2XKO vs Marvel vs Capcom: A clash of tag-team fighter eras

Tag-team fighting games have been around since the early 1990s, but it was arguably Marvel vs. Capcom that made the mechanic popular in 1998. Instead of playing as one character, you could select two and switch between them in the arcades, with both characters able to perform their special attacks at once if a power bar was high enough.

With Riot Games’ 2XKO being in the deep throes of early access since October 7, the 2v2 title has arguably brought back the tag-team mechanic in a big way, as it’s lain dormant in recent years. However, both 2XKO and the first Marvel vs. Capcom title share some similarities. With this in mind, we’re comparing both to see how they differ from one another.

Both games share a 2v2 tag-team mechanic that lets players switch between characters on the fly. In 2XKO’s case, there are air dashes, special attacks, and defence moves that can help players turn the match in their favour, all while using the tag-team mechanic to perform combos that feature both characters. Despite 2XKO currently being in early access, players can use practice mode to hone their skills on two of the 11 characters currently available. Riot Games has also been listening to fan feedback, tinkering with the gameplay of every character to make sure they’re not overpowered.

For a game that came out in 1998, Marvel vs. Capcom does not feature support by Capcom in 2025 by way of patches. Instead, the game is playable via the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics compilation, released for platforms and PC in 2024. Every mechanic has stayed the same ever since, with players able to pick two fighters, as well as be given an assist character that can be summoned at any time. More powerful special attacks can be performed as long as the energy bar at the bottom is full enough, and when tagging, the unused fighter can recover some health. Compared to 2XKO, Marvel vs. Capcom is a more fully featured and established game, especially as it set the standard for tag-team titles.

2XKO: 7/10

Marvel vs Capcom: 9/10

Game modes aren’t widely used in these types of fighting games. Players usually want to get stuck into the game, with the occasional use of a practice mode, if one’s featured. For 2XKO, you get three modes: casual, competitive, or training. With it currently being an early access, you can only fight other players online, due to Riot Games wanting to look at how the title is being played, in order to tweak it further for a wider release in the future. However, training mode is a great way of learning how each fighter works, and can get you ready for those matches when you find yourself up against a very experienced player.

It’s almost an even match when 2XKO is compared to Marvel vs. Capcom modes. You get Vs. Mode and Online modes, where you can fight against a friend sitting next to you, or via the new rollback online mode, which works great. But its Arcade mode is a fun time. Across 10 different levels, you’ll be facing different opponents who get more challenging every time. It culminates in facing the final boss, a non-playable opponent called Onslaught. He appears in two phases, with the final being very challenging, but fun. This is something 2XKO would greatly benefit from someday, as the lack of a true offline mode is very noticeable at the moment.

2XKO: 8/10

Marvel vs Capcom: 9/10

At the time of writing, in 2XKO, there are currently 11 characters, known as champions. With the debut of early access in 2XKO, players can choose two of these to fight as, each with their own unique special attacks, and more. Some of these are also from Riot Games’ League of Legends title, which may appeal to some players.

These include Jinx, Braum, Ekko, and more. There was a danger that all of these would either not transfer over well to a fighting game or would be too similar to each other. But Riot Games has been able to set each 2XKO character apart, thanks to their gameplay mechanics and trailers that have showcased how unique they are to one another.

Even before Marvel vs.Capcom arrived in 1998, Capcom had several games in the versus series already available, with a mix of its own characters like Ryu and Zangief, as well as Marvel characters like Cyclops and Apocalypse, ready to fight. But Marvel vs. Capcom’s 15 characters, as well as four secret ones, which are palette-swaps of existing ones, are very different from one another, more than what’s found in 2XKO.

Here, you get attacks that are faithful to their comic book counterparts, as well as those found in Capcom’s games like Street Fighter and Mega Man. There are also 22 assist characters that can help turn the tide in matches, bringing about some surprising appearances by those not seen in previous vs games. Ultimately, Marvel vs. Capcom wins the character battle here when compared to 2XKO’s roster.

2XKO: 7/10

Marvel vs Capcom: 10/10

Despite 2XKO being in early access, that has not stopped Riot Games from looking at ways to include the title in the esports scene already. At EVO France earlier this month, the game had its first official tournament hosted there, which saw French player Marwan ‘Wawa’ Berthe win first place. It seems like Riot Games wants to refine 2XKO further during the early access phase before we see more tournaments featuring the game. However, with it featuring League of Legends and VALORANT, we wouldn’t be surprised if Riot Games is planning a series of dedicated esports events for 2XKO once it fully launches for PC and consoles.

When it comes to Marvel vs. Capcom in the esports scene, it’s unfortunately bare, except for its second and third entries, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and 2011’s Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Both have ironically seen a recent resurgence at tournaments like EVO and Ultimate Fighting Arena, mostly due to the failure of the latest entry, Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite. This was due to some slower gameplay mechanics and strange art style decisions that put many players off. But the first entry is seen as a legacy title — great for playing with family and friends, but not in worldwide tournaments.

2XKO: 8/10

Marvel vs Capcom: 6/10

Both 2XKO and Marvel vs. Capcom share plenty of similarities, such as a 2v2 tag-team mechanic, special attacks, assists, and game modes. But they also differ in how Marvel vs. Capcom is a complete game and has spawned its own series of games, whereas Riot Games has leveraged characters from its League of Legends title to help give 2XKO some familiarity to players.

For now, we’d rank Marvel vs. Capcom in winning the battle against 2XKO here. Its longstanding reputation, fantastic characters and assists, as well as its dedicated Arcade Mode, is a very fun time, and always has been since its 1998 debut. Despite 2XKO getting off to a great start, it’d be good to see the title appear on consoles sooner rather than later.