As someone who's spent more hours than I'd care to admit diving into fighting game collections, I have to say Capcom's latest offering genuinely surprised me. When I first heard about Super Gems3, I'll admit I was skeptical—how many times can they repackage these classics before the magic wears thin? But after spending two solid weeks with this collection, I'm convinced this might be their most valuable bundle yet, especially when you understand how to maximize what it offers.
The real magic of Super Gems3 lies in understanding which games deliver the best return on your time investment. Let me break it down from my experience. Capcom Vs. SNK 2 is arguably the crown jewel here—the depth of its combat system and roster selection makes it worth the price alone. I've logged about 40 hours into it already, and I'm still discovering new team combinations and techniques. Then there's Project Justice, which remains one of the most innovative 3D fighters ever created, despite being nearly forgotten. The character customization and special move systems are just as fresh today as they were twenty years ago. Power Stone 2 deserves special mention too—its chaotic four-player battles have been the highlight of my gaming sessions with friends. We've had nights where we played nothing but Power Stone 2 for five hours straight, and the reward system in that game specifically is brilliantly designed to keep you coming back.
Now, here's where things get interesting from a rewards perspective. The collection includes what I'd call "foundation games"—titles that might not shine as brightly but still contribute significantly to your overall progression. Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper falls into this category with its robust ranking system that really helps accumulate bonus points across the entire collection. Meanwhile, Plasma Sword offers a surprisingly deep single-player campaign that's perfect for farming those extra gems when you need a break from competitive play. I've found that alternating between these different game styles actually accelerates your reward accumulation in ways I hadn't anticipated.
That said, not every title in this collection is created equal when it comes to maximizing your returns. Capcom Fighting Evolution shows its age more noticeably than the others—the input lag is slightly more pronounced, and the reward structure feels less generous compared to the standout titles. Similarly, while the original Power Stone is historically significant, its sequel simply outclasses it in every aspect, especially in how it handles unlockables and progression. Capcom Vs. SNK Pro sits somewhere in the middle—it's perfectly serviceable but doesn't offer the same depth of content as its successor. From my tracking, you'll get about 70% of your total rewards from just five of the nine included games, which is something to consider if you're tight on gaming time.
What makes Super Gems3 truly special, though, is how these games complement each other in terms of reward structures. I've developed a rotation system where I'll start with Capcom Vs. SNK 2 to build up my base points, switch to Project Justice for character-specific challenges, then finish with Power Stone 2 for those sweet multiplayer bonuses. This approach has helped me unlock about 85% of the collection's bonus content in roughly half the time it would normally take. The cross-game progression system is subtle but incredibly effective once you understand how to leverage it.
After thoroughly testing every aspect of this collection, I can confidently say that Super Gems3 represents one of the best values in fighting game compilations to date. While not every title hits the same high notes, the standout games more than justify the investment, both in terms of pure entertainment and reward optimization. The key is recognizing which games deserve your focused attention and which are better suited for occasional dips. Personally, I'll be returning to Capcom Vs. SNK 2 and Power Stone 2 regularly—these are timeless classics that continue to reveal their depth with each session. For anyone serious about fighting games and reward maximization, this collection isn't just recommended—it's essential.