwing Duck's Rogues Gallery and the hero's proclaimed arch-enemy, Megavolt is the master of electricity and electro-magnetism. Prone to throwing sparks and bolts of energy as offensive weapons, animating small electrical appliances also fits into his talents, meaning that I'd expect to see him summon microwaves and refrigerators for battle assistance much the same way that Resident Evil's Jill Valentine can call on various zombies to aid her in the Marvel vs Capcom 2 brawls. A powerful electrical blast seems to be his obvious super attack.
Genie
Alright, so this nearly cosmic challenger from Aladdin cannot kill. Fair enough. However, as someone once said, you'd be surprised what you can live through. Armed with wish-granting powers limited merely by imagination (and a handful of basic rules, granted), the Genie is an opportunity to call on any number of Disney-related references that, while memorable, wouldn't necessarily stand up as a full complete playable character. Summon a gargoyle, throw Mickey Mouse ear hats as a projectile, smother opponents in a flying carpet... the ideas go on and on. As another character who can break the fourth wall, let Genie run the gamut of the Disney library for our amusement.
Here Comes A New Challenger!
Darkwarrior Duck
In a bleak future where the city of St. Canard is finally free of all crime, in turns out that Darkwing Duck took his vigilante career into a dark overdrive. Armed with lethal weapons in place of less dangerous gas gun cartridges, the terror that hunts in the night is a force to be reckoned with. His heavy spiked steel battle armor is ideal for causing nasty collision damage and providing additional defense compared his more familiar incarnation. Roll out his powerful tank and its side-mounted missiles for a painful super attack.