MARVEL VS. CAPCOM - HOW TO THROW THE ULTIMATE PARTY

Awkward silences, questionable dip, chit chat. Yep, your average party can be so un-fun. Luckily, you don’t have to subject your friends to an average party, but instead, can invite them to the ultimate theme party — a Marvel vs. Capcom party. Imagine the color, the food, the competition. Plus, Marvel vs. Capcom earned an 80 percent on Gamerankings.com, so the entertainment is guaranteed to win.

Invitations

To set the stage, create online invitations for “The Ultimate Party: Marvel vs. Capcom.” Then, jazz up the suspense by having each guest follow a link that reveals which character and team they will compete with for the night. Encourage guests to channel their characters by wearing an elaborate costume for a fashion show and contest. Include character biographies and costume ideas with a link to a website such as Morphsuits.com.

Costume Contest

Before the party, contact an equipment rental company for a catwalk or stage and stage lighting. The night before, set up the catwalk in the main area of your home and arrange chairs on either side. Play some theme music from the Marvel vs. Capcom game to set the mood as your guests arrive.

For the main event, assemble guests around the catwalk for the costume contest. Play the theme song from Marvel vs. Capcom 3 on repeat during the show to set the tone of the fashion show. Ask the audience to cheer for their favorite costume after the show, and give the winner a prize, such as one of the games you bought for the party.

Decorations

For decorations, incorporate comic book colors throughout the party area. Cover tables with black tablecloths and set out red, blue and green plates and cups. Hang colorful strobe lights from the ceiling to cast a festive glow, and plaster your walls with vintage Marvel and Capcom posters. For extra character inspiration, hang small cut-out images of the major Marvel vs. Capcom characters from the ceiling and include trivia on the back.

Food and Beverages

Every superhero needs some great food and drinks to keep fighting the good fight. For a Wolverine-esque meal, serve burgers and potato chips with beer. Or, if your guests crave something more exciting, mix up some dirty martinis or serve scotch on the rocks to make Iron Man proud. For dessert, honor Captain America and Spiderman’s Aunt May by serving homemade apple and cherry pies.

Entertainment

To keep everyone entertained between games and other planned events, scatter a few activities throughout the house where guests can mingle and make some memories. Set up a photo booth with a polaroid camera to capture each guest’s best fighting pose. (The polaroid photo doubles as a party favor.) In another corner, have a table for trivia games or Marvel board games, such as Legendary. And, of course, set up Marvel vs. Capcom 3 on your PlayStation and organize guests into their respective teams for a massive tournament. Make brackets for the tournament and even take bets on who is going to win. Have a prize or trophy for the winning team.

No matter who wins and what extra activities you plan, your besties are sure to have a great time until the sun comes up the next morning.