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Tribute Games has built its reputation on bottling lightning from the past and serving it fresh. After knocking it out of the park with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, the studio is back with another nostalgic haymaker. Marvel Cosmic Invasion brings Earth’s mightiest heroes into a side-scrolling beat-em-up that channels the spirit of those quarter-munching arcade cabinets from the 90s. The result is a fist-pumping good time that earns its spot among the best retro brawlers of the modern era.
Bugs, heroes, and galactic chaos
The setup is classic comic book fare. Annihilus, the insectoid tyrant from the Negative Zone, has unleashed an army of parasitic bugs across the Marvel multiverse. His endgame? Universal domination, naturally. Standing in his way is an all-star roster of superheroes ready to punch, blast, and claw through anything that crawls.
Campaign mode takes you through over a dozen iconic Marvel locations. One minute you are fighting through the prehistoric jungles of the Savage Land, the next you are defending the streets of Wakanda. Genosha, Knowhere, and other deep-cut locales round out a tour of the multiverse that comic enthusiasts will appreciate. Each of the 16 stages culminates in a unique boss fight, keeping the action fresh even when the basic formula stays familiar.
Arcade mode condenses the adventure into 12 stages with branching path options. A full run clocks in around three hours on normal difficulty, making it perfect for afternoon sessions with friends. Modifiers like boosted enemy health or super attacks that drain your own HP add spice to repeat playthroughs. Collectibles and stage challenges provide extra incentives for completionists.
Deep cuts and pleasant surprises
One thing Tribute Games deserves credit for is digging beyond the usual suspects. Sure, Spider-Man, Captain America, and Black Panther show up. But the roster also includes characters like Beta Ray Bill, Cosmic Ghost Rider, and other heroes who rarely get the spotlight outside comic pages.
I had no clue who Beta Ray Bill was before playing. This horse-faced alien wielding a hammer like Thor sent me down a Wikipedia rabbit hole after my first session. Same story with the floating space station called Knowhere and several obscure villains lurking in later stages. The game never pauses to explain these references, but that mystery becomes part of the charm.
This approach mirrors how games like X-Men: The Arcade Game and Capcom’s Marvel fighting games introduced a generation of kids to characters beyond the mainstream. Cosmic Invasion carries that torch proudly, serving as a gateway drug to deeper Marvel lore for casual fans.
Combat that pops off the screen
Speaking of Capcom, the fingerprints of those legendary fighting games are all over Cosmic Invasion’s combat system. Veterans will spot familiar moves immediately. Wolverine’s rapid claw attack during a throw looks ripped straight from Marvel Super Heroes. Iron Man’s ultimate ability might as well be called the Proton Cannon with how blatantly it references his signature move from the Versus series.
The tag system elevates everything to another level. You pick two heroes before each stage and can swap between them on the fly mid-combo. Start a juggle as She-Hulk, tag in Iron Man for an aerial beam, then bring She-Hulk back for a ground slam finisher. The possibilities feel endless once you start experimenting.
This mechanic draws heavy inspiration from Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’s active tag system, brilliantly adapted here for side-scrolling action. Combine it with responsive dodge and parry mechanics, and skilled players can keep combos alive through enemy waves without taking a scratch. Parrying into a tag switch never stops feeling satisfying, even after dozens of runs.
Multiplayer mayhem
Online co-op works smoothly with minimal hiccups. Some occasional stuttering popped up during my sessions, but nothing that disrupted timing or ruined combos. Coordinating tag attacks with a friend opens up creative possibilities that solo play simply cannot match.
Local co-op is where Cosmic Invasion truly shines though. Gathering a few friends on the couch and mashing through alien hordes together captures that old-school arcade magic. The chaos on screen during four-player sessions gets beautifully ridiculous.
A few cracks in the armor
Not everything lands perfectly. Stage variety becomes an issue during extended play sessions. While the locations look gorgeous in their pixel art style, enemy types repeat frequently. After a few hours, fighting the same bug creatures in slightly different environments starts feeling stale.
The RPG progression system also feels undercooked. Characters level up after completing stages, unlocking HP boosts, focus increases, passive abilities, and alternate color palettes. The problem is every character follows the same unlock path. Being able to customize builds or choose upgrade priorities would have added welcome depth.
Fundamental stage structure never really surprises either. Occasional vertical sequences and environmental hazards break up the horizontal scrolling, but these moments are rare. The core loop stays consistent from start to finish, which works for short sessions but wears thin during marathon runs.
Verdict
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is exactly what it sets out to be: a polished, passionate tribute to the superhero brawlers that defined countless childhood afternoons. The combat system has genuine depth thanks to its tag mechanics and Capcom-inspired roots. The roster pulls from across Marvel’s vast catalog, rewarding longtime fans while sparking curiosity in newcomers.
Yes, the stages can grow repetitive. The progression system lacks customization options. But these complaints feel minor against the sheer joy of launching enemies into the air, tagging your partner, and watching combos stack into the triple digits.
If you have fond memories of pumping quarters into X-Men arcade cabinets or mashing buttons through Marvel vs. Capcom matches, this one belongs in your library. Tribute Games has done it again.
