Marvel Vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (arcade)

Marrow FAQ
Ver 1.01  (Updated 8-5-2000)

Author: Adrian Au (cerebrate@spacewar.com)

Legal Stuff
-----------
Feel free to download or print this FAQ but get my permission first if
you wish to post or distribute it or any part of it. Do not use any
part of this FAQ for making profit. You got it free, everybody else
should as well. This is my work, so give me credit for it. In other
words this FAQ is copyright 2000 Adrian Au<cerebrate@spacewar.com>.

Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is copyright 2000 by Capcom.
Marrow and all other characters are registered trademarks of their
respective companies of Marvel Comics and Capcom Entertainment.


=================
Table of Contents
=================

I. Revision History
II. Character Introduction
III. Controls
IV. Simple, Special & Super Moves
V. Combomania
VI. Quirks and Other Stuff
VII. Strategy
VIII. Final Words


===================
I. Revision History
===================

Ver 1.0 1-5-2000
A very sketchy FAQ, bare bones kinda stuff (no pun intended). Only
things off the top of my head. Simple Moves, Combomania and other
sections aren't necessarily complete nor correct. 

Ver 1.01 8-5-2000
Yay! First update! Just a few little entries here and there.
Information, suggestions and corrections are still greatly 
appreciated.


==========================
II. Character Introduction
==========================

A new character, Marrow (that's the girl with the bone daggers) hails
from the comic book universe of Marvel. She first appeared as a
Morlock child in the X-Men comic books a couple of years ago. For 
those unacquainted with the Morlocks, they were a band of mutants, 
often with horrid disfigurements, that fled from the modern world 
into the sub-sub-basement of the New York sewers. Sarah (that's what 
she was known as back then) has since grown up hating humans and 
emerged as a brash and arrogant mutant terrorist. Recently she was 
persuaded to assist the X-Men and eventually joined them. She is 
characterised by bony knife-like protrusions, mainly on her back, 
and can pull them out to use as weapons.  
Weird is the word to describe our little calcium dysfunction. Her 
different moves and unpredictability is great for confusing a human 
opponent. All in all she is a slightly unorthodox character and 
compliments almost any team with her speed and combo ability. 


=============
III. Controls
=============

You should know the buttons by now but if you don't I'll put them in
anyway.
A slight change to the six-button setup has implemented since Capcom's
last Versus game. Because there is a need to control 3 characters the
button layout is now as follows:
      _            _            _
     (_)          (_)          (_)
 Jab punch   Fierce punch    Assist1

      _            _            _
     (_)          (_)          (_)
 Short kick Roundhouse kick   Assist2

Strong punch and Forward kick have been changed and are now executed
by a second press of Jab punch and Short kick. This means they are
pretty much only used in combos. 
Since there are only two punches and two kicks I'll use the light
punch heavy punch notation and not mention Strong punch and Forward
kick. I think it'll be less confusing to newbies and gaming veterans
shouldn't have a problem with it. The two assist buttons are used to 
control all sorts of things involving your other two partners.

Control notations:
------------------
LP: Light Punch
LK: Light Kick
HP: Heavy Punch
HK: Heavy Kick
P: Press any one punch
PP: Press both punches at the same time (LP+HP)
K: Press any one kick
KK: Press both kicks at the same time (LK+HK)
A1: Assist 1
A2: Assist 2
D: Down
U: Up
F: Forward
B: Back
DF: Diagonal Down/Forward
DB: Diagonal Down/Back
QCF: Quarter Circle Forward (D, DF, F)
QCB: Quarter Circle Back (D, DB, B)
HCB: Half Circle Back (F, DF, D, DB, B)
ZF: Forward Dragon Punch (F, D, DF)


=================================
IV. Simple, Special & Super Moves
=================================

Stuff to know
-------------
I shouldn't have to tell you what the assists do, what super jumps are
and such, but I will run through them as briefly as possible for the 
benefit of any budding arcade addicts.

Life Meter (Why the hell am I explaining this?!). I'll make it short.
Three life bars at the top. One for each character. You get hit, it
goes down. When it goes down to nothing, your character dies. Same
thing goes for your opponent.

The Super Meter is the large bar that charges up a little with every
hit you give or take. Special moves and combos charge this faster than
anything else. With the right command, you can use up one or more
levels of them to unleash piles of damage. See Super Moves below.

Throws. Usually a close combat attack where you pick up and throw the 
opponent. Most throws aren't this simple but you get the idea. Best 
used against blocking opponents by pressing F or B and a heavy attack.
Throws are nowhere near as easy or effective as in previous games.

Dashes gives a small burst of speed forward or backward and are
necessary for getting a few more hits in or evading them. For a
forward dash quickly tap F, F (learning those notations yet?). A
backwards dash tap B, B. Easy (You can also dash by pressing PP or
B+PP but I just don't bother). Some characters can dash in mid-air.

Double and Triple Jumps are small hops in mid-air that extend airtime
and have great potential for extending combos. Marrow has a Double
Jump. Just tap U again while airborne. Very useful for lining up her
Ride'n Slash.

Super Jumps, like the name says, are jumps which are, well... super.
With a simple D, U movement of the joystick or KK, your character will
rocket themselves up into the air about one or two screens and come
floating back down at normal pace. Basically an ultra high jump. Very
useful.

Push Away Counters are done by pressing PP straight after blocking an
attack. A small circular shield-like effect flashes and you shove your
attacker a few steps back. This doesn't really have as much use as in
previous Versus games but is still handy if you need a little more 
space.

Press any one of the assist buttons and if the corresponding partner
isn't dead they will jump out, do a single attack and jump out again.
This is what most of us call a Partner Assist. Partner assists are an
integral part of the game. They can lay cover fire as you dash in to
attack, they can be a one button anti-air defense (BBHood's Cheer &
Fire!), they can add a few hits on to any attack (ever had 4+
projectiles coming at you?) or you could use them as a human shield.
The attack they perform is decided at character selection. You'll have
to play around with them to work out the best uses of these assists.
The partner assist you choose also determines what they contribute to
the team super.

Tag In's are like tag team wrestling where one of your reserve
characters jump in with an attack, your current player jumps out to
recuperate and the fight continues. Press both weak attacks to switch
with your second character and both strong attacks to switch your
third character. When Marrow tags in she says 'Let me in!', dunno why.
Note that if a Tag In isn't blocked, the victim goes spiraling up and
back down giving you a chance to unload a few juggle hits or OTG hits.
What's OTG? Read on.

OTG hits, known to some people as 'Off The Ground' and to others as
'On The Ground'. It really doesn't matter because you do them while
they are ON the ground and knock the other guy OFF the ground. OTGs
are usually ducking weak attacks (Marrow's ducking LK) but some 
special moves have OTG properties (like Hulk's rockwave thingy). Its 
possible to go from some OTG hits into a launcher and air combo. This 
is the stuff you use to pile on the damage.

Launchers if unblocked will launch (duh!) your opponent into the air
where you can follow them with a quick tap U and hit them for more
hits with an air combo. Marrow's launcher is D+HP. Use these combined 
with OTGs to carve great chunks out of the opponents life meter.

Snapbacks enable your character to forcibly remove an enemy character
from the match (only temporarily though). They require one super meter
and are done with a QCF and an assist button. The opponent fly's off
the screen and is replaced by another (probably corresponding to the
assist button used). Note this is blockable and, quite frankly, not
worth wasting one super meter on.

Counters take up one level of the super meter just to strike back at
the opponent as they attack. I find they aren't terribly useful,
especially with partner assists available to use.

Hyper Combos, Team Hyper Combos and Delayed Hyper Combos are all
explained together under Super Moves below. What are Supers? That's 
just my name for Hyper Combos. I think it came from waaaay back, when 
I used to play Super Street Fighter II Turbo (Gees, what a name!).

Simple Moves
------------
Jab Punch:
  Standing- Extends her fist out. Good for fakeouts and combos.
  Crouching- Much the same except crouching.
  Jumping- 

Strong Punch:
  Standing- Sarah switches hands and does a slash. 
  Crouching- 
  Jumping- 

Fierce Punch:
  Standing- She does a big slash that reminds me of Wolverine. Sorry, 
            there's no other way I can explain it.
  Crouching- Her Launcher. A two handed slash upwards. Good recovery 
             if blocked.
  Jumping- Swings down with both hands. Not much range but this hits 
           hard!

Short Kick:
  Standing- 
  Crouching- 
  Jumping- 

Forward Kick:
  Standing- 
  Crouching- 
  Jumping- 

Roundhouse Kick: 
  Standing- Does a quick somersault kick. 
  Crouching- Spins around on the spot and sweeps low with her whole 
             leg. Good speed and good range.
  Jumping-

Throws:
  Fierce Punch- Grabs the opponent with one hand and quickly grows a 
                nasty looking bone gauntlet on the other. Ka-Pow!
  Roundhouse Kick- 

Special Moves
-------------
Bonemerang: QCF+P
A boomerang projectile. She throws one of her bones but it doesn't 
return to you like a normal boomerang. Instead it hangs around at 
3/4 of the screen for 2 seconds and can keep hitting your foe, 
letting you creep up to attack. Most people see it coming so use it 
for block damage and general harassment. Can be done in the air. The 
LP version swings out horizontally. The HP version curves upwards a 
little when standing on the ground and curves downwards when thrown in
mid-air.
I know CJayC labeled this move as 'Boneerang'. I just think he's 
mistaken and hope he won't ban me!

Towering Spine: ZF+P
Sarah crouches over and lets rip with bone spikes out of her back. An
impressive but basic anti-air move but watch out for the lag at the 
end. 

Ride'n Slash: HCB+P
She says something like 'Gimmie a ride' rather loudly and does a quick
jump. Its pretty hard to connect as the jump goes a fixed short 
distance forward. If it connects with the enemy she sits on their 
shoulders and slashes their face. Looks very cool but easy to see 
coming and even easier to block. Can be done in the air. I'm sure 
there has to be a better name for this special move.

Ricochet Slash: QCB+K
She leaps back and propels herself off the wall into a lunge like Vega
of SF2 (I don't care what anybody out there thinks. To me, Vega is the
clawed Spaniard and Bison is the boss). This is a quick move that will
often hit your opponent unawares. Just don't get predictable with it.

Super Moves
-----------
I think most of you know what Supers and Team Supers are from previous
games. Each character has their own Supers. Team supers are done
pressing both assist buttons but only one or two characters will do
the super if there is only one or two levels of the super meter fully
charged. Delayed Supers is the same thing... with a slight twist.
Whilst in the middle of a Super you can cancel it into another super
from one of your partners. This can be done again to string three
supers in a row. Just do the second or third characters super during
the current one, it sorts itself out. I don't know what the use of
this is yet when you can do a Team Super. Maybe its another way to
switch characters. In all cases, they look pretty damn stylish.

Stinger Bones: QCF+PP
Sarah really outdoes herself and launches whole strings of razor sharp
vertebrae at her opponent. A solid way to finish a combo.

Bone Buster: QCB+PP
Dozens of knives spring out of her back and home in on your opponent.
This can be done in the air and looks like an ideal way to finish an
air combo but I myself have never been able to connect it.


=============
V. Combomania
=============

Now here's the fun part!
I find there are four parts to my typical combo; the jump-in, ground
combos, air combos and combo finishers. The names are pretty self
explanatory but its best if I describe how they link up. 
Jump-ins are those couple of attacks you do as you get in close,
usually by jumping. I can usually do 2-3 weak hits but it varies from
character to character (Spiderman can do 5-6 hits as he comes in).
Once you land I do my ground combo, usually another two weak attacks
and her launcher. From here, I follow with a 4 hit air combo and end
with a combo finisher. Note the combo doesn't have to end here (This
is where OTGs come in), nor does it have to follow this order. For
example, the jump in is optional. You could just as easily dash in and
start with a ground combo. You could just as easily skip the launched
air combo and go straight into the finisher. All parts can work on
their own. It up you to piece together your favourite combos.

Jump-ins
--------
1) LP, LP
2) LP, LK
3) LK, LK
4) LP, LK, LP
Generally any two or three weak attacks as you come down. From here, 
you can go to any of the other three parts. Strong attacks can be used
towards the end but they will push or knock the opponent down. Either 
way you can't continue the combo. 

Ground Combos
-------------
Ground combos are pretty much like your jump-ins, two or three weak 
attacks with one exception, you can do crouching attacks. From here, 
you can go to air combos or a combo finisher.

Air Combos
----------
1) LP, LK, LP, LK
2) LP, LK, LP
This is where the real magic happens. To link a ground combo into an
air combo you must use her launcher. If they're already airborne pull 
off one these right there and then. There really is only one air 
combo series but you can take off the last one or two hits if you 
intend on connecting the Ride'n Slash or Bone buster as a combo
finisher.

Combo Finishers
---------------
1) HP
2) HK
3) Ride'n Slash (HCB+P)
4) Stinger Bones (QCF+PP)
5) Bone Buster (QCB+PP)
Combo finishers are just heavy attacks, special moves or supers that 
knock the opponent away so you can't combo further.


==========================
VI. Quirks and Other Stuff
==========================

Animations
----------
Opening:
Marrow pops out of the sewers, the manhole cover rolls to a stop at
the opponents feet, the manhole itself mysteriously disappears and
Marrow falls into a fighting stance not unlike Spiderman.

Win poses:
Perhaps there are three like other characters but I've only ever seen 
one. 
1) She faces away from the screen and over her shoulder, you can see 
   an evil glint in her eye.
2) ???
3) ???

Losing to time out:
Disgusted, she turns away and chucks one of her bone daggers into the
ground.

Assists & Team Supers
---------------------
Projectile Type (Alpha): Bonemerang / Bone Buster
Anti-Air Type (Beta): Towering Spine / Bone Buster
Expansion Type ( Gamma): Ricochet Slash / Stinger Bones

Costume Colours
---------------
LP: Green
LK: Blue
HP: Pink?
HK: Light Green
A1: Grey
A2: Purple
Only LP is confirmed.

=============
VII. Strategy
=============

Take the offensive. Marrow has heaps of small and large combos, use 
them. Offensively, she's a wonder but lacks defense. It varies by 
character but roughly 65% of all attacks will come from the air. If 
you do not wish to block these, counter with her launcher, a partner 
assist or even a super. This year's Versus game really makes it easy 
for scrubs to win if they choose the right characters. If you find 
yourself up against one of them you'll find they often go all out 
offensive and rarely block. If you have at least one meter of super, 
pick your timing and nail them! Otherwise super jump and attack them 
from above (Be wary of players like Capt Commando though).

Abyss Strategy
--------------
Never use assists against Abyss (projectile assists against the 2nd
form is the only exception). You can use Marrow's supers against all
Abyss' forms relatively safely but I like to save them up for a team 
super finish against the 3rd form.

1st Form: The armoured form is a pushover. Get up close and personal
to do small combos. When he winds up for an attack, block (duh!) and
hit him again while he recovers. In no time you'll get to the...

2nd Form: The green slime form has on very, VERY itchy trigger finger.
He utilises all manner of projectile attacks from flame-throwers to
lasers to big bubbles of goo! Stay airborne and away. Continually 
throw Bonemerangs at him. You can try a Ricochet Slash or two but it 
can be pretty hard to get past the flame-thrower. Whenever he 
disappears into the ground he's going to launch those bubbles. Jump 
and try to stay airborne. Even if the bubbles trap you he can't really
hit you with anything up there. This form is really slow to turn 
around so if you ever find yourself facing his back, combo him before 
he gets you in his sights. When you defeat him you reach the final 
form.

3rd Form: The big red beast. This is where it gets hard. Most
important, blocking is essential. I know its difficult but learn to 
anticipate Abyss' attacks. The only time you can get solid hits on 
him is before he attacks. Combo him and block the attacks. Secondly, 
not only can you hit his beast form but also that funny ball that's 
sometimes floating in mid air. Against this form it doesn't pay to 
turtle all day. You simply won't get the chance to hit him afterwards.
Neither is it good to be overly offensive because you're gonna get 
slammed in all directions. That's about it! Congrats on finishing the 
game but it seems Capcom weren't bothered to create 52 individual 
endings for each character (I wouldn't! Would you?).


=================
VIII. Final Words
=================

Acknowledgments
---------------
Thanks to CJayC for being the legend he is. A big pat on the back for 
Marvel and Capcom. Keep the games coming.
I stand in awe of all you guys and girls out there who have written 
a game FAQ. I now have a better idea on how long these things take to 
get right.
Most of all I'd like to thank Lucas Chang for being so good but not 
having the guts to write his own FAQ, he made me do it. Now I'm 
famous and you're not!
If you want your 15 minutes of fame, help me fill out or correct this 
FAQ. If I haven't already got it, I'll give the credit to you, honest!

For all you math geniuses out there
-----------------------------------
From 56 characters, with 3 assists each to chose from, there is a 
total of 168 different assists in the game. There are 27720 different 
combinations of teams with 27 combinations of assists for each team 
making a total of 748440 different combinations of teams and assists. 
768398400 different 2 player team matchups, 560162433600 if you 
include assist variations. Anyone want to hazard a guess at how many 
different team supers there are? Remember that most characters have 
the same super for at least two of their assist choices and the fact 
that team supers don't always involve 3 characters.

Legal Stuff
-----------
Feel free to download or print this FAQ but get my permission first if
you wish to post or distribute it or any part of it. Do not use any
part of this FAQ for making profit. You got it free, everybody else
should as well. This is my work, so give me credit for it. In other
words this FAQ is copyright 2000 Adrian Au<cerebrate@spacewar.com>.

Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is copyright 2000 by Capcom.
Marrow and all other characters are registered trademarks of their
respective companies of Marvel Comics and Capcom Entertainment.

Contacting Me
-------------
Suggestions, additions and corrections are always welcome. You 
should know this by now but I can be reached at 
cerebrate@spacewar.com. Only contact me in regards to MvC2 or this 
FAQ but I will not send updates of this FAQ to any mailing list. Get 
it from www.gamefaqs.com. My latest updates will always be posted 
there. Permission has been given to http://www.gamesdomain.com.uk and 
http://vgstrategies.about.com to post this FAQ.

Not bad for my first FAQ. Now get out there and slay the opposition!
