MARVEL MaXimum Collection Review Summary

Great game selection with X-Men Arcade as a highlight and cheats/save states appreciated, but online multiplayer is broken due to poor netcode and many classic games are missing.

Great game selection overall: The compilation includes an interesting and awesome selection of classic Marvel games, from Data East titles to niche gems like Silver Surfer and Maximum Carnage, offering variety and nostalgia.

X-Men Arcade is highlight: The X-Men arcade game is consistently praised as the best game in the collection, with great art style, music, smooth gameplay, and nostalgic value. It remains fun and accessible, even with minor lag issues.

Cheats and save states appreciated: Features like cheat modes, replays, saves, and rewind functionality are welcome additions that enhance the modern gaming experience for these classic titles.

Silver Surfer plays great: Silver Surfer features a great soundtrack and soft automatic fire option, providing a solid gameplay experience that is enjoyable despite its classic difficulty.

Achievements enhance experience: The inclusion of achievements adds modern appeal and a sense of accomplishment to these classic games, making them more engaging for contemporary players.

Online multiplayer is broken: The X-Men Arcade game, the only title with online co-op, suffers from severe lag, freezes, crashes, and ineffective netcode. Many players report that 6-player lobbies are unplayable and the rollback netcode does not work.

No online for multiplayer games: Only X-Men Arcade has online co-op; other games like Avengers and Maximum Carnage lack online support. Players expected online functionality for all multiplayer titles.

Missing many classic games: The collection omits several beloved titles like X-Men for Genesis, Spider-Man vs. Kingpin, and Wolverine, leaving fans disappointed. This is a recurring complaint across multiple clusters.

Controls and key mapping issues: There is no option to remap controls, which frustrates many players. Button layout is forced, and on keyboard, controls are messy. PS5 touchpad doesn't work for coin insert, and there are controller auto-connect problems.

Games are too difficult: Titles like Silver Surfer and Arcade's Revenge are brutally hard, with cheap mechanics, enemies that read controls, and no hand-holding. This turns off modern players and is mentioned often.

Online multiplayer for X-Men Arcade: X-Men Arcade features online co-op for 2-6 players, making it a fun and accessible beat 'em up that plays nicely in single player as well.

Rewind and save state options: Each game offers rewind and save state features, which help complete difficult games, along with cheats and quality of life options.

Arcade beat 'em up genre: Multiple reviews describe these games as classic arcade beat 'em ups, often side-scrolling, with accessible gameplay.

Silver Surfer notoriously difficult: Silver Surfer is repeatedly labeled as a very difficult and not fun game, often requiring a turbo fire button, though cheats can trivialize it.

Emulator-based ports: The games are arcade ports from MAME and emulator-based, with console games included, and some have different hardware feel.

Online netcode issues: Multiple players report that the online netcode causes freezes, crashes, and poor performance, making multiplayer nearly unplayable. Specific examples include problems with X-Men and Maximum Carnage.

Game crashes on launch: One player reports that the game crashes immediately upon launch, preventing any gameplay.

Offline lag issues: One player reports that the game is laggy and unplayable even in offline mode, indicating poor optimization or performance problems.

Lag with many objects: One player notes lag on Maximum Carnage when many objects are on screen, suggesting performance drops under heavy load.

Positive remote play: One player reports no disconnect or lag issues in remote play, indicating that the feature works well for some users.

Mixed recommendations for price: Many reviews suggest buying only on sale or for fans, citing high price and server issues. Clusters 1, 3, 7, 22, 23, and 28 emphasize waiting for a discount, while others recommend full price for fans.

X-Men Arcade game praised: Multiple clusters highlight the X-Men arcade game as a key reason to buy. Clusters 2, 5, 29, 35, and 37 strongly recommend it for nostalgic fans or those seeking an official release.

Recommended for nostalgic fans: The collection is widely recommended for fans of Marvel, old games, or 90s arcade beat 'em ups. Clusters 4, 12, 13, 17, 25, and 36 appeal to nostalgia seekers.

Online server issues criticized: Poor online play and netcode issues lead to negative recommendations. Clusters 3, 26, 32, 38, and 39 specifically warn against buying for co-op due to connectivity problems.

Await patches or fixes: Some reviews advise waiting for patches before purchasing. Clusters 11, 28, 30, and 34 recommend reconsidering after fixes due to bugs or emulation issues.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00.

The collection provides immediate fun through local co-op and X-Men online, but technical limitations (lag, missing online for most games, and boring bosses) significantly reduce the experience for many players.

Friction: laggy online; lack of online multiplayer for most games; boring bosses in Maximum Carnage; no button layout customisation; couch co-op not working for X-Men.

Unlock drivers: online multiplayer for all multiplayer games; stable netcode; button remapping.

Arcade Nostalgia Purist: Plays solo or local co-op, uses rewind/save states to practice, accepts the games' original difficulty and design. Motivation: Relive childhood arcade memories and enjoy classic beat 'em ups as they were. Stance: buy.

Online Co-op Seeker: Seeks multiplayer, tries to host/join online games, gets frustrated by lag and disconnects, often switching to local co-op as a fallback. Motivation: Playing beat 'em ups online with friends. Stance: no buy.

Marvel/Comic Book Fan: Enjoys the variety of characters, plays both solo and co-op, focuses on the superhero experience and nostalgic IP recognition. Motivation: Seeing their favorite Marvel/X-Men characters in classic game form. Stance: sale.

Steam Deck: The game runs and offers features like offline play and proper 4:3 scaling, but suffers from controller input issues, especially with multiple controllers and non-standard peripherals. Online lag is also a concern.