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There's so much to love about Capcom Fighting Collection. This unique anniversary compilation offers some of the best fighting games of the nineties and early oughts. Furthermore, it looks into a period in gaming history before hidden content was locked behind paywalls and season passes.

Related: Things You Didn't Know About The Capcom Fighting Collection

That's right, folks! With CFC's ten classic titles comes the return of the long-lost tradition, secret characters. And there are plenty of secret characters to discover throughout this catalog. But, you'll have to enable certain options and enter specific inputs to play as these hidden fighters.

Updated July 6, 2022, by Chris Sanfilippo: As we continue playing Capcom Fighting Collection, we learn more about each game's hidden secrets. For instance, we added several secret characters from Vampire Savior, Vampire Hunter 2, and Vampire Savior 2 to this guide. These additions include Jon Talbain/Gallon's Dark alter ego in Vampire Savior and alternate versions of Donovan and Huitzil/Phobos in VH2 and VS2.

What Are The Secret Character Game Settings?

A look at the Secret Characters section of the Cyberbots EX Settings in Capcom Fighting Collection.

One of the best details that Capcom Fighting Collection gets right is its game-specific EX Settings. These options allow players to customize various features of their gameplay experience, such as Boot Display, Coin Mode, Light Reduction, and Secret Characters.

You can access each game's EX Settings by highlighting the game you wish to change, pressing the settings button, and then shifting to the EX Settings tab.

Each game's Secret Characters settings differ. Furthermore, some games have hidden characters not dictated by the EX Settings. Therefore, we will break down each game's Secret Characters settings as we progress through this guide.

Secret Characters In Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors

The secret character, Pyron, is highlighted in Darkstalker 1's player select screen in Capcom Fighting Collection.

Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors offers two secret playable characters, Huitzil/Phobos and Pyron. To select either of these characters, enter the EX Settings and set the Huitzil/Phobos & Pyron option to Enabled​​​​​​ before booting the game. Then, follow the instructions below.

Character

Selection Method

Huitzil/Phobos

Move cursor up from Dimitri or down from Anakaris.

Pyron

Move cursor up from Talbain/Gallon or down from Felicia.

You can also select each secret character by pressing right or left while your cursor highlights the other. For example, pressing left or right from Pyron highlights Huitzil/Phobos and vice versa.

Secret Characters In Vampire Savior: The Lord Of Vampire, Vampire Hunter 2, And Vampire Savior 2

Both Shadow and Marionette appear in Vampire Hunter 2's character select screen in Capcom Fighting Collection.

Three games in the collection, Vampire Savior, Vampire Hunter 2, and Vampire Savior 2, all share hidden characters. However, only one of them, Oboro Bishamon, must get enabled in the EX Settings. This caveat only applies to Vampire Savior. Oboro Bishamon is immediately available in Vampire Hunter 2 and Vampire Savior 2.

Additionally, two other secret characters, Shadow and Marionette, offer new ways to play through Arcade Mode. Shadow possesses defeated enemies and plays as them in the next match. Marionette inhabits the form of their current opponent (aka mirror match).

Character

Selection Method

Oboro Bishamon

Hold Start while the cursor highlights Bishamon and press any punch or kick button.

Shadow

Press the start button five times while the cursor highlights Random, then press any punch or kick button. If you wish to play as Shadow with a preferred character, first highlight the character and press Start three times. Then, select Shadow using the above method.

Dark Talbain/Dark Gallon (Vampire Savior only)

Hold Start while the cursor highlights Jon Talbain/Gallon and press two punch or two kick buttons.

Alternate Donovan (VH2 and VS2 only)

This code allows you to play the version of Donovan from the opposing sequel. (I.e., VH2 Donovan in Vampire Savior 2, VS2 Donovan in Vampire Hunter 2.) First, hold Start while the cursor highlights Donovan and press any punch or kick button.

Alternate Huitzil/Phobos (VH2 and VS2 only)

This code allows you to play the version of Huitzil/Phobos from the opposing sequel. (I.e., VH2 Huitzil/Phobos in Vampire Savior 2, VS2 Huitzil/Phobos in Vampire Hunter 2.) First, hold Start while the cursor highlights Huitzil/Phobos and press any punch or kick button.

Marionette (VH2 and VS2 only)

Press the start button seven times while the cursor highlights Random, then press any punch or kick button.

Related: Capcom Fighting Collection: Pro Tips For Darkstalkers 3

Secret VAs In Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness

Jin, piloting Warlock, faces off against Arieta, piloting Super-8, in Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness. Capcom Fighting Collection.

Unfortunately, you cannot play as secret pilots, like Devilot, Shade, or G.O.D., in the arcade version of Cyberbots. This absence is because this option was exclusive to console ports. However, you can still play as the four formidable variant armors that these pilots command!

There are four Secret Character options in the game's EX Settings to choose from:

  • Easy Select: This option allows players to select hidden characters with simplified inputs.
  • Original Select: This option enables secret characters, but they can only get chosen using cheat codes from the original arcade release.
  • Easy Select (Warlock Disabled): This option enables easy selection inputs for hidden characters but disables Warlock, a widely considered over-powered character.
  • Disabled: This option disables the use of hidden characters in the game.

Variant Armor

Easy Select Method

Original Select Method

Helion

Rapidly press the up button immediately after selecting a VA. If you input this command correctly, Helion's character portrait will appear behind your pilot.

After selecting your VA, quickly input the following command before the VA portrait appears behind your pilot: ⬆️,⬆️,⬇️,⬇️,⬅️,➡️, Boost, Weapon

Super-8

Rapidly press the down button immediately after selecting a VA. If you input this command correctly, Super-8's character portrait will appear behind your pilot.

After selecting your VA, quickly input the following command before the VA portrait appears behind your pilot: ⬆️,➡️,⬇️,⬅️,⬆️,➡️, Attack1, ⬆️,⬅️,⬇️,➡️, Attack2

Warlock

Rapidly press the left button immediately after selecting a VA. If you input this command correctly, Warlock's character portrait will appear behind your pilot. [input reversed to the right button for Player 2]

After selecting your VA, quickly input the following command before the VA portrait appears behind your pilot: ⬅️, Attack1, ⬆️, Attack2, ➡️, Boost, ⬇️, Weapon

Gaits

Rapidly press the right button immediately after selecting a VA. If you input this command correctly, Gaits' character portrait will appear behind your pilot. [input reversed to the left button for Player 2]

After selecting your VA, quickly input the following command before the VA portrait appears behind your pilot: Attack1, Attack2, Boost, Weapon, Attack1, Boost

Secret Characters In Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo

Devilot prepares for Stage One in an arcade playthrough of Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo in Capcom Fighting Collection.

Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo has three secret characters, Dan from Street Fighter Alpha, Akuma/Gouki from Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, and Devilot from Cyberbots. Unfortunately, you cannot disable these characters in the EX settings. However, you can decide whether to enable Easy Select for these characters or to maintain the arcade version's Original Select method.

Character

Easy Select Method

Original Select Method

Devilot

Highlight Morrigan with your cursor and press down.

Player 1:

  1. Highlight Ryu, press and hold the Start button
  2. Move down to Morrigan
  3. Enter ⬇️ 13 times and hold the last input
  4. While holding Start and ⬇️, press any button once the countdown timer reaches ten

Player 2:

  1. Highlight Ken, press and hold the Start button
  2. Move down to Felicia
  3. Enter ⬇️ 13 times and hold the last input
  4. While holding Start and ⬇️, press any button once the countdown timer reaches ten

Note: For each player, the countdown has to hit ten exactly. Any number above or below ten will select Dan.

Akuma/Gouki

Highlight Hsien-Ko/Lei-Lei with your cursor and press down.

Player 1:

  1. Highlight Ryu, press and hold the Start button
  2. Move down to Morrigan
  3. Enter ⬅️⬇️⬅️⬇️⬅️⬇️⬅️(hold)
  4. While holding Start and ⬅️, press any button

Player 2:

  1. Highlight Ken, press and hold the Start button
  2. Move down to Felicia
  3. Enter ➡️⬇️➡️⬇️➡️⬇️➡️(hold)
  4. While holding Start and ➡️, press any button

Dan

Highlight Donovon with your cursor and press down.

Player 1:

  1. Highlight Ryu, press and hold the Start button
  2. Move down to Morrigan
  3. Enter ⬇️ 13 times and hold the last input
  4. While holding Start and ⬇️, press any button

Player 2:

  1. Highlight Ken, press and hold the Start button
  2. Move down to Felicia
  3. Enter ⬇️ 13 times and hold the last input
  4. While holding Start and ⬇️, press any button

For Easy Select: If you press the left and right buttons after highlighting a hidden character, you can cycle through the other hidden characters. In other words, consider Devilot, Akuma, and Dan as a hidden row below the main character panels on the Character Select screen.

Secret Characters In Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix

The Player 1 cursor highlights Akuma on the Player Select screen in Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix. Capcom Fighting Collection.

While Akuma/Gouki and Dan are technically hidden characters in Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, they are straightforward to find. Therefore, this game does not have Secret Character options in its EX Settings. So, you can play with them right away.

Character

Selection Method

Akuma/Gouki

Move your cursor one space above Chun-li or one to the left of Ryu.

Dan

Move your cursor one space above Hsien-Ko or one to the right of Ken.

In other words, Akuma/Gouki and Dan's hidden icons are in the upper-left and upper-right corners of the menu, respectively.

Secret Characters In Hyper Street Fighter 2: The Anniversary Edition

Akuma gets selected on Hyper Street Fighter 2: The Anniversary Edition's character select screen in Capcom Fighting Collection.

Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo's boss, Akuma/Gouki, is the only secret character in Hyper Street Fighter 2: The Anniversary Edition. Unfortunately, you cannot disable this character. However, the EX Settings offers the option to use Easy Select or Original Select methods to choose him.

Character

Easy Select Method

Original Select Method

Akuma/Gouki

Highlight Ryu's character icon with the cursor and press up OR highlight Ken's character icon and press down

  1. Highlight Ryu with the cursor for seven seconds
  2. Quickly move the cursor right and highlight T-Hawk for seven seconds
  3. Quickly move the cursor left and highlight Guile for seven seconds
  4. Quickly move the cursor down, then right, and highlight Cammy for seven seconds
  5. Quickly move the cursor left to Ken, then up to Ryu, and highlight Ryu for seven seconds
  6. Quickly press Start, then PPP (LP+MP+HP) to select Akuma/Gouki [these last two inputs should be milliseconds apart]

Since Akuma/Gouki premiered in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, choosing Super T as your player type is essential. Otherwise, these codes will not work.

Next: Funniest Moments in Pocket Fighter/Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix