‘Capcom Fighting Collection 2’ Is up for Preorder, and Y’all Aren’t Ready for ‘Power Stone’

The year was 1999. Super Smash Bros. had already taken the home console world by storm. But a zanier, more off-the-wall fighting game was lighting up the arcade scene in Japan and North America. Power Stone was Capcom’s answer to the question, “What if we made a 3D arena fighter, but you could pick up street lights as weapons and collect emeralds to go full Super Sonic?” With Capcom Fighting Collection 2 now up for preorder at some retailers, one of the greatest pairs of fighting games may be coming sooner rather than later.

Everyone knows how special the Dreamcast era was. I don’t need to remind you that Jet Set Radio is one of the greatest games of all time. So when I, a budding teenager in 2000, learned that I could download and burn ISOs of games onto CDs (yes, I’m sorry, I was one of those kids), finding Power Stone was like finding a buried Rolex on the beach. Smash Bros. may have set the stage for how hectic fighting games could be, but Power Stone turned it up to 11.

let’s get ‘power stoned’

The first Power Stone started off with a bang. It contained one-on-one battles, taking place in 3D environments. You can use nearly anything and everything as a weapon. Meanwhile, crates would fall sporadically around the arenas, containing swords, bazookas, and bombs. And, to add some more kick to the mix, collectible “power stones” would spawn, transforming fighters into “Super Saiyan” versions of themselves. Unlike traditional fighting games, there’s no blocking in Power Stone. Each fight is an aggressive beatdown until one player falls.

Then, only a year later, comes Power Stone 2. Arriving with all the same insanity as its predecessor, only now, with up to four players in the same battle. Add in more wacky minigames and some ridiculous story-mode bosses. Now, you’ve got the recipe for one of the weirdest, most unique fighting games ever made. Seriously, just skim through some of the gameplay in this video:

stick a fork in it, preorders for ‘capcom fighting collection 2’ means it could be coming soon

On Monday, preorders for Capcom Fighting Collection 2 went live on VGP for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. While that doesn’t necessarily mean anything for its release date, there are reasons to believe it could release in Q1 2025.

Capcom’s fiscal year ends on March 31, 2025, so it would make sense to rake in that sales revenue before reporting. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is already rated by the ESRB, as well. So, it’s entirely plausible that a new release date trailer could drop at The Game Awards on December 12. And, with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves dropping in April, both Capcom and SNK probably want this collection released beforehand.

Sure, I may be crazy about Power Stone. But Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is packed with plenty of undeniable fighting game classics. Capcom vs. SNK 2 will probably be my newest obsession when I need a break from Street Fighter 6. Hah, kidding, there are no breaks from Street Fighter 6.