Summary

  • Marvel games offer diverse multiplayer experiences, from co-op adventures to competitive matches for fans.
  • Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe provides a fun concept of heroes and villains teaming up against a mutual threat.
  • Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes remains a cherished classic that pits Marvel and Capcom characters in dynamic combat.

While the franchise is more well-known for single-player adventures, such as Marvel Spider-Man and its sequels, Marvel has published many titles that experiment with multiplayer. Playing as a superhero is fun, but sharing the experience with or against friends and strangers provides a different adventure for fans.

Multiplayer Marvel games range from co-op games that are played locally to competitive games designed for online matches. It shows just how malleable the brand can be when the likes of Captain Marvel can be crawling through dungeons one minute and then take on a team of other heroes and villains the next in another game.

9 Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe

Beat Up Other Bad Guys With Spidey And His Villains

Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe
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Platformer
Adventure
Beat-Em-Up
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Released
October 2, 2007
ESRB
E 10+ // Cartoon Violence
Developer(s)
Next Level Games
Publisher(s)
Activision
Engine
Insomniac Engine
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
Platform(s)
PS2, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PSP, Nintendo DS
Genre(s)
Platformer, Adventure, Beat-Em-Up

Despite the repetitive gameplay that can wear out its welcome, Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe provides players with a fun concept of Spider-Man allying with all of his famous villains to take on a mutual threat. Every time Spider-Man defeats a villain, they join his team on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, which results in the game feeling like something out of an animated series.

Two players can enjoy a co-op experience in Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe, and the best thing about the adventure is choosing from the large array of characters, including Prowler, Black Cat, Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Venom, and more. All of these characters are strangely modeled after the Sam Raimi versions, including Spider-Man himself, making it the closest thing to Spider-Man 4.

8 Marvel Nemesis: Rise Of The Imperfects

Long Forgotten But Unique Marvel Fighting Game

Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects
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Fighting
Beat 'Em Up
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Released
September 20, 2005
ESRB
t
Publisher(s)
EA
Engine
havok
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
Genre(s)
Fighting, Beat 'Em Up

The first time EA and Marvel collaborated, it resulted in a dark and bizarre 3D fighting game titled Marvel Nemesis: Rise Of The Imperfects. With many Marvel heroes and villains dead, the remaining survivors band together to fight the alien invaders.

For an experimental title, Rise Of The Imperfects shows a lot of ambition, creating a story mode that feels almost like some Mortal Kombat story modes. However, the important part is the gameplay; the various Marvel characters, and the original Imperfects feature controls that are fun to experiment with in the 3D environment.

7 Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes

The Crossover That Is Still Played To This Day

Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
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Fighting
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Released
June 29, 2000
ESRB
T For Teen // Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Engine
NAOMI
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
Platform(s)
Arcade, iOS, Sega Dreamcast, PS2, PS3, Xbox (Original), Xbox 360
Genre(s)
Fighting

Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes is considered the definitive Marvel fighting game thanks to its fast-paced combat and beautifully animated character sprites. The concept of characters from Street Fighter and other famous Capcom franchises fighting Marvel characters is an unexpected one. However, the game is still cherished today, returning to the Capcom Fighting Collection.

Best-Capcom-Crossover-Games,-Ranked
Best Capcom Crossover Games, Ranked

These games pitted Capcom's most recognizable heroes against legendary figures from different franchises.

There is also appeal in seeing Ryu fight Wolverine or Chun Li fighting Psylocke, resulting in fun but hectic matches locally with friends and family. However, with the Capcom Fighting Collection, fans can play online, much to the delight of the fighting game community.

6 Marvel Ultimate Alliance

A Franchise-Defining RPG Set In An Expansive Marvel Universe

Marvel Ultimate Alliance
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Action RPG
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Released
October 24, 2006
ESRB
T For Teen due to Mild Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Raven Software
Publisher(s)
Activision
Engine
Vicarious Visions Alchemy
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
Genre(s)
Action RPG

As a continuation of the X-Men: Legends games, Marvel Ultimate Alliance provides a similar experience with superheroes going on a dungeon-crawling adventure with RPG elements. With many possible combinations for a four-person team, Marvel Ultimate Alliance looks and plays out like a lived-in Marvel universe straight out of the comics.

In a way, Marvel Ultimate Alliance accomplished portraying a shared universe for all demographics before the Marvel Cinematic Universe did. It features an adventure across the many corners of the Marvel universe that can be enjoyed solo or with up to three additional players with over twenty characters to choose from.

5 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2

Marvel's Wildest LEGO Adventure Game For The Family

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2
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Action-Adventure
Puzzle
Platformer
Fighting
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Released
November 14, 2017
ESRB
E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Cartoon Violence
Developer(s)
TT Games, Traveller's Tales
Publisher(s)
TT Games
Engine
Nu2
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure, Puzzle, Platformer, Fighting
OpenCritic Rating
Fair

Like almost all LEGO games, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 features the ability to play solo or co-op on a family-friendly journey in an open-world Marvel experience. Thanks to the cosmic worlds and the multiverse being a central part of the story, there are many different heroes to enjoy such as Spider-Man 2099 and the Guardians Of The Galaxy.

The LEGO games are a prime example of how to stick to a working template and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is no different. The players run around fighting villains, find collectibles, and destroy every breakable object in sight, with many characters to unlock via the story or in the open world.

4 Marvel SNAP

Build A Deck Of Card From Across The Multiverse

Marvel SNAP
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Digital Card Game
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Released
August 22, 2023
ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Second Dinner
Publisher(s)
Nuverse
Engine
Unity
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Platform(s)
PC, Android, iOS
Genre(s)
Digital Card Game
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

For fans of trading card games in the same vein as Gwent or Hearthstone, Marvel SNAP is the best equivalent for those wanting a Marvel superhero version. The developers have already filled the games with thousands of cards to build decks and fit many playstyles, including multiple variants for characters based on numerous comics, movies, other games, and animation.

Marvel SNAP feels like a love letter to the history of Marvel, but it backs up the fan service with addictive gameplay. Additionally, similar to Hearthstone, there is the option to fight against random enemies online as well as directly battling friends, resulting in competitive gameplay that can be as fun as it is frustrating.

3 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

The Third Game Became A Hidden Gem On The Switch

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
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Action RPG
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Released
July 19, 2019
ESRB
T For Teen due to Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer(s)
Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
unity
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Platform(s)
Switch
Genre(s)
Action RPG
OpenCritic Rating
Fair

With the largest roster in the franchise yet thanks to its DLC, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order brought the dungeon-crawling adventure back after a long hiatus. It is a superhero game exclusively on the Nintendo Switch, which has resulted in it becoming an often overlooked title in the long line of Marvel games, but it maintains the quality of the previous entries.

Marvel Games Most Faithful To The Comics
10 Marvel Games That Are The Most Faithful To The Comic Books

These Marvel games take direct inspiration from some classic comic book arcs.

Ultimate Alliance 3 is still the same co-op experience as previous games, but with a more cel-shaded art style. It features several new characters, such as Ms. Marvel, Falcon, and Elsa Bloodstone to add variety to the gameplay in a more simplified story compared to the previous entries.

2 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

Things Got Darker With The Dungeon Crawler Sequel

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
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Action RPG
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Released
September 15, 2009
ESRB
3+
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Publisher(s)
Activision
Engine
Vicarious Visions Alchemy
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
Genre(s)
Action RPG

It is a shame that Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is a superhero game that cannot be purchased anymore outside the rare copies found in stores. It took everything that the first game established so well and amplified it with a grounded but epic story based on the Civil War storyline in the comics.

Where Ultimate Alliance 2 excels is with its dual campaigns, with each focusing on a different faction in the Civil War. One focuses on the anti-registration and the other on the pro-registration, telling a story from different perspectives with exclusive characters, which combined with the new fusion powers results in a game that proves that sometimes bigger is better.

1 Marvel Rivals

Marvel's Take On Overwatch In The Best Way Possible

Marvel Rivals
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Third-Person Shooter
Action
Multiplayer
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Released
December 6, 2024
ESRB
T For Teen // Violence
Developer(s)
NetEase Games
Publisher(s)
NetEase Games
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter, Action, Multiplayer
OpenCritic Rating
Strong

Hero shooters are a saturated subgenre of video games and Marvel Rivals could have been derivative, but NetEase Games surprised gamers. Already with over ten million players around the world, Marvel Rivals is a familiar experience, taking the best elements of Overwatch and Rogue Company to create an addictive multiplayer shooter set in the Marvel multiverse.

With the option to play with friends and strangers against other players, Marvel Rivals has quickly become a hit, with the community relishing the many heroes and villains brought to life by a beautiful art style. The classes are easy to learn for beginners but also have many layers to master, making it also appealing to longtime hero shooter fans.

Marvel-Rivals-Hardest-Characters-To-Master,-Ranked
Marvel Rivals: Hardest Characters To Master, Ranked

Not every character in Marvel Rivals is easy for players to use. Here are the hardest ones to master in the game.

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