Summary
Since their creation in 1993, collectible card games have had an iconic place in com-culture, so when Marvel collaborated with Second Dinner to makeMarvel Snap, it was a no-brainer it’d be a hit with fans. Considering the success of Insomniac’sMarvel Spider-ManandMarvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales, gamers can’t seem to get enough of the franchise, and the addition ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2contenttoSnapwould have pleased many Marvel fans. Unfortunately the collaboration never materialized, and the October Season Pass went with Bloodstone instead.
Since its release,Marvel Snaphas received plaudits for its approach compared to other collectible card games. It has had a generally good execution and reception, and winning the 2022 Best Mobile Game from The Game Awards is a testament to its dominance. The game’s replayability and complexity due to the sheer amount of locations and cards is one of its strong points.Marvel Snapfeatures over 200 characterstoday, allowing players to explore multiple decks and card combos while using their favorite Marvel superheroes. Unfortuately, players will not find any Marvel’s Spider-Man-inspired cards within the popular game.
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Marvel Snap Dropped the Ball By Omitting Spider-Man 2 Content
Even though fans aren’t getting anyMarvel’s Spider-Man 2content inMarvel Snap, theOctober Season Passcomes with Elsa Bloodstone as the main card. At the cost of 2 Energy, she can provide up to 11 power for other cards played to fill a location. Players have already noted her potential to be a great addition to “swarm” decks, and pairing her with Kitty Pryde and Venom would make a super combo. Other cards that will come with the Season are Man-Thing, Black Knight, Nico Minoru, and Werewolf By Night. The season pass also comes with variants for Blade and Ghost Rider, among other cards.
While some players limit their in-game transactions inMarvel Snapto the Season Passes and tokens for Spotlight Cards, many can’t resist getting their favorite cards for a reasonable price. Consequently, with each new Season, Second Dinner gives fans access to some of their favorite characters while still encouraging microtransactions, even if they aren’t needed for the game to be enjoyable. One Season Pass where gamers undoubtedly got the value for their money was Black Panther in the Warriors of Wakanda Season, released around the same time as the franchise’s second movie. The card on reveal doubles its power, and when it was released, playing it in a combo with Araim-Zola and Wong was an almost sure fire way to win many games.
With Insomniac’s new Spider-Man game coming out, Second Dinner had an opportunity to capitalize on the hype with a Season Pass as good as Warriors of Wakanda. Both of theMarvel Spider-Mangamesreleased have been hits, with several critics even citingMarvel’s Spider-Manas one of the best games based on a comic book, putting it alongside titles likeBatman: Arkham Asylum. This not only proves Insomniac’s prowess at game development, but also the sheer marketability of the friendly neighborhood hero. Hence, the tangible disappointment with the omission ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2content from October’s Season Pass is understandable, as fans had felt like the title’s inclusion was a given.
Second Dinner could have delivered a Season Pass that added variants of Insomniac’sSpider-Mancharacters in the game, and with the rate at which new cards are added intoMarvel Snapslowing down, card variants fromSpider-Man 2would have been ideal. It would also have been an opportunity to add some cards that have yet to be featured, like the Prowler and Tombstone. The Prowler could have been introduced as a card capitalizing on the opponent’s movement, while Tombstone could gain a power buff in certain situations. Second Dinner is good at making almost any card work, and introducing characters withfeatures fromMarvel’s Spider-Man 2was a golden opportunity. Although Second Dinner won’t get the chance to try out those cards and variants this Season, a collab withMarvel’s Spider-Mantitles is still possible as the game grows.
Marvel Snapis available for PC and mobile devices.
