Summary
While the franchise is more well-known for single-player adventures, such asMarvel Spider-Manand its sequels, Marvel has published many titles that experiment with multiplayer. Playing as a superhero is fun, but sharing the experience with or against friends and strangers provides a different adventure for fans.
Multiplayer Marvel games range from co-op games that are played locally to competitive games designed for online matches. It shows just how malleable the brand can be when the likes of Captain Marvel can be crawling through dungeons one minute and then take on a team of other heroes and villains the next in another game.
Despite the repetitive gameplay that can wear out its welcome,Spider-Man: Friend Or Foeprovides players with a fun concept of Spider-Man allyingwith all of his famous villainsto take on a mutual threat. Every time Spider-Man defeats a villain, they join his team on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, which results in the game feeling like something out of an animated series.
Two players can enjoy a co-op experience inSpider-Man: Friend Or Foe, and the best thing about the adventure is choosing from the large array of characters, including Prowler, Black Cat, Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Venom, and more. All of these characters are strangely modeled after the Sam Raimi versions, including Spider-Man himself, making it the closest thing toSpider-Man 4.
The first time EA and Marvel collaborated, it resulted in a dark and bizarre 3D fighting game titledMarvel Nemesis: Rise Of The Imperfects. With many Marvel heroes and villains dead, the remaining survivors band together to fight the alien invaders.
For an experimental title,Rise Of The Imperfectsshows a lot of ambition, creating a story mode that feels almostlike someMortal Kombatstory modes. However, the important part is the gameplay; the various Marvel characters, and the original Imperfects feature controls that are fun to experiment with in the 3D environment.
Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroesis considered the definitive Marvel fighting game thanks to its fast-paced combat and beautifully animated character sprites. The concept of characters fromStreet Fighterand other famous Capcom franchisesfighting Marvel characters is an unexpected one. However, the game is still cherished today, returning to the Capcom Fighting Collection.
There is also appeal in seeing Ryu fight Wolverine or Chun Li fighting Psylocke, resulting in fun but hectic matches locally with friends and family. However, with the Capcom Fighting Collection, fans can play online, much to the delight of the fighting game community.
As a continuation of theX-Men: Legendsgames,Marvel Ultimate Allianceprovides a similar experience withsuperheroes going on a dungeon-crawling adventurewith RPG elements. With many possible combinations for a four-person team,Marvel Ultimate Alliancelooks and plays out like a lived-in Marvel universe straight out of the comics.
In a way,Marvel Ultimate Allianceaccomplished portraying a shared universe for all demographics before the Marvel Cinematic Universe did. It features an adventure across the many corners of the Marvel universe that can be enjoyed solo or with up to three additional players with over twenty characters to choose from.
Like almost all LEGO games,LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2features the ability to play solo or co-op on a family-friendly journey inan open-world Marvel experience. Thanks to the cosmic worlds and the multiverse being a central part of the story, there are many different heroes to enjoy such as Spider-Man 2099 and the Guardians Of The Galaxy.
The LEGO games are a prime example of how to stick to a working template andLEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2is no different. The players run around fighting villains, find collectibles, and destroy every breakable object in sight, with many characters to unlock via the story or in the open world.
For fans of trading card games in the same vein asGwentorHearthstone,Marvel SNAPis the best equivalent for those wanting a Marvel superhero version. The developers have already filled the games with thousands of cards to build decks and fit many playstyles,including multiple variants for charactersbased on numerous comics, movies, other games, and animation.
Marvel SNAPfeels like a love letter to the history of Marvel, but it backs up the fan service with addictive gameplay. Additionally, similar to Hearthstone, there is the option to fight against random enemies online as well as directly battling friends, resulting in competitive gameplay that can be as fun as it is frustrating.
With the largest roster in the franchise yet thanks to its DLC,Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Orderbrought the dungeon-crawling adventure back after a long hiatus. It isa superhero game exclusively on the Nintendo Switch, which has resulted in it becoming an often overlooked title in the long line of Marvel games, but it maintains the quality of the previous entries.
Ultimate Alliance 3is still the same co-op experience as previous games, but with a more cel-shaded art style. It features several new characters, such as Ms. Marvel, Falcon, and Elsa Bloodstone to add variety to the gameplay in a more simplified story compared to the previous entries.
It is a shame thatMarvel Ultimate Alliance 2is asuperhero game that cannot be purchasedanymore outside the rare copies found in stores. It took everything that the first game established so well and amplified it with a grounded but epic story based on theCivil Warstoryline in the comics.
WhereUltimate Alliance 2excels is with its dual campaigns, with each focusing on a different faction in theCivil War. One focuses on the anti-registration and the other on the pro-registration, telling a story from different perspectives with exclusive characters, which combined with the new fusion powers results in a game that proves that sometimes bigger is better.
Hero shooters are a saturated subgenre of video games andMarvel Rivalscould have been derivative, but NetEase Games surprised gamers. Already with over ten million players around the world,Marvel Rivalsis a familiar experience, taking the best elements ofOverwatchandRogue Companyto create an addictive multiplayer shooter set in the Marvel multiverse.
With the option to play with friends and strangers against other players,Marvel Rivalshas quickly become a hit, with the community relishing the many heroes and villains brought to life by a beautiful art style. The classes areeasy to learn for beginnersbut also have many layers to master, making it also appealing to longtime hero shooter fans.
