MANILA, Philippines — When Marvel and Capcom decided to pit their franchise characters into a massive brawl, the result was a series of versus-type 2D fighting game titles. From X-Men vs. Street Fighter; Marvel vs. Street Fighter; Marvel vs. Capcom 1 to Marvel vs. Capcom 2; these crossover games graced the arcade cabinets and home consoles for more than one and a half decade.

The clashing of the two worlds proved to be a phenomenal success. Hardcore fans, while enjoying MvC2, asked both companies for a sequel. The clamor and hype thru the Internet went on for 10 years. At long last, digital prayers were answered, and Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds was released February last year.

The hunger didn’t stop there. Subsequently, after only nine months upon its release, an early upgrade proved to be vital not only to introduce additional fighters and extra stages, but also to fix issues regarding character balance, glitches and online system problems.

Thus, the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 version for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 was launched last November. And now, let’s check the most up-to-date edition of UMvC3 for the PlayStation Vita.

This latest Marvel Capcom crossover boasts of 24 characters from each universe, plus two downloadable characters, keeping the total roster of 50 unique fighters.

Visually, Capcom made another great work by perfectly translating the sharp graphics and fluid animations of this marvelous game to Sony’s handheld device from its home console counterparts. Sure, there were minor differences in some details and background animations, but this will seem invisible to our human eye once this three-versus-three battle starts.

With massive fireballs, colorful effects and dazzling fireworks all over the screen, the beauty of this high definition masterpiece will surely standout. The music and sound effects were also intact. The Wi-Fi and online functions were included, as expected.

Control-wise, the D-pad, the analog sticks, the standard face and shoulder buttons were accurate, responsive and accessible. The company also takes a step further by incorporating a touch screen control mode not available on console versions.

Now you can perform ground and air combos, unleash hyper combos, activate x-factor or switch characters by simply tapping or swiping the screen. Logically, beginners will find it hard to win versus experienced players, especially in this combo-heavy type of fighting game. But with the help of this touch screen magic, I think it will somehow level the playing field.

Additionally, as an integrated option, gamers can use the PS Vita as a controller to play the PS3 version of the game. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try that function since I only have an Xbox 360 version of UMvC3.

Being a hardcore arcade gamer myself, I never doubted my Xbox 360 version of the game. After all, having my fight stick at home gives me the full arcade experience I crave for, at least while waiting for the games’ yet unreleased arcade version.

But upon holding the PS Vita for the first time (with UMvC3 inside), I immediately felt that ecstatic sensation all over my body. I don’t know if it’s the stylish look of Sony’s latest shining gadget or just my current coolest game, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, becoming portable. Maybe it’s the ultimate combination of both.