Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is set to feature Deadpool, and early observations reveal the character's moveset is brimming with nods to the fighting game genre's rich history. Beyond the expected Marvel callbacks, Wade Wilson's inclusion is an extensive homage to iconic moments, characters, and even community events from a variety of fighting game franchises.
Fans have documented numerous references, noting that Deadpool's kit pulls from classics like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Tekken, as well as titles from developer Arc System Works such as Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball FighterZ. YouTuber Dan Allen Gaming has compiled videos showcasing these homages, highlighting the character's design as an amalgamation of fighting game archetypes.
Iconic Moments Reimagined
One striking reference is Deadpool's ability to drop an arcade cabinet on opponents, mirroring Liu Kang's fatality in the Mortal Kombat series. While the cabinet in Marvel Tōkon doesn't inflict the same brutal damage, it serves as a clear visual parallel. This sequence also incorporates a nod to a notable moment from the 2015 EVO tournament, where Guilty Gear Xrd Sign player Woshige prematurely celebrated a win, a move Deadpool mimics before scrambling to his feet.
Deadpool's defeat animation features a dramatic aerial fall, a clear reference to the iconic exit of Fatal Fury antagonist Geese Howard, who famously fell from a tower into a chasm. This dramatic fall has been a recurring visual motif in subsequent fighting games, and Deadpool's animation adds him to that lineage.
Even character intros are subject to references. Deadpool's introductory sequence in Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls echoes Cell's triumphant entrance in Dragon Ball FighterZ. Instead of Cell's energy aura, Deadpool utilizes a firework effect and strikes a pose to emulate the visual.
A Deep Dive into Fighting Game Lore
The game also incorporates more obscure references. Deadpool's projectile attacks utilize Polygon Man, an early PlayStation mascot that Sony eventually shelved. The character's later appearance as the final boss in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale makes his inclusion in a Sony-published title, like Marvel Tōkon, a fitting, albeit unusual, nod.
Furthermore, Deadpool can perform Captain Falcon's signature "Falcon Punch" from the Super Smash Bros. series, though its impact in Marvel Tōkon appears less exaggerated than in its Nintendo origins.
A more community-focused reference is the "Friend zone" pose, where Deadpool holds up half of a heart hand, with surrounding characters not reciprocating. This directly alludes to a widely shared 2017 photo of fighting game personality Justin Wong and a Chun-Li cosplayer.
Finally, when Deadpool activates his super move, he shouts "Let's go, Wade!" This is a direct callback to the legendary EVO Moment 37, where Justin Wong's Super Art attack in Street Fighter III: Third Strike was parried an astonishing 15 times by Daigo Umehara, leading to a game-changing punish. The phrase echoes the crowd's chant of "Let's go, Justin!" preceding that fateful sequence, albeit with a more favorable outcome for Deadpool.
These numerous, often layered, references suggest a deep appreciation for fighting game culture within the development of Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, transforming Deadpool's character into a playable encyclopedia of the genre's most memorable moments.