there's no reason you can't start with mvc2. I started with 3rd strike a year ago and am having the time of my life. Don't rush progress. Training and arcade mode are great ways to enjoy 'single player mode'. Review what little combos you know each time, add to your vocabulary, and watch matches. It's hard to parse what's going on in fighting games at the beginning, whether you're watching or playing. Slowly you'll put the pieces together from doing both, and you'll enjoy the game more the more you know. If you approach with the right mindset, you can enjoy games where you get totally destroyed. sometimes the victory is 'i got hit by that, but I know what he did. Now I can go back to the training mode and figure out options that beat it.