Is it smart to get a CPS2 instead of an MVS?

I'm a big fan of both, and have been actively looking for cabinets with either type of board in my area for quite some time. Lately, I've been alot more interested in Neo Geo games, and even bought an AES system. My original plan was to sell the AES system and buy an MVS system when the opportunity arrises. However, in the past few days, I've seen 3 cps2 systems for sale in my area. 1 of these is in a cabinet that looks alot better than any MVS system I've seen selling for a while.

I'm asking CPS2 owners and MVS owners what they think would be better for someone who doesn't have a single cabinet. Should I sell my AES to buy a CPS2 and hope that an MVS system appears soon?

What are the positive/negative aspects of owning a cps2? About how much do the games cost compared to neo games? How often do the boards "commit suicide?" How do you fix a suicided board? What good games are on the cps2 besides SF games?

Thanks for the help,
Alec

I have both, so try to remember that my advice is from honest expereince.


If you can only afford one, you'll be kicking yourself if you don't buy the MVS. I won't bore you with a million 'the games are better' reasons. Here's a list of facts.

1. CPS2 has a suicide system, MVS does not. When a board does commit suicide, it's dead. You can send it back to Capcom(I've heard), but I guess it'll cost more than the game to replace.

2. There are MANY more games, from many genres for the MVS than there are for the CPS2.

3. The games are easier to swap out. You might not think this is a big deal, but at 1am, when you're thinking 'eh, maybe I'll play for a few minutes', you don't really want to swap.

4. MVS games are cheaper! Sure, you can spend 400$ on an MVS game if you try, but most of the great games are around or below the 50$ mark. CPS2 games hover between 100-150$ each. You might find one cheaper, but that usually means the suicide battery is already dead.


So, that's my list of reasons. I got my CPS2 because a large chunk of my life had been dedicated to SFA2, and I'd wanted one of those machines since highschool.

I'd intended to make a whole collection, but then found that most CPS2 games are just a varient of Street Fighter.

There are a few shooters, and maybe one or two other titles, but mostly it was a Street Fighter system. I love Street Fighter, but not as much as I love my neo-geo, and all the great non-fighting games that come with it.

Also, once you get a feel for KOF, you'll start to see Capcom games for what they are...the 'childrens' games, marketed in America because adults don't play video games here.

good luck either way. It's not like you can't just pick up one system and then get the board set for another. If your cab is JAMMA, and easy to perform board-swaps with, that might not be a bad idea. The CPS2 Motherboard is easy to get, so if you go that route, get the MVS first. CPS2 boards usually just come with the games, and if you do start collecting them, you'll probably have a few extra laying around before long. After the suicides started kicking in, there were more motherboards than games, I think.

not at all

First off, I'd recommend to get both. Too much greatness on each system to only get one.

m_bish0p said:

1. CPS2 has a suicide system, MVS does not. When a board does commit suicide, it's dead. You can send it back to Capcom(I've heard), but I guess it'll cost more than the game to replace.

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Razoola will fix most games for approx $20 each. That includes shipping, but you will have to remove the roms yourself. But that doesn't seem to be very tough.

2. There are MANY more games, for the MVS than there are for the CPS2

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True.

3. The games are easier to swap out. You might not think this is a big deal, but at 1am, when you're thinking 'eh, maybe I'll play for a few minutes', you don't really want to swap.

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Eh, not really. Changing a CPS2 game may make 10 more seconds than changing a CPS2 game. Not really a big difference at all.

4. MVS games are cheaper! Sure, you can spend 400$ on an MVS game if you try, but most of the great games are around or below the 50$ mark. CPS2 games hover between 100-150$ each. You might find one cheaper, but that usually means the suicide battery is already dead.

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True, you can find some great games on MVS for real cheap, but CPS2 is not that expensive for the most part. I've gotten X-Men COTA for $60 with the A board, which makes the game cost about $20-25. SFA2 cost me $55. Gem figher and SSF2x cost me around $100, but those are full kits. Sure there are some games that cost $100-150, but you can find some great games for cheap. Marvel Super Heroes, SFA, SSF2, the Darkstalkers games, plus the couple games I listed can be found for around $50. Hell, even SSF2x can be found for around $50 if you're lucky.

I'd intended to make a whole collection, but then found that most CPS2 games are just a varient of Street Fighter.
There are a few shooters, and maybe one or two other titles, but mostly it was a Street Fighter system. I love Street Fighter, but not as much as I love my neo-geo, and all the great non-fighting games that come with it.

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19xx, 1944, Alien vs Predator, Giga Wing, Battle Circuit, Dimahoo, Mars Matrix, the 2 D&D games, Cyberbots, Darkstalkers games, Progear, Armored Warriors, Muscle Bomber 2, Ultimate Eco, etc. CPS2 is much more than a Street Fighter System. Maybe not quite as much variety as MVS, but close.

Also, once you get a feel for KOF, you'll start to see Capcom games for what they are...the 'childrens' games, marketed in America because adults don't play video games here.

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hmm, I would guess you're referring to the Vs. series with this comment, because SSF2x and the alpha games are just as deep as KoF.

Just my 2 cents.

Well, butta hit the head of the nail on that post. I would like to mention one thing about Butta's post:

19XX and Dimahoo are Vertical game which means that you would have to rotate your monitor. Not everyone feels comfortable with that.

If your feel like your on a budget Get MVS. No doubt about it. Suicide is not really a Huge problem any more, but that dosen't matter. For $50 once I got:

Last Blade
AOF3
SS2
RBFF:S

All that and shipping. I got SFA2 CPS2 board (A+B) for $ 60, and so far that is the cheapest one.

Rarer CPS2 games are also much more difficult to find that rarer MVS. You could always just put non-Kick harness CPS2 games (Anygame that does not use 6 buttons) in your MVS cab as well, not too hard.

I would recomend that if you have the money now to get a MVS cab. I promise you that you will be able to find a old SF CPS2 cab in the future for under $200 if you keep your eyes open. Just get both, but get MVS first.

-Good Luck

hmm, I would guess you're referring to the Vs. series with this comment, because SSF2x and the alpha games are just as deep as KoF.[/B]

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Not Alpha 1 (bleh), but other than that your correct.

Really, any fighting game fan with access to play the boards would want to buy both... There are so many great games for both systems!

-Nick

Thanks for all the advice. I think whichever one I don't buy, my roommate will end up buying, so its not too much of a difficult decision. Its good to hear suicided boards can be fixed. And its good to hear that Alpha 2 sells for so cheap.

I play KOF games, I don't think Street Fighter games are childish at all though. Just look at the Variable Combos in Alpha 3. That shit gets pretty complex.

I would go with MVS since CPS2 takes to much maintance. I know it slike once every several years, but tell that to my 2 dead boards.

Well to me it’s a real 'taste in games' question. Personally my Coin-Op collecting started on the MVS and to this day is the bulk of my collection, but no one can deny that Capcom has had some absolute gems over the years and I'm not even talking about the Street Fighter range. I avidly collect both CPS-1 (I love CPS-1 and just got copies of 'Ghouls 'n' Ghosts' and 'Strider'!!! Rock on!) and CPS-2 and absolutely love both platforms. People have got to stop being scared to death the moment something sounds a little bit more involved than just swapping out game carts. Who cares about the suicide battery aspect, ya just replace em when you get the game board, note the date and forget about it for like 4 or 5 years. Who knows, your interest in Arcade collecting, or at least that one game might not even last for that duration. If you're not confident in replacing batteries in these boards maybe the hobby ain’t for you! It's all quick, easy stuff.

I'm with buttasuperb on the affordability of CPS-2 and also the diversity of titles available on the platform. Yeah I know it's a bit tougher to swap 'B' boards over than the change out MVS carts, but it's worth the effort for the awesome games on the system. The main reason I think its worth getting into both, is that Capcom and SNK have such different takes on games and in essence are worlds apart, and I personally wouldn't miss this diversity for the world.

Do yourself a favour and get both!!

buttasuperb said:

First off, I'd recommend to get both. Too much greatness on each system to only get one.

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I totally agree here, that's why I have both!

Razoola will fix most games for approx $20 each. That includes shipping, but you will have to remove the roms yourself. But that doesn't seem to be very tough.

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I wasn't aware of this. I heard that they could only be fixed by Capcom. Still, paying a 20$ fee for a board that was working fine a week ago just doesn't seem fair.

Eh, not really. Changing a CPS2 game may make 10 more seconds than changing a CPS2 game. Not really a big difference at all.

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I think this really depends on your set-up. I have a Street Fighter 3 cabinet with my CPS2 installed in it, and you have to open the control panel and then slide the whole board system out. Also, I've heard complaints from people who get conversions that only open from the back. Where you can usually install in MVS so that you could change carts from through the coin-door, on a CPS2 you really have to have full access to the board, and enough room to install it.

I was thinking in terms of the arcade machine more than the boards, really. If they're both out in the open, then it's probably about even.

True, you can find some great games on MVS for real cheap, but CPS2 is not that expensive for the most part. I've gotten X-Men COTA for $60 with the A board, which makes the game cost about $20-25. SFA2 cost me $55. Gem figher and SSF2x cost me around $100, but those are full kits. Sure there are some games that cost $100-150, but you can find some great games for cheap. Marvel Super Heroes, SFA, SSF2, the Darkstalkers games, plus the couple games I listed can be found for around $50. Hell, even SSF2x can be found for around $50 if you're lucky.

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If you discount the A boards that you get with about half of the games you get, then they seem pretty cheap.

I just know that I've had a hard time adding to my collection, and that MVS carts are easier to obtain than CPS2.

19xx, 1944, Alien vs Predator, Giga Wing, Battle Circuit, Dimahoo, Mars Matrix, the 2 D&D games, Cyberbots, Darkstalkers games, Progear, Armored Warriors, Muscle Bomber 2, Ultimate Eco, etc. CPS2 is much more than a Street Fighter System. Maybe not quite as much variety as MVS, but close.

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You'll have to rotate your monitor to play those shooters. Just look at a site like www.mdgamesales.com where both are sold and tell me that it's 'close'. There are a few side scrollers, a few shooters, a few puzzle games. Nothing near what you get with the MVS.

Also, if you want to play the import versions of the game, you have to have the correct A-board.

MVS handles region settings on the motherboard. That means that a Japanese cartrige will play in *ANY* MVS board. It makes the region a null issue.

Capcom does a color system. Some colors will play with eachother. I can't remember off hand, but it's not complicated at all. The real pain is when you want a game, but it's only in the color your board doesn't support. The A-boards are cheap, though, and you'll probably end up with one of each color eventually. It's just something to think about.

Also, what is the price difference between these machines? The motherboard for a CPS2 system is dirt cheap compared to an MVS board. So, if you have two cabs sitting in front of you, both for the same price, but one with an MVS and the other with a CPS, remember that the MVS motherboard is worth twice what the CPS2 board is worth.

hmm, I would guess you're referring to the Vs. series with this comment, because SSF2x and the alpha games are just as deep as KoF.

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I suppose this is debatable. I just like the fact that there's blood, and some sense of actual desparation in KOF games. Also, with street fighter, many of the characters are Shoto style. It just gets boring.

I've always thought Street Fighter was probably better for head to head, just because it feels a little more balanced, but the lack of variety gets to me.

Seriously, though, look at a complete list of games for each system and decide for yourself. Don't forget to pay attention to what the games cost, and how rare they are.

If you can swing it, get both. I did! The CPS2 is certainly my second favorite board set, and although I would recommend the MVS above it, It's still a good addition to any game room. I didn't mean to come off as bashing it before, I just know that after owning both, I would chose the MVS over the CPS2 in a heartbeat. I just hope I never have to chose between any of my children.

m_bish0p said:

I just know that I've had a hard time adding to my collection, and that MVS carts are easier to obtain than CPS2.

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I'll definately agree with that. I have around 40 MVS carts, and only 7 CPS2 carts.

You'll have to rotate your monitor to play those shooters. Just look at a site like www.mdgamesales.com where both are sold and tell me that it's 'close'. There are a few side scrollers, a few shooters, a few puzzle games. Nothing near what you get with the MVS.

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Capcom completely owns SNK in the beat em up category on CPS2 alone. Nothing on MVS can compare with Alien vs Predator and the 2 D&D games. Shooters goes to MVS, because of the Metal Slug and Shock Troopers games.

Even fighters if you think about it is can be considered close to even. Sure MVS probably has more quality series, with Samurai Shodown, Last Blade, Real Bout, etc, but CPS2 has plenty of fantastic fighters, when you include the likes of Cyberbots, Marvel vs Capcom (it aint the circus like MvC2) and the Darkstalkers games. Plus throw in the Alpha series, and then of course SSF2x.

I guess it's because I'm not THAT big a fan of KoF that I don't totally favor MVS. CPS2 is the shit. So is MVS. That's why I own both.

Also, if you want to play the import versions of the game, you have to have the correct A-board.

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Not completely true. US (blue) boards will play Japanese (green) boards and vice versa. Which is all you really need to get. There are Asian (grey) boards that only work with the same color game.

Although the CPS2 is backwards to MVS in which what region it plays the games. In MVS the system controls the region, in CPS2 the game does.

I'm sure there is a way to play Capcom games on MVS (wether it's legal or not, that's a different question), I've seen machines that have NEO-GEO MVS written all over them playing SFA3 and MvC many, many times.

Anyway, CPS-2 vs MVS: MVS, period. No contest here, really. You can name tens of fighting games (and that's only fighting games I'll be discussing here) that were released for MVS, and only Street Fighter, Cyberbots, Vampire and the X-Men/Vs series from Capcom... Not only the best, MVS also has the most games

Gabriel K said:

I'm sure there is a way to play Capcom games on MVS (wether it's legal or not, that's a different question), I've seen machines that have NEO-GEO MVS written all over them playing SFA3 and MvC many, many times.

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