It's truly remarkable how a free-to-play mobile game based on Marvel Comics could become one of the best games of the year in the vast multiverse. Marvel Snap, the free card game, offers approachable yet deeply strategic mechanics that would earn praise even without the Marvel license. The familiar superhero style enhances the creative possibilities of the game. Moreover, the addition of new and upcoming multiplayer features adds to the game's staying power. However, the free-to-play monetization model becomes more problematic at higher-level play.
MCU: Marvel Card Universe
Even if you're not a fan of comic book characters, Marvel Snap's gameplay alone makes it worth considering. It's no surprise, considering it comes from some of the developers who transformed Blizzard Hearthstone Heroes of Warcraft into a mobile collectible card game phenomenon. In fact, Marvel Snap's initial mechanics are even easier to grasp.Here's how it works: Two players take turns drawing cards and placing them into one of three areas. The goal is to control at least two areas by having cards whose combined power level is higher than your opponent’s. Each card has a certain power level and costs a set amount of energy to play (the two numbers aren’t always the same). You have more energy to spend with each turn, so you start off playing low-level cards and escalate to high-level cards during the course of the battle. Energy doesn’t roll over from turn to turn, so you use it or lose it. Your deck holds up to 12 cards, each area holds up to four cards, and match-ups end after six rounds (though that expands to seven rounds with the Limbo area).
Adding complexity to the game are wacky modifiers introduced by particular cards and areas. The strategy lies in creating the best synergies from what's available and effectively reacting to whatever the enemy throws your way. There’s even a gambling element where you can “snap” to bet more experience points if you’re feeling confident. This enables you to rank up faster and face foes closer to your own skill level. Your rank is separate from your collection level, which is based on how much you've upgraded your cards. Marvel Snap piles a ton of creativity onto its fun foundation that we’ll detail more in a bit.
Marvel Snap’s short, lean matches make it tough to put down as an Android or iOS game. It’s also available in beta on PC, with a somewhat awkward mobile-optimized vertical layout that will eventually be replaced with a dedicated PC-friendly interface. I’ve played countless games on my iPhone 13 while casually watching TV or listening to podcasts. Sometimes, it almost feels too breezy, like the matches don’t really matter. Along with ranked online battles against random players, you can now enjoy multiplayer battles with friends. The game supports cross-play and cross-progression across platforms and accounts. Additional ranked and unranked modes are in the works.
The House of Ideas
Marvel Snap could have easily relied solely on its brand, using familiar characters as little more than a shiny wrapper. However, developer Second Dinner leveraged its access to such imaginative heroes and villains to craft over 200 cards with unique abilities.Nightcrawler, for instance, teleports between locations after being played. Jessica Jones grows in power if left undisturbed for a turn. Ant-Man is weak alone but gains strength in a full group. Iron Man instantly doubles your power at his location. White Tiger summons mighty tiger spirits to aid you, while Hulk smashes with raw, uncomplicated strength. The list goes on. The way abilities reflect their characters reminded me of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Spirit Battles.
These cards strike an excellent balance between creativity and competitive balance, with each feeling useful under the right circumstances. Developers have also rebalanced cards that proved to be too powerful, such as Galactus and Leader. Each location introduces its own modifier as well, with a new one revealed each turn. For instance, Central Park floods the field with weak squirrel cards, while the Danger Room can randomly destroy your card. Figuring out the best tactic among all these variables makes you feel like an absolute genius. You can create up to 20 decks, and I spent a lot of time crafting different loadouts tuned to specific strategies. Even if you don't put in that effort, many cards are strong and standalone enough that you can win with totally random decks—at least early on.
It doesn’t hurt that cards also boast attractive artwork from multiple decades of Marvel Comics. The game enhances them with aesthetic tricks like having characters break out of the frame, using parallax for a pseudo-3D effect, and including quippy voice lines. This stylish presentation honors the source material and now credits the original artists.
Stopping the Bank Robbers
Marvel Snap follows a free-to-play model, aiming to generate revenue after the initial download. Earlier versions reportedly leaned towards a pay-to-win formula with booster packs. However, the current monetization feels fair and has evolved from this approach, unlike the situation with Diablo Immortal, which faced challenges after promising initial impressions.As you play Marvel Snap, you passively acquire new currencies by using certain cards and completing missions. Upgrading cards boosts your overall collection level and unlocks new cards. While some currency can be purchased, the cost is reasonable. For instance, $5 grants you 300 gold pieces, enough to purchase several small card upgrades or one significant one.
In Marvel Snap, there's more available for purchase beyond card upgrades. The shop offers card variants drawn in new art styles, such as chibi or pixelated versions. Additionally, the game sells a battle pass with its own set of missions and rewards tied to an ongoing storyline. For example, during a Spider-Man season, players can earn cards for Carnage, Miles Morales, and Spider-Woman. After several days of playing for free, some players may begin to feel a slight slowdown in progression. However, the cards already possessed can still provide many hours of enjoyable matches. The season pass also offers free rewards, and players can earn its cards through normal giveaways.
As players reach Marvel Snap's upper echelons, its free-to-play elements become more bothersome. At collection level 500, new cards are obtained less frequently, and a new currency called Collector's Tokens is introduced. These tokens can be spent in the Token Shop to directly purchase new cards or claim pricey cards for later purchase before they rotate out of the shop. Unfortunately, this system slows down progression, making it a grind to acquire cards from higher-level pools and keep up with the meta. Moreover, the fact that paying real money for bundles sometimes grants more Collector's Tokens raises questions about whether the system is primarily designed to extract cash from dedicated players.
