Gamers of a certain age will remember when beat-’em-ups ruled arcades. The cabinets inhaled quarters as four players teamed up to brawl their way to save Maggie Simpson or battle Shredder across New York. Those memories are connected to pizza parties or late-night forays, with parents handing one more dollar to see if the kids could finish the game.
Although most arcades are gone, those experiences still live on thanks to developers such as Tribute Games, which has made a name for itself by finding new life in the genre. The team crafted an excellent adventure inspired by Konami’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” adventures on the SNES and arcades, and now, its follow-up echoes another classic.
SPIRITUAL SUCCESSORS
Tribute’s “Marvel Cosmic Invasion” takes the formula from “Shredder’s Revenge” and applies it to the “X-Men” arcade game, a legendary beat-’em-up that supported up to six players on a two-screen cabinet. That tech was advanced for its time, but nowadays, the wide-screen format doesn’t stand out as much.
Instead, Tribute pushed what’s capable in the gameplay. The 1990s beat-’em-up had simpler mechanics with three buttons for jumping, attacking and a super move that was powerful but consumed health. “Marvel Cosmic Invasion” moves beyond that by adding elements of action and fighting games.
When it comes to movement, characters can sprint across the screen with a double-tap. Heroes capable of flying can stay above the free by hitting the jump button twice. Tribute adds a defensive component with a button that can either dodge or block, depending on the character. With the right timing, fighters such as Phyla-Vell can even counter an enemy attack.
On the offensive side, players have an attack that can be mashed for combos, while the power attack can deliver a ranged blast, grapple move or heavy blow. What’s more, players can hold onto the attack buttons for powered-up attacks. Super moves are still in the “Marvel Cosmic Invasion,” but instead of shaving off health, it relies on a Focus meter that players build up through fighting.
DYNAMIC DUOS
Tribute adds another wrinkle to the gameplay with the swap button. Before entering a stage, players choose two characters, and they can hit the left trigger to switch to a second hero, similar to a Capcom fighting game. It’s helpful when one hero is being held down by an adversary or if one character is low on health. A tag out can bring a hero with full health into the fore and allow the hurt partner to partially heal up. The swap button can even be used as a finisher for a combo.
Players have plenty of duo combinations to explore with 15 heroes from across the Marvel universe. It’s not just mutants. Players can choose Avengers and heroes beyond Earth’s boundaries, such as Nova and Beta Ray Bill. They all join together to fend off an attack from Annihilus and his minions.
Some of the heroes must be unlocked through the campaign, but it isn’t hard to do. It’s best to choose heroes of different talents so that players can deal with a variety of situations. If they encounter a level with a lot of flying foes, it’s best to grab someone like Storm or Iron Man, who can hover and take them out.
In addition, each of the heroes will level up after completing a level or being defeated. Hitting a new milestone offers stat perks, passive abilities or a new color option. That means even if players fail to complete a level, they can keep at it, and the next attempt should be easier with a more powerful hero. Players can hit a level cap, and it isn’t hard with 10 levels. Sadly, they all level up the same way without a skill tree or way to make each hero more distinct.
SHORT BUT SWEET
“Marvel Cosmic Invasion” contains 15 full stages that are drawn beautifully with pixel art. They’re animated well and have a crafted retro charm that will scratch that nostalgic itch. The joy of these games is the feeling as though you’re playing a lost game from your childhood. Tribute mines that vein and takes players to locales that will be familiar to Marvel Cinematic Universe fans as well as comic aficionados.
Unfortunately, not all the levels are well done. Some feel short while others are unimaginative. The best ones have a gimmick or noteworthy layout. They’re all themed well, as the campaign encourages players to pick two canon heroes and complete three objectives for each stage. This gives players cosmic cubes so they can unlock more rewards. It’s a way to increase the replay value.
Like its arcade brethren, “Marvel Cosmic Invasion” isn’t long. Players can complete it over the weekend or Sunday afternoon, but even if they beat it once, there’s still joy to unlock. Fans can master their favorite heroes or learn new ones. They can also just grab old friends together, order pizzas, sit on the couch and relive a piece of their childhood.
’Marvel Cosmic Invasion’
Three stars
Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC
Rating: Everyone 10 and up