The Marvelous Countdown, Day 7: Iron Fist

Shaping up to be one of the more straightforward supplements to the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 roster is Marvel's Iron Fist. He'll definitely be among the more in-your-face characters in the game, with his offense being almost solely close-range melee-based. Highs, lows, and mixups abound once he establishes that close range, but therein lies the problem; he doesn't appear to have any tools to help him get in close. This is where I imagine the challenge will be when using the chi master.

But like I said, once he's in there Iron Fist looks to be one of the strongest characters in the game for opening up defenses and landing the big combo. He has a variety of special moves that can be cancelled into another special moves, up to 3 at a time, but even this should provide a decent mixup opportunity, as some of these said specials hit high and some hit low. It's very reminiscent of Street Fighter's Fei Long and Hurricane Polimar from Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, only seemingly much harder to defend against; even moreso when you throw a low-hitting or overhead assist into the mix. Your goal with Iron Fist will definitely be to get these mixups going, and capitalizing with a full combo once you land the first blow.

Something I'd like to touch on are Iron Fist's various "chi" powerups, which can briefly provide him with a boost in attack, defense or meter gain. I don't think such a thing has ever been done in the Vs. series, but it seems pretty damn cool that he can buff himself (even mid-combo!). Depending on the degree in which his stats are increased and how long these buffs last, a whole new layer of depth could be added completely unique to him; maybe increase your defense when at a distance to minimize collateral damage on your approach, and transition into your attack buff once you land the big hit (or meter gain, depending on how close you are to 3 bars). An interesting new mechanic, indeed.

People may be deterred from using Iron Fist because of his glaring disadvantages at a distance, but to players that tough it out and stick with him, it makes their hard work all the more satisfying. Good luck to anybody using this guy.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 6: Firebrand

"Firebrand? Who the hell is Firebrand?"

This was the collective response to the character's reveal trailer for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Certainly one of the lesser-known , more-obscure additions to the roster (think M.O.D.O.K. or Nathan Spencer), Firebrand looks to be one of the trickiest and most mobile characters in the game.

While many of the existing roster have access to the power of Flight, perhaps nobody can take advantage of it as well as Firebrand can. In the air he gains access to mobility options completely unique to him, and some of his special moves even automatically put him into Flight mode afterwards!

Firebrand isn't designed as a character who seeks the big hit, as his combos don't do very stellar damage. He's meant to be a nuisance to the other player, flying around and dealing damage bit by bit. His aforementioned mobility options look to make him very difficult to block against, so he'll be opening up defenses all the time.

I'm intrigued by his level 3 super; it creates a second Firebrand that hovers around for a period of time. Pressing any of the attack buttons makes the doppelganger do a variety of attacks. I can only imagine the kinds of mixups this can create, or the damage potential it could have with the help of the double.

Offensive rushdown players will probably have to put some work in to master this crafty bastard, but the payoff it could have looks ridiculous. Firebrand is a character I'll need to keep my eye on, for sure.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 5: Hawkeye

In addition to the individual character changes that have been implemented in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, several general changes to the game system itself have been put into play. The most notable of these is the addition of Air Xfactor, and the removal of airdash blocking. The latter of these is a breath of fresh air to zoning players and characters alike, making it harder for characters across the board to approach the opposition safely; it's more risky now, and much harder.

While such a change is certainly helpful to just about every character with a decent projectile, it perhaps helps nobody more than newcomer to the game, Hawkeye. In a roster crowded with mutants, superhumans, superheroes, supervillains and the like, it's a refreshing change to see a normal guy, albeit blessed with uncanny aim.

Hawkeye's game plan is to lock down the opponent on the other side of the screen with his myriad of arrow variants. Poison arrows, lightning arrows, arrow traps- the guy's got quite the arsenal, all designed to pester the enemy from a distance. In conjunction with an assist (preferably one that can cover the vertical space above Hawkeye), and the nerf to airdashing, it's looking to be very hard to get in on him. Hopefully he has low health to help balance out his strengths.

I think what worries me the most about Hawkeye is a particular super of his, whose name escapes me. He fires a single arrow, and in a relatively small amount of time - WHEREVER YOU ARE - you get hit if you aren't blocking. You know, kind of like Magneto's Gravity Squeeze, but only costing one meter? That can't be a good sign.

If you find yourself fighting against Hawkeye, my best strategy would be to try and take advantage of his limited mobility to close the gap between you and him.Once he backs himself into the corner, it might be tough for him to get back out of it. That's when you force a mistake and tear him apart.

Hawkeye's theme is probably my favorite out of all the new characters. It's bouncy, full of character, and just downright catchy. That's all I've really got to say about that.

Hawkeye's not really my playstyle, but I do know a good character when I see one. Any player who enjoys keeping their opposition on the other side of the screen will be looking at this guy when the game launches for sure.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 4: Strider Hiryu

When Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was released, while most fans were overjoyed with the vast majority of new characters, there was also hype for the return of series staples such as Ryu and Wolverine. However, they soon discovered something:

One person was missing.

Yes, it was so obvious! How could Capcom have possibly left HIM out? He was in the first two Marvel vs. Capcom games, what were they thinking, kicking him to the curb like that?! He's like the fan favorite of the series!

...hm? Mega Man? Oh yeah, he's missing too, I suppose. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MEGA MAN

That's right, techno-ninja extraordinaire Strider Hiryu makes his triumphant return to the crossover fighting game scene in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. And he looks freaking awesome, complete with his old bag of tricks: tricky teleports, mechanical animal projectiles, the new-and-improved wall cling, and his infamous Ouroboros. It's a beautiful thing.

However, one major change has been implemented that completely changes the way Strider should be played: Ouroboros is now a level 3 hyper. So that means no more lockdown chip damage with Dr. Doom, at least not as often as before. His health is also one of the lowest of the entire roster, so you're gonna have to be more careful in your approach, or you'll likely die in a single combo. Aside from that he's pretty much the same, just like people wanted. And who says Capcom doesn't care about its fans?

Playing against Strider looks like an uphill battle from the start. It's gonna be hard to tell where he'll come in from, and with a projectile assist he's going to be pretty hard to block. On the bright side if you happen to catch him it's not likely he'll survive.

Strider's theme song is revised from its Marvel 1 version; this time it's a little more subtle, not as much focus on the harmony of the piece. The melody is unchanged but the bass got a major overhaul, it's not really as loud or pronounced as before. Fine with me, since when were ninjas noisy?

Popular though he may be, I have this gut feeling that Strider won't get too much (effective) use. His combos look tough and tricky, his tactics are risky, and the learning curve looks steep and discouraging. People might instead opt for a simpler yet just as effective character. Ho-hum, more ninja action for me.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 3: Ghost Rider

Dear Dormammu,

I've waited patiently these past nine months in the bowels of Hell, observing your abilities in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Suffice it to say, I am sorely disappointed in you. As a fellow member of the Flaming Head Alliance, I find it necessary to step in and show you how it's done myself. There's only room for one hot-headed badass in this game, and if you can't pull it off, step aside. (ps. you owe me 5 bucks)

And so, Ghost Rider donned his leather jacket, hopped on his bike and rode into Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, toting his trusty whip and what looks to be a pretty unique playstyle. While most characters that shine from a safe distance rely on their projectile output, Ghost Rider doesn't have to, as his whip goes pretty much fullscreen. He can even perform full combos from a mile away! Your goal will surely be to keep the opposition away from you, because Ghost Rider's close-range options leave something to be desired.

Not that he's without his useful moves up close; he's got a flaming pillar (and 2 supers) that can OTG, and a command grab level 3 hyper, his trademark Penance Stare. It's just that outside of combos Ghost Rider will be looking to create breathing room, and once the enemy is in close, it might be hard to get them back out. Only time will tell.

If you're facing Ghost Rider, it will probably be on point. I'm sure that any projectile assist (Hidden Missiles comes to mind) will be a large boon to his keepaway game, and maybe a get-off-me assist like Haggar's lariat can help create some space defensively. In the right hands, we could be looking at the next Dhalsim. Dhalsim pisses me off.

When I write these articles, I generally leave the song in question on repeat for the entirety of it. Ghost Rider's theme somehow hasn't grown stale yet; I just love that guitar, and the screams here and there are a good fit for the character.

I don't think Ghost Rider will be an easy character to play, but he's going to be hard to deal with as well.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 2: Nemesis

Threatening to take Albert Wesker's throne as Resident Evil badass, Nemesis enters the fray of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with a vengeance, tying Street Fighter for most Capcom representations in the game (4 [Jill is DLC, she still counts]). This hulking goliath looks to fit in with the tankier characters in the game, such as Haggar, Hulk and Thor. He's got plenty of tools to set him apart from the pack, though, most notably of which is his gigantic freaking bazooka; sure, Hulk's got his Gamma Wave projectile, and Thor has the Mighty Spark beam, but did those really work as ranged options? Nemesis looks perfectly capable of holding his own at a distance, but make no mistake, he's an in-your-face nightmare.

His Tentacle Grab attacks are what scare me the most; unlike the other grapplers' respective command grabs, Nemesis' go nearly fullscreen, making his job of landing the big hit into a full combo that much easier. Combined with his ability to create reset opportunities with his other special moves, he is certainly a character you'll want to stay away from. FAR away.

I'm guessing that the best way to deal with the big lug is to zone him out with projectiles, or assuming you don't have that option, take advantage of his sluggish attacks and strike the first blow. Nemesis' plethora of HP and potential to do good damage without spending any meter lead me to believe that most players will use him on point. This means that he'll likely be backed up by assists that shore up his limited bazooka options, which will even make keeping him at bay difficult. Capcom wasn't kidding when they said they created a monster.

His theme from the game does a good job recreating that HOLY FUCK WHAT IS THAT THING AND WHY IS IT WALKING TOWARD ME feeling that Nemesis gave players back in Resident Evil 3. It's a hard-hitting, mostly bass-oriented piece, with some odds and ends thrown in to make it more creepy. It even has a little dubstep in there for fans of the wubwub. A good track, sure, but when you hear it it means that you're dealing with a Nemesis player.

I have a hunch that we'll be seeing plenty of this thing online. Faaaaantastic.

The Marvelous Countdown, Day 1: Dr. Strange

With the (second) release of Capcom's tertiary installment in their action-packed fighting game series, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, looming over us, I thought it would be a nifty idea to celebrate the occasion by highlighting each new character before the game is released, albeit via their theme song and my opinions. And by that, I mean that the idea was thrust upon me by forces unknown and I liked it enough to roll with it. BUT I DIGRESS

12 days till launch. 12 new characters. 13 new themes. Let's do this shit.

To kick things off we'll talk about Dr. Strange. The sorcerer supreme (whom I know almost nothing about, to be honest) looks to be one of the most tricky characters in the game, both learning how to use and fighting against him. He looks capable of keeping the opposition at bay with a variety of sneaky glyphs and projectiles, and when things get too hairy he has teleport options for mounting an offense or flat-out getting out of there. Combine this with an assist and Dr. Strange could be one of the most hard-to-block characters in the game, as well as a great point character for a zoning-based team. His combos appear tough and tricky, complete with crumples, unwieldy OTGs and relaunches. Characters that hope to outgun Strange in a firefight need not apply; he's got a hyper that counter projectiles and fires back with a fullscreen beam of his own, making the only effective tactic to rush him down. He has ways of dealing with this.

While the learning curve looks high for the good doctor, so does the payoff. I don't plan on using the guy myself, but somebody is sure to. I just hope that person stays the hell away from me.

Strange's theme captures that eerie mystique that the character is known for through the subtle use of bells and chants. The guitar riffs provide a sharp contrast to the mix, and are nicely accompanied by the orchestral elements of the piece. Overall it's a perfect fit to both the game and the genre it occupies.

Now if only everybody played Dr. Strange on point so I can hear this a lot in-game.