Top 10 Capcom Franchises

And to think it all started with a guy who's covered wars. The zombie-killing trend found a new champion in “Dead Rising”, a franchise all about balancing straight-faced leading men with wacky villains and the inherent fun of destroying the undead. Since the second instalment, the games have also benefited from weapons crafting – the ability to stick two random items together, and make an even more deadly weapon with which to slaughter zombies. Though it can be stressful to be surrounded by a shit-ton of zombies all the time, it never ceases to be fun.

A more underrated series, there may not be. These role-playing games serve asCapcom's foray into epic fantasy, developing an ambiguous but fascinating world where humans live in harmony with anthropomorphic animals, dungeons don't have to follow conventional design, and there will always be a blue-haired hero named Ryu. Each instalment offers a slightly different take on the premise – sometimes it's a quest to stop a goddess of strife, sometimes it's a political conflict between nations – with each game keeping the formula fresh and inspiring.

Metro City lives on through the strength of these games. Starting from 1989's “Final Fight”, this was a tale of overcoming the odds and standing for justice – which translated to Mayor Mike Haggar and company thoroughly beating down the Mad Gear Gang. Later games expanded the scope of Haggar's conflict, introduced a wider cast of characters, and continued to offer cathartic, hand-to-hand brawling action. Only in “Final Fight” would a mayor get down-and-dirty with the criminal underworld, and we love it.

Thankfully we won't have to declare “Objection!”. The “Ace Attorney” games primarily follow Phoenix Wright, a confident defence attorney with an eye for justice, as he collects evidence and defends clients in court. Later games place the spotlight on other attorneys, but the energy is always present. Although the focus is on a Japanese-style court system, the driving force sits with the characters: eccentric, complex, and yet surprisingly witty and relatable. It's these wonderful characters that make winning court cases all the more worthwhile.

Capcom is not shy about crossovers. Technically started with the 1994 beat em up “X-Men: Children of the Atom”, the company's foray into cross-franchise developments truly came into its own with “X-Men vs. Street Fighter”. That game established the formula: one-on-one battles with two teams swapping out combatants, drawing from Capcom and an opposing company's respective character line-ups. The “Marvel vs. Capcom” and “SNK vs. Capcom” games emphasized elements such as special attacks, while games like “Namco XCapcom” added role-playing mechanics to the mix.

Devils may not cry, but they certainly make us cheer. Born of an early prototype for “Resident Evil 4”, this gothic hack-and-slash series soon found its place as the purveyor of excellent fast-paced action. The games throw waves of demons at you, challenging you with its built-in letter grade system based on your performance. They bask in Dante’s cheesy one-liners, grotesque and imposing bosses, elaborate button combos, and heroes with attitude – which is definitely part of their charm.

The hunt rules over all. “Monster Hunter” is all about you, the hunter looking to make a mark in history by slaying gigantic beasts. The games set themselves up as role-playing adventures, but with a twist: you are responsible for everything – crafting armour, building weapons, tracking your prey. Each instalment emphasizes the stripped-down quest-based nature of the experience, and every battle is won or lost by your grasp of the mechanics. Fortunately, the series also champions online and offline multiplayer, with furry cat friends to alleviate your crushing loneliness – JUST LIKE IN REAL LIFE.

Even now, the Blue Bomber endures. The year is 20XX, the world has advanced in the field of robotics, and you are Mega Man – robot defender of the innocent. Few franchises are as diverse and expansive as this, yet each new game still retains the challenging gameplay and themed boss battles of the original – whether you’re playing a traditional platformer or one of the tactical rpg spinoffs. Mega Man has gone into the future, transitioned from 8 to 16-bit graphics, and been recreated with 3D polygons; yet his games continue to cherish their legacy, never forgetting their roots.

Enter the survival horror. The original “Resident Evil” gave the world a taste of gaming's potential, mixing clever puzzles with iconic B-movie horror to great effect. In the years since, the games have taken to expanding upon that original concept – going further than ever anticipated. We got a healthy helping of creative monsters, varied locales, and more recently some pretty impressive action setpieces. While the series’ shift towards action has divided the fanbase somewhat, the franchise still enjoys immense popularity.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“Ghosts 'n Goblins” (1985-)
“Dino Crisis” (1999-)
“Viewtiful Joe” (2003-)
“Darkstalkers” (1994-)
“Onimusha” (2001-)

“Street Fighter”, the seminal fighting game franchise, remains so for many reasons. First and foremost, the games gave the fighting genre some of its most important innovations – the six-button control scheme, best-out-of-three matches and combos for special attacks, to name a few. The franchise's distinctive 2D sprites set the standard for future games, aside from some in-series experimentation. And most impressive of all, it spotlights a global cast of well-rounded, self-confident characters whose personalities are matched only by their combat prowess. Capcom should feel proud.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite Capcom franchise? For more captivating Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.