If you are into some high-octane superhero battles, then Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls might be the perfect game for you. It is an upcoming fighting game that is being developed by Arc System Works, the same developers who made Guilty Gear. Marvel Tokon is scheduled to release in 2026 for the PS5 and Windows, and it genuinely looks like a comic panel exploded into an anime fight scene.
Well, if you are wondering about what this new game is and how you don’t know anything about it, then worry not, because you have come to the right place. This guide will help you get familiar with the gameplay and the controls in a jiffy. So, let’s get started.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls’ Basic Gameplay Mechanics and Controls
Similar to other fighting/brawler games, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls also uses the holy trinity of punches and kicks, where your attack varies based on the power. So you have your basic Light attacks, Medium attacks, and Heavy attacks, but there are also Quick buttons, which you can use for your Quick Skill, Quick Dash, Quick Throw, and Quick Assemble.
| BUTTON LAYOUT (Dualsense) | INPUTS |
| Jump | Up |
| Block | Backward |
| Crouch | Down |
| Walk | Forward |
| Light Attack | ☐ |
| Medium Attack | △ |
| Heavy Attack | ◯ |
| Quick Skill | R2 |
| Quick Assemble | L2 |
| Quick Dash | L1 |
| Unique Attack | R1 |
| Assemble | ✕ |
There are also various gauges on your screen that denote different things. The top bar is the Vital Gauge, which is basically the HP shared across your whole team. Then, there is the Skill Gauge at the bottom, which you can spend on EX moves, Supers, and Ultimates, with Super moves costing around 50 and Ultimates costing a whopping 100. The Skill Gauge also has a cap of 150 units.
At last, we have the Assemble Gauge, which sits just below the Vital Gauge, and it is used to call your buddies to help you either extend your combos or bail you out during messy situations. Managing these gauges is vital, and it will determine whether you want a flashy knockout or do you want win.
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Unlike your typical one-on-one duel, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls literally brings in the whole squad to beat up your opponent, but instead of starting with all four characters, you unlock them mid-match using various throws, stage breaks, or just losing by round. Plus, when you meet up with your ally, the maximum value of your Skill and Assemble Gauges also increases.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls’ Gameplay Combos
If you have played any modern fighting game in the past few years, then you know how important chaining combos is in a 2.5D fighting game. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls also has a similar system, with some auto combo buttons where you just press one button and suddenly see yourself doing anime stuff. This is easy to use and great for beginners.
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Each character also possesses a Unique Attack, which can be triggered using the Unique Attack button, and the characters perform actions distinct to their ability, like Captain America throws his shield or Iron Man fires his repulsor blasts. There are also Link Attacks and Assemble Assist mechanics, where you call in your teammates to perform a variety of team actions.
Then you have the Slam Launcher, where pressing down and a heavy attack near the opponent will launch them into the air and give you a brief duration of time to perform a series of follow-up attacks while you are midair. With a few attacks in, you can even press down and heavy again to slam them to the ground or press forward and heavy to trigger a blowback attack.
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Lastly, you have the Super Assemble, where if you press the Assemble button at the end of a Super Skill, you will call an ally to perform their Super Skill, and after the attack, the called-in ally will be swapped as the lead character. Super Assemble can be triggered two times in a row, making it a very effective option for unleashing three characters’ Super Skills in the same combo. It costs 50 Skill Gauge each time you activate the Super Assemble.
Defense Does Not Always Mean Holding Back in Marvel Tokon
While every 2.5D fighting game is sort of about who gets the first hit and then lands an extreme combo to finish off an opponent, Arc System games are not always about offense. In Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, defense gameplay has its own quirks, as well, like the Assemble Counter. It is basically a parry that you can use to endure an attack directly, and it also performs a counterattack with an ally.
There is also Crossover, which is a defensive technique that calls in an ally to perform a counterattack while you are blocking. This is a great way to get out of a sticky situation and go on the offense, and it can be triggered by the Assist and Light attack button while you are blocking. This can also be countered with a Crossover Reflect, where the opponent brings their own ally to block the Crossover.
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If done at the last moment, the Crossover Reflect becomes a Perfect Reflect and triggers a counterattack against the opponent and their ally. A Crossover Reflect also prevents the player from Summoning Assists for a duration, giving you the upper hand in battle.
Your Dash is also a great move to master whenever you are in a tight spot and need a way to reposition quickly. It can be executed by quickly tapping the forward or backward button twice, or you can use the Quick Dash button to make things easier. Dashes and back Dashes can also be performed midair, which might help you in completing combos. The only caveat is that not all characters can perform a Dash or back Dash in the game.
So, what do you think about this upcoming 2.5D game with Marvel Superheroes? Let us know down in the comments section.