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There’s a simple and obvious fact about all trading card games. They revolve around booster packs. I mean they’re called collectible card games for a reason. Hooking you with a license or some awesomely unique gameplay aspect always results in a few less coins in your pocket. Okay, sometimes your pockets end up a whole lot lighter. So a videogame version of a TCG has a unique challenge in front of it. The title has to capture the addictive nature of snapping up those booster packs, but without the severe paycheck damage. Marvel Trading Card Game easily hooks you into wanting those packs to construct decks, but it slips up by not giving them to you fast enough.
The versus system featured in Marvel is fairly straightforward, but there is plenty of depth to it. For each match you’ll get 50 endurance points, which get sucked up as your heroes and villains take damage. Plot twists and character abilities provide the majority of the strategy, allowing you to do things like mitigate damage, sidestep some rules and most importantly, team up various hero or villain contingents.
Marvel Trading Card Game is a worthy title for fans of card games and those obsessed with the Marvel universe.
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If you’re not quite ready to fly headfirst into the strategy of Marvel Trading Card Game right away, developer Vicious Cycle was nice enough to provide tutorials for those who are new to the game. Unfortunately, they’re not quite deep enough to satisfy the total newcomer. If you’re new to the mechanics, then you’re going to pretty much have to dive headfirst into the single player game to get a handle on the basic aspects. It’s trial by fire. The regular game does do a good job of letting you know when some action is required by you. However, I did find myself sometimes wishing that during a regular match I’d be alerted if a card I was about to play was going to have no effect whatsoever. With new cards constantly popping up, understanding all the effects was a constant concern.
Those new cards are key to advancing through the single player game. As you progress through the storyline, which despite being written by Marvel comic book talent barely qualifies as a story, you accumulate points. Those points can in turn be redeemed for additional themed card packs. A new booster pack is available for each chapter you unlock. For hardcore Marvel fans half the fun is constructing a killer themed deck of out purchased cards. The problem is that you run out of points a bit too quickly. You’ll have a half built deck and need to try to use its haphazard strategy against a computer opponent with a fully formed deck revolving around a set strategy. As the game progresses through its chapters, it becomes a bit frustrating.
That frustration multiplies because the story mode is extremely long. There are far too many missions for each chapter, especially when you feel like you’re at the mercy of your superior computer opponent. There are some advantages to slogging through the single player mode though. Additional playmates, avatars, content are unlocked by defeating your various opponents. You also can win a few good cards by knocking out some of the villains or heroes you face.
If you get a bit worn by the AI beatdown, you can jump into online play to help save the day. The multiplayer mode features some web integration with the option to purchase booster packs for real cash. So, your digital coffers could end up a bit light if you want to construct that killer deck. The community aspect of the game is supported by the ability to trade cards with other Marvel addicts. Of course, there’s always a danger of experiencing the same level of frustration due to superior player decks, but there’s at least a chance that you’ll catch someone at the same level as you.
There are also a host of additional bonus modes that add to the title’s replayability. The challenge mode allows you to play quick matches against the computer, without the pain of the single player story. There’s also puzzle mode, where given a certain set of circumstances, you must defeat your opponent by the end of your turn. It’s an interesting twist on conventional play. As a bonus, playing through the additional content can also net you some additional points to ease the frustration of the single player mode.
Marvel Trading Card Game is a worthy title for fans of card games and those obsessed with the Marvel universe. Even those intimidated by the rule sets of tabletop card games will appreciate the chance to learn to play in this setting. Despite its faults, there’s a good chance it’ll hook you. A word of warning though, don’t play it late at night in bed. Reading all the same text late at night is guaranteed to put you to sleep and this game is too much fun for that.
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