Namco × Capcom (ナムコ クロス カプコン, Namuko Kurosu Kapukon?) is a action and strategy RPG crossover game developed by Monolith Soft and released by Namco only in Japan 2005 for PlayStation 2, featuring characters from games produced by both Namco and Capcom. The game has a fan translation in English, released in 2010. Namco × Capcom is the first game in Namco's X series of crossover games. Character art was done by Namco artist Takuji Kawano.
Gameplay
Namco × Capcom is a hybrid of an action-RPG and a strategy-RPG. Movement is done on a square grid with turns being determined by figuring out which character has the highest AP. On the player's turn, he/she can move the character into position and choose to attack an enemy.
At this point, the game switches into the action-RPG portion. The player's character has a number of "Branches" they can use. Each direction on the directional pad combined with the circle button will perform an attack. Each attack uses up 1 branch. If the player can perform a certain number of Aerial Chains (hitting the enemy in mid-air), bonuses may be gained, such as items, super meter, extra damage, or more branches to use in the turn. Bonuses other than items are converted into extra Experience Points at the end of an attack sequence. Upon filling up the character's Special Gauge they can use the Triangle button to perform a special attack. They will also be able to select a Multiple Assault attack if their units on the board meet the conditions. Defense also puts the player in the action-RPG mode, this time blocking to reduce the enemy's damage. Successfully blocking attacks will also increase the amount of AP the player's unit has.
There are 50 levels total (45 normal and 5 prologue) and the game could take from around 70-100 hours to complete.
Story
The year is 20XX (sometime in the twenty-first century), and the game is driven by the characters Arisu Reiji and Xiaomu (original characters created specifically for this game). The two of them work for a special unit called Shinra, and they are tasked with investigating spirit and otherworldly disturbances. They are initially investigating a strange "sleeping sickness" in the Shibuya area of Japan, when it becomes apparent that something much larger is at stake. Characters, both good and evil, from other times and other worlds begin appearing in Japan in the year 20XX.
Characters
Capcom
Name | First Appearance | Year |
---|---|---|
Akuma | Super Street Fighter II Turbo | 1994 |
Allosaurus | Dino Crisis 2 | 2000 |
Arthur | Ghosts 'n Goblins | 1985 |
Astaroth | Ghosts 'n Goblins | 1985 |
Baby Head | Captain Commando | 1991 |
Bruce McGivern | Resident Evil Dead Aim | 2003 |
Cammy | Super Street Fighter II | 1993 |
Captain Commando | Captain Commando | 1991 |
Chun-Li | Street Fighter II | 1991 |
Demitri | Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors | 1994 |
Druk | Captain Commando | 1991 |
Evil Ryu | Street Fighter Alpha 2 | 1996 |
Felicia | Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors | 1994 |
Fong Ling | Resident Evil Dead Aim | 2003 |
Ginzu | Captain Commando | 1991 |
Grandmaster Meio | Strider | 1989 |
Guy | Final Fight | 1989 |
Hideo Shimazu | Rival Schools: United By Fate | 1998 |
Hsien-Ko | Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge | 1995 |
Huitzil | Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors | 1994 |
Juli | Street Fighter Alpha 3 | 1998 |
Juni | Street Fighter Alpha 3 | 1998 |
Karin Kanzuki | Street Fighter Alpha 3 | 1998 |
Ken Masters | Street Fighter | 1987 |
Kyoko Minazuki | Rival Schools: United By Fate | 1998 |
Lilith | Darkstalkers 3 | 1997 |
Lord Raptor | Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors | 1994 |
M. Bison | Street Fighter II | 1991 |
Mack The Knife | Captain Commando | 1991 |
MegaMan Juno | MegaMan Legends | 1997 |
MegaMan Volnutt | MegaMan Legends | 1997 |
Mike Haggar | Final Fight | 1989 |
Morrigan | Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors | 1994 |
Nebiros | Ghosts 'n Goblins | 1985 |
Q-Bee | Darkstalkers 3 | 1997 |
Red Arremer Joker | Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Game Boy Advance) | 2002 |
Regina | Dino Crisis | 1999 |
Roll Caskett | MegaMan Legends | 1997 |
Rose | Street Fighter Alpha | 1995 |
Ryu | Street Fighter | 1987 |
Sakura | Street Fighter Alpha 2 | 1996 |
Servbot | MegaMan Legends | 1997 |
Shturm | Captain Commando | 1991 |
Shturm Jr. | Captain Commando | 1991 |
Solo | Strider | 1989 |
Strider Hien | Strider 2 | 1999 |
Strider Hiryu | Strider | 1989 |
Sylphie | Forgotten Worlds | 1988 |
Tong Pooh | Strider | 1989 |
Tron Bonne | MegaMan Legends | 1997 |
Unknown Soldier Blue | Forgotten Worlds | 1988 |
Unknown Soldier Red | Forgotten Worlds | 1988 |
Namco
Name | First Appearance | Year |
---|---|---|
Amazona | Wonder Momo | 1987 |
Andaba | Genpei Tōma Den | 1986 |
Armor King | Tekken | 1994 |
Black Bravo | Bravoman | 1988 |
Black Valkyrie | The Legend of Valkyrie | 1989 |
Bravoman | Bravoman | 1988 |
Charade | Soul Calibur II | 2002 |
Devil | Tekken | 1994 |
Devil Jin | Tekken 3 (NPC) | 1997 / 2004 |
Druaga | The Tower of Druaga | 1984 |
Enma | Shadow Land | 1987 |
Gilgamesh | The Tower of Druaga | 1984 |
Guntz | Klonoa 2 | 2002 |
Heihachi Mishima | Tekken | 1994 |
Hiromi Tengenji | Burning Force | 1989 |
Ishtar | The Tower of Druaga | 1984 |
Janga | Klonoa Heroes | 2002 |
Jin Kazama | Tekken 3 | 1996 |
Joka (Joker) | Klonoa: Door to Phantomile | 1997 |
Judas (Leon Magnus) | Tales of Destiny 2 | 2002 |
Kamooz | The Legend of Valkyrie | 1989 |
Ki (pronounced "Kai") | The Tower of Druaga | 1984 |
King II | Tekken 3 | 1996 |
Kiso Yoshinaka | Genpei Tōma Den | 1986 |
Klonoa | Klonoa: Door to Phantomile | 1997 |
KOS-MOS | Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht | 2002 |
Kurino Sandra (Whirlo) | The Adventure of Valkyrie: Legend of the Time Key | 1986 |
Lolo | Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil | 2001 |
Masuyo Tobi (Toby Masuyo) | Baraduke | 1985 |
Minamoto no Yoritomo | Genpei Tōma Den | 1986 |
Minamoto no Yoshitsune | Genpei Tōma Den | 1986 |
Mitsurugi Heishirō | Soul Edge | 1995 |
Mokujin | Tekken 3 | 1996 |
MOMO | Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht | 2002 |
Musashibō Benkei | Genpei Tōma Den | 1986 |
Ninety Nine | Original character, first appearance | 2005 |
Ogre | Tekken 3 | 1996 |
Reiji Arisu | Original character, first appearance | 2005 |
Rutee Kartret (Rutee Katrea) | Tales of Destiny | 1997 |
Sabine | The Legend of Valkyrie | 1989 |
Saito Musashibo Benkei | Genpei Tōma Den | 1986 |
Saya | Original character, first appearance | 2005 |
Shion Uzuki | Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht | 2002 |
Stahn Aileron | Tales of Destiny | 1997 |
Taira no Kagekiyo | Genpei Tōma Den | 1986 |
Taizo Hori | Dig Dug | 1982 |
Taki | Soul Edge | 1995 |
Tarosuke | Shadow Land | 1987 |
Valkyrie | The Adventure of Valkyrie: Legend of the Time Key | 1986 |
Waya Hime | Bravoman | 1988 |
Wonder Momo | Wonder Momo | 1987 |
Xiaomu | Original character, first appearance | 2005 |
Zouna | The Adventure of Valkyrie: Legend of the Time Key | 1986 |
Zul/Zule | The Legend of Valkyrie | 1989 |
Legacy
Three years after Namco X Capcom's release, the next game in the X series, Cross Edge, was released in 2008 and it featured characters from Namco, Capcom, Nippon Ichi Software and Gust Corporation. Later after that, two crossover fighting games between Capcom's Street Fighter and Namco's Tekken series were announced: Street Fighter X Tekken (developed by Capcom) and Tekken X Street Fighter (developed by Namco), the former being released in 2012.
Namco would later create a spiritual sequel for this game, Project × Zone, a crossover of characters not only from Namco and Capcom but now also Sega, exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. Unlike Namco X Capcom, it was released overseas; first in Japan in 2012 and later in North America, Europe, and Australia in 2013.
A sequel, Project × Zone 2, was released in 2015. Although it is still primarily a crossover between the three aforementioned companies, characters from Nintendo joined the cast for the first time; in this case, it was two characters from Nintendo's Fire Emblem: Awakening and one from Xenoblade Chronicles.