A card battler that Thanos can’t snap away - Marvel Snap Review

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It seems like there’s no limit to the sheer massiveness of the Marvel universe: There are movies, clothes, toys, comics (yeah...they still make those), and of course, video games across all platforms that have dominated sales. It’s safe to say Marvel Entertainment is probably one of the most profitable entertainment ventures in modern history—it at least makes the top ten according to Wikipedia.

All of this goes to say that when Marvel wants to put their mind to something, they have the resources to do it well. A few months ago, I wrote about the ambitiousness of Marvel Future Revolution. And now Marvel Snap has come along to prove that even digital card games aren’t beyond the grasp of this legendary franchise.

Developed by Nuverse and Second Dinner Studios, Inc, Marvel Snap is a collectible card battler where you build your deck by assembling your favorite Marvel heroes (and villains). Putting together a team of favorite characters is a dream come true for fans of the comics and movies.

I had classics like Iron Man, Star-Lord, and the Hulk in my deck from the start. Within an hour of playing, I had expanded my collection with more obscure additions including Jessica Jones, White Tiger, and Odin. Seeing all these heroes in my deck was just fantastic! (And yes, Mr. Fantastic can be part of your collection as well.)

I appreciated how Marvel Snap expands its focus beyond the more well-known heroes. Playing this game felt like the Marvel Encyclopedia had come to life on my phone. Marvel Snap also wisely plays into the strengths of the visual medium that is comic books with a focus on cosmetics and “variant covers.”Cards can be upgraded into rarer, more powerful editions, and then turned into 3D holographic cards to show off to your opponents.

You’ll be facing off against those opponents in one-on-one battles that move along at a quick speed. In Marvel Snap, each battle is around six turns and lasts only three minutes—hence the “snap” in the game’s title. Within those fast-paced match-ups, you play cards with different status effects and abilities depending on when and where you place them. For example, when I play Iron Man, it doubles the total power points at the location where I play him. When I play the Punisher, I receive +1 power for each of my opponent’s cards. Additionally, every match has three battleground locations that also affect the cards you play.

To win a match, you must control two out of three battlegrounds at the end of the game’s six turns. This is accomplished by having more points attached to your cards than your opponent has attached to their cards. It really doesn’t take long to get the hang of it, and because of this, mixed with the speed of the matches, I was easily hooked. It’s really easy to get overwhelmed by the complexity of these types of games, but Marvel Snap does a great job of creating an easy-to-learn battle system while keeping the battles strategic and varied.

Marvel Snap thankfully makes it not too much of a pain to build up your collection. Each time you win a battle, you earn points that can upgrade existing cards in your collection, which in turn boosts your collection level. As your collection level climbs, the game provides access to more cards to play with. And of course, there’s also the option to buy some goodies at the in-game store.

I spent $3.99 to unlock a beginner starter pack that included Captain America and 700 gold. Although you can use gold to buy cards, you also need gems, and Marvel Snap doesn’t allow players to immediately purchase those. It seems like the goal is to prevent people from relying too heavily on paying their way to a great deck. All in all, though, I was happy with my small purchase.

Marvel Snap is a high-speed, attention-grabbing digital card game that’ll please superhero fans and card collectors alike. It gets players into the action quickly without many tutorials, and it keeps them entertained with its long list of fan favorite characters. Seeing as it’s just released, all types of goodies are being given away for free right now as well. So If this is your kind of thing, don’t wait to get your hands on this one. Assemble your team of heroes sooner rather than later!

SCORE: 4 STARS OUT OF 5

PLAY IF YOU LIKE:

• The MCU. If you’re a Marvel junkie like I am, you probably keep track of the latest film releases and have your favorite heroes you’re anticipating on the big screen. Marvel Snap brings the entire Marvel multiverse up for grabs right on your phone.

• Card games. It’s all about collecting more cards and building the ideal deck for bragging rights. If you like assembling an arsenal of cards you can truly be proud of and showing off to your friends, this is your game.

💬 What did you think of Marvel Snap? And which Marvel character do you NEED in your deck? Let me know in the comment section!

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