The world of Marvel Comics is vast and filled with tons of iconic superhero characters that people love. The universe itself has been the inspiration for a ton of great video games released over the years, with some of them going on to become classics of the eras they released. Whether you were a fan of Earth’s mightiest heroes, or loved following the exploits of a friendly neighborhood vigilante, Marvel video games have always been action-packed experiences. Most recently, Marvel games have moved into territory that has been different from many of the classics that came before, often with varying degrees of success and a range of reactions from players. But there are those few games that stand tall as examples of the best parts of the Marvel universe and the stories it can tell about exciting superheroes and their adventures.
With so many video games about Marvel Comics heroes on the market, what are the ones that everybody should play? To get into the mightiest of games that can only come from the fruits of the house of ideas, you have to explore a number of platforms and eras of game releases. And because it’s Marvel, there’s a ton of great games to play that would fulfill anyone’s superhero craving. Here are four Marvel Comics games that are considered Avengers-level classics that you need to play.
Taking you for a ride
Nobody does 2D fighting games to the level that Capcom does. Anybody who loves the fighting game genre will tell you of multiple games released by Capcom that helped define some of the biggest aspects that people know about fighting game titles. This is why when Capcom developed various fighting games based on Marvel Comics heroes, it garnered a lot of attention from everyone. But it was when Marvel and Capcom came together for a massive clash of superheroes and world warriors that the genre, and the industry as a whole, was rocked forever. Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is one of the definitive cross-over games of a generation, combining the excitement of the 90s Marvel Comics and characters from Capcom’s various fighting game series into one big brawl.
To this day, Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is played heavily at major fighting game tournaments and events. People love seeing the hectic gameplay on screen, as well as the many different characters from both Marvel and Capcom interacting together. The best parts of the Marvel cast on the roster come from the design choices and voice acting that reference back to the many different animated shows of the 90s, as well as the comic runs that were big at the time. With simple controls and incredibly layered gameplay, Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is a certified classic that solidified how special a cross-over between two media titans can be a long-lasting phenomenon.
3
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
Playtime assembled
Anything that LEGO touches can end up becoming a lot of fun. Whether it’s stories from a galaxy far, far away or the misadventures of a fedora-wearing explorer, LEGO can make anything 100 times better. So when LEGO and Marvel collaborated on the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes games, things got very interesting. With the success of the Marvel films that were part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes uses them as a visual basis to bring together multiple heroes from throughout the Marvel Universe into an original adventure. Various heroes work together to stop the schemes of villains like Doctor Doom, Loki, and others that lead to a galactic event that brings in cosmic beings like Galactus and more.
The biggest thing that LEGO games have over most other Marvel video games is the wide range of characters they can include from different sources. While a number of characters have yet to make their MCU debut, they could still show up in LEGO Marvel Super Heroes in a fun way, introducing some audiences to their stories. The amount of characters that are playable is similar to that of the LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Batman games, with many references to the comics that people know. For LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, there are over 180 characters to control, each with their own abilities and mannerisms when interacting with other characters. If you want a fun way to introduce someone to why the Marvel Universe is so interesting and fun to follow, letting them play something like LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is a great choice to do so.
2
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
A responsibility to be greater
There are many video games about Spider-Man and his amazing adventures, but there are very few that do the character justice in a big way. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 from Insomniac Games approaches the character of Spider-Man with a level of reverence and admiration that makes swinging through the streets of New York City incredibly fun and awe-inspiring. The amount of references and deep nods to the history and lore of Spider-Man is on the same level as the Batman Arkham series from Rocksteady Games. But what brings everything together is how easy and fun it is to pick up and play, ushering players into the feeling of jumping off skyscrapers and using their web shooters to swing past the high-rise buildings of the greatest city in the world.
While the original Marvel’s Spider-Man laid the groundwork for how a game about Spidey can be done right, Spider-Man 2 takes the ball and runs very far with it by introducing multiple new elements that make for a legendary experience. Having two stories of different Spider-Man characters working together, while bringing in multiple elements from previous Spider-Man stories, keeps the momentum throughout a nearly 25-hour experience. Peter Parker and Miles Morales have their own unique tales of what it means to be Spider-Man while facing threats that shake the lives of everyone they know. But for us players, we step into their shoes (or put on their masks) and finally feel what it’s like to be Spider-Man swinging through the city. Simply put, it’s the best game to feature Spider-Man and fulfills the imaginations of every fan of the character on the planet.
1
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Heroes assembled from all over
Source: Activision
What is better than having a video game about Marvel superheroes? A game that brings together nearly all Marvel heroes into one big adventure. Following in the footsteps of the X-Men Legends games, Marvel Ultimate Alliance is a dungeon-crawler action game that lets players put together a team of heroes to fight villains. From the hangers of a SHIELD Helicarrier to the roads of Asgard itself, the game takes players to multiple settings throughout the Marvel Universe and encounters all kinds of heroic allies. But the best part is selecting which of your favorite heroes to control as a team as you explore different stages filled with enemies and villains.
Simply picking four heroes isn’t the end of it, as there’s more to gathering an alliance to fight bad guys. Depending on the heroes that are selected, various bonuses and perks can be activated, which are often references to classic Marvel teams from the comics. Want to play as The Fantastic Four characters? Then expect a nice boost in health with each knockout that helps everyone as they fight. But if you decide to choose four of the classic Avengers members, then you’ll be packing an extra punch with each of your attacks. But the references go even further with more obscure teams from the comics that may be lesser known, such as the Marvel Knights, West Coast Avengers, and even Agents of Shield. The game also plays around with different combinations of characters based on their individual traits, such as Marvel Royalty and supernatural characters. For Marvel fans, it can be fun seeing who is a great pairing with others and discovering what perks can help offer a helpful boost during gameplay.
Source: Activision
And yet there’s even more love for the comics found within each character you play. Multiple special moves are often references to catchphrases or special abilities that are displayed in classic comic arcs. Playing with each hero also unlocks multiple costumes for them, including classic and iconic outfits that are pulled directly from their stories in the comics. Someone who is a fan of a specific era for a group of characters can give them the outfits from that time and reap the bonuses that come from it, making an ultimate team-up between their favorite heroes. As a whole, Marvel Ultimate Alliance has an unapologetic respect for Marvel Comics and puts it on full display for everyone to see.
And then came games unlike any others
People love to play games based on Marvel Comics. Although there have been so many different types of games released over the years, not all of them have achieved a level of quality that makes them relevant years after their release. Some Marvel games often fade into obscurity as products of their time and quick cash-ins on the popularity of their characters. However, occasionally we see games based on the Marvel Universe that go above and beyond expectations and give fans a truly unique and fun experience. Those are the video games based on Marvel Comics that assemble the best aspects of the most beloved aspects of the comics people read, and result in experiences that make them true Avengers-level classics.
