Ready your goggles, friends.

Nuverse's Marvel Snap is still working hard to make the superhero-themed, mobile card game fun and rewarding. Besides tinkering with the cards, fixing bugs, and crafting new ways to play against opponents, Marvel Snap is big on frequently updating the a?rt of the cards. These new styles are called variants, and they play a huge part in the game's store and events. During the newest update, the second-ever Variant Rush began. From March 21 through April 4, ??opening Collector's Caches could get you the newest variant theme: Steampunk!

Not every card is getting a Steampunk makeover, but there is a small list of cards and titles that players may snag while they ??play the game. The last Variant Rush w?as the Winterverse event, and I'm still longing for that winter Rogue card. Alas, variants offered during these events hypothetically won't be offered again once they're over. They are event exclusives, so if you're really into this style, you'll want to clear your schedule.

Though I did see one Steampunk Variant in my Store, for the most part, these cards are obtained by opening Co?llector's Caches. When you update cards and move up Collection Levels, you'll continue to get new cards. A??fter level 506, you'll have access to Collector's Caches and Tokens. This is when the "Series" or "Pool" three cards are revealed to players working their way up the ladder.

For this event, there is now an even higher chance of unlocking a Steampunk Variant. According to Stephen Jerrett, the leading product designer for Marvel Snap developer Second Dinner, ?the drop rate for Variants has doubled since the last event, likely in an effort to make it more worthwhile for players who are excited to participate.

The Prizes

Who ha?s been reimagi??ned in the retro-futurist style? Some interesting choices in my opinion.

• Bishop
• Falcon
• Shocker
• Cerebro
• Yellow Jacket

It's not that these cards don't look cool. I just think there were a lot of choices, and these just seem the tamest. Admittedly, Falcon does look very cool in Steampunk. Besides these cards, you can a??lso unlock three titles.

• Steam Powered
• Fully Leatherclad
• The Goggles Do Nothing!

If you rushed to your app to start playing, here's a quick reminder that you may have to manually update to get the benefits. The patch notes came out on March 21, 2023, so there's plenty of time to play. Also, if you haven't done it yet, check out some of the new features from the update. For example, we all get to pick one Pool 3 card to have for free each season! And while we still only have the Friendly Battle Mode, it's nice to see that Nuverse and Second Dinner are working on a Conquest ??Battle Mode. Exciting things are coming our way.

The post Don’t miss the Marvel Snap Steampunk?? Variant Rush ev??ent appeared first on Destructoid.

How to play Battle Mode in Marvel Snap

We all have that friend who would just destroy us in a one-on-one battle in Marvel Snap. Or maybe you are that friend! Either way, until now, players have been mostly playing against themselves. The goal has been to win matches to upgrade cards, which earns Collection Level points. Collection Level points lead to gaining more cards. After the most recent update, however, you can challenge your friends to a duel. Here's how you can utilize Battle Mode in Marvel Snap to compete against your friends.

Update that app

The new update can be found in your app store if you're using the mobile version of Marvel Snap. It's not necessarily an automatic update for many players, so go to the app p?age in whichever app store you used to download ??it. There will be a button that says, "Upgrade." It doesn't take long at all to be ready to go again. When you open the game again, there will be a new Menu page to explore.

Game Modes

The Game Modes menu is at the bottom to the right of the Main Menu. The joystick icon will display the menu name when clicked on. At the time of writing, there is a front page to this menu. You have to click on the image taking up the screen that says "Fri??endly Battle" to move forward. The existence of this page makes me think ??that we can hope for different types of game modes in the future. Why else have this extra step?

Once you are in the Friendly Battles page, you will have two options: Create or Join. If you're making the first move, click "Create." A match code will be generated for you to copy and share with your friend. This can be a little awkward if you're also trying to communicate via your phone. When I tried it, I had to copy the code and then swipe up out of Marvel Snap to share it via chat. Thankfully this doesn't end the match, and I was able to pick right back up where I left off. Joining a match is the opposite side of this coin. If you have a code, choose "Join," and you will see a space for y??ou to enter that code. Easy!

[caption id="attachment_360641" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A word of warning here: the deck you have sele??cted when you join is the deck you are playing every round with. Make sure it's the one you want!

The Rules of Battle Mode

Battle Mode works a little differentl??y than the usual matches. Each player begins the battle with 10 health. The winner is the player that can bring their opponent's health down to zero over a series of rounds. The amount of damage dealt each round is equal to the number of Cubes won. You can still retreat in Battle Mode to limit your damage the same way you would while playing matches. If you retreat before the final blow, you only lose one point of health instead of two. This means Friendly Battles can go on for a long time, especially if players are evenly matched.

By Round Five, however, the stakes are doubled by beginning the match with an automatic Snap. This means that only one player has to Snap in order for the stakes to be 8 Cubes. If you're unsure what that is still, here's an explanation of what the Snap does in Marvel Snap. So the loser of each round has their health docked by the total Cubes lost??, and by Round Five, the loser can lose two??, four, or eight points of health.

Playing in Battle Mode won't do anything for your journey to gain Collection Levels and rank. It's just a fun skirmish between fr??iends. Up until now, matches have been based on the player's level, so it will be interesting to see how different they will be when you're playing against your friends. While you won't be gaining prizes, for some players, it's worth gaining practice in strategy. Players will have their decks locked for the duration of the battle, so with each round, you will have to be careful not to show all of your tricks right off the bat.

Person??ally, I have a lot to gain from my friends who have achieved higher levels than me. My only concern with this mode is that the cards each player has is based on their level. And while strategy will get you far in this game, some players are just going to have better cards. Unless your friends are around the same level as you, Friendly Battles might be a little discouraging.

So far, this update has been really fun though! Competing against friends in a way that doesn't harm your overall game is a nice low-stakes bonding experience. Some players are already thinking up ways to play tournaments now, which seems like a logical step forward for a card game. For help with deck builds, we have a few guides to help, including the best destroy deck builds and the best decks to build around Black Panther.

The post Fight your friends with Marvel Snap’s ‘Battle Mode’ update appeared first on Destructoid.

A few cards are on the Snap team's radar

The newest patch for Marvel Snap is live, adding some new locations and balancing several cards. Galactus, Leader, and a few other are among the primary fixes in this latest update, as the Marvel Snap team is keeping an eye on their power level.

In the latest update notes, Marvel Snap developer Second Di??nner outlines how the patch affects some of the common deck archetypes. Cards like Galactus, Leader, and Aero are cards worthy of building a deck around, and they've seen some bumps in popularity.

Galactus specifically moves from a 6/3 to a 6/2, slightly adjusting his power. The balance team says that even at the highest ??ranks of play, Galactus is seeing "concerningly high" win rates, and they'l??l be keeping an eye on the world-eater as time goes on.

Leader is also under a microscope. While his bump from 6/4 to 6/3 is also fairly small, the team outlines why they're keeping an eye on the card. The six-cost card is proving to be both polarizing and frustrating ?for players, and is something that may be open to further changes down the road.

Additionally, Aero and other cards are also getting a few shifts to keep them in line with the overall lineup. But it's not all balance; also added in today's patch is a fast-forward option. Now, when cards drop an incredibly long series of buffs and procs, the game will just skip ahead to the big finale. Plus, some new sounds, locations, and the ability to see artist credits on cards are all included in this latest Marvel Snap patch.

If you want to see the full patch notes, you can find them here. Down below are the spe?cific card balance updates and dev comments on them.

Marvel Snap balance patch notes (Jan. 10, 2023)

• Aero 5/8 -> 5/7
  • Developer Comment: Aero’s effect can be a very powerful disruption and control tool. While previously, we buffed Aero up to her current statline, players have since learned to utilize her to great effect, so we think it’s appropriate to reduce her Power a bit.
• - Galactus 6/3 -> 6/2
  • Developer Comment: Even at the highest ranks of play, Galactus and decks using him are demonstrating concerningly high cube-gain and win rates. Not all of these decks overtly herald his approach, and the range of cards that can complement him has proven wide and difficult for some decks to counter. We're taking one Power away from Galactus now and evaluating whether or not we should make more meaningful changes to his design in the future.
• Leader 6/4 -> 6/3
  • Developer Comment: Leader’s effect is proving to be very frustrating to many players and polarizing in its ability to lock down games and discourage playing some other 6-Cost cards. We are taking a bit of power away from him for now and exploring further changes to the card in the future.
• Nova 1/2 -> 1/1
  • Developer Comment: Nova’s effect makes him much stronger than an average 1-Cost card, so we don’t think it’s appropriate that he has the stats of an average 1-Cost card.
• Drax 4/4 On Reveal: If your opponent played a card here this turn, +4 Power. -> 4/5 On Reveal: If your opponent played a card here this turn, +3 Power.
• Groot 3/3 On Reveal: If your opponent played a card here this turn, +3 Power. -> 3/4 On Reveal: If your opponent played a card here this turn, +2 Power.
  • Developer Comment: We believe the Guardiansâ€?effects create fun moments, but they can feel too sink or swim. We’re giving Drax and Groot a small buff to their baselines to make them less risky to play and hopefully open them up as more viable contenders in the 3 and 4-Cost slots.
• Hazmat 2/1 -> 2/2
  • Developer Comment: While we are aware of the Hazmat combo decks that may feel strong, Hazmat is actually doing fairly poorly overall. We’re giving the decks she enables a small buff with this update.
• Black Cat 3/6 -> 3/7
  • Developer Comment: Black Cat sees virtually no play, so we’re giving her an extra Power to make running her more worthwhile.
• Nakia 3/1 -> 3/2
  • Developer Comment: We think Nakia’s effect is a fun mechanic to play with, but she’s currently seeing very little success. We’re hoping a small buff will make her a more appealing option.

The post Latest Marvel ??Snap patch ta??kes aim at Galactus, Leader, and more appeared first on Destructoid.

At least so far.

Don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying Marvel Snap! I pl??ay a few matches every day, and I have favorite cards that I keep in my deck purely out of sentimental value. I like figuring out deck builds on my own rather than looking them up. Not that there's anything wrong with looking up the tried and true ways to combine cards that work together, but I like the challenge of figuring it out as I go. Which is probably why it is taking me ?so long to climb the ladder.

Realizing how behind I am, I started thinking about things like the Season Pass or the bundles that I occasionally see. Usually, my eyes just glaze over these things. I have had zero interest in buying anything from Marvel Snap, no matter how much fun it is. When I finally paid attention, I almost spit out my coffee. They want how much for the "Starlit Connection" bundle?!

I clicked on the bundle to get more information. Surely??, there have to be powerful, game-changing cards here. Instead, I found two cards that most people will already have in their collection. Sera isn't revealed until you hit the Pool Three cards around Collection Level 486, bu?t still, that isn't a hard card to get. Angela has been in my hand for a while because she's a Pool One card.

The other items are 4,000? credits and two avatars. So what's the selling point that makes this bundle worth $49.99? The cards and avatars are "Anime Variants."

Marvel Snap loves variants.

I think Marvel Snap's love for variants is interesting. The game seems to have a soft spot for reimagining each card under different themes. Variant changes are purely cosmetic. Each card still behaves the same, and you end up with a copy in your collection. I think the idea behind the variants isn't just to add personality to your deck tho??ugh. They give players something to splurge on that won't turn the game into a pay-to-win monstrosity.

In Marvel Snap, gathering cards is? free, so we all end up with the same base cards eventually. Limited-time offers for cool variant art can be tempting. I'm certainly tempted by the new "Savage Land" style, and I wanted that Winterverse Rogue card. There's nothing wrong with wanting a certain style, as that's the essence of collections. Variants are achieved through unlocks and upgrades, so hypothetically, any player can achieve them with or without paying.

So what do you pay for?

As I'm writing this, there are a few things you can put your money towards. The "Welcome Bundle"? includes a Captain America variant card and avatar as well as 700 gold for $2.99. That's honestly not a bad price. Even with the variant and avatar aside, 700 gold will buy you one low-level variant in the "Daily Offer" section of the Shop. If you see something you like, you don't have to save up for it.

Speaking of which, gold is something you can buy in Marvel Snap too. The lowest price available right now is 300 gold for $4.99, and the highest is 8,000 gold for $99.99. So there's quite the range. That 700 gold that you can use to buy a variant is $9.99 typically, s??o the "Welcome Bundle" is a nice one-time deal.

Gold is also earned in-game, but very slowly. You can use gold to buy credits as well, but the number of credits, and how often you can ??buy them, is time limited. For example, 120 gold will get you 150 credits, and 400 gold will get you 500 credits. Credits ??are then used along with boosters to upgrade cards and move up Collection Levels. The limit keeps you from buying your way to the top too quickly.

Next up is the Premium Season Pass at $9.99. Each new season comes around about once a month and offers a new variant art theme. This month, if you pay $9.99 for the Premium Season Pass, you have the ability ??to earn three cards, three avatars, two card backs, up to 2600 credits, and up to 1200 gold. I say "ability to earn" because you don't just receive these items. You unlock them by completing missions.

The missions are pretty easy and can be completed just by playing the game. While I will occassionally add a card to my deck if it looks like i??t will complete a mission, I usually just let them happen naturally. Some of the Season Pass rewards are free, but many will be locked for Premium purchasers only. This month, I'm eyeing that Zabu card because I don't have him yet, love the art, and would have already won him if I had Premium. He is the first prize!

So Premium, while something I wouldn't buy every month, is not an outrageous deal. You make your money back i?n gold and credits if you play regularly. Plus, it's nice to support a cool free-to-play game that I'm enjoying. If you pay $14.99 for Premium+, you get the same perks but also immediately advance by 10 levels. Since most regular players are likely to get to about 40 or 50 levels, it's a nice boost but not unfair.

The most outrageously priced thing is this optional cosmetic bundle. There's no re??ason to buy it at all, let alone for $49.99.

Is it a FOMO thing?

This is the only reason I can think of as to why they woul?d ask for this kind of money for a couple of pretty, digital cards. Is it an exclusivity thing? If people are buying these cards just to show off, it's not the flex they think it is.

Maybe I'm being too cynical. Maybe it's just a way to easily support the game creators. Marvel Snap is so detailed and dynamic. Every month brings new art and new cards. Plus, the cards are all planned out in such a way that building decks is fun and easy. It really is a great game, and that amount of work should be rewarded. But pricing these cosmetic v?ariant bundles at the same price point as some brand-new games is not a great way to do that.

I'm thinking about what I would be willing to pay for as someone who is kind of cheap but still lacks a certain amount of impulse control. I would say $19.99 would be more reasonable. If they offered Winterverse variants of Gambit and Rogue, I would pay $19.99. I would feel a li?ttle guilty about it, but I would buy it. I think if they lowered the price of these bundles, they would sell a lot more of them.

What is ?the most yo??u've spent on cosmetic items in-game?

The post Marvel Snap cosmetic bundles are missing the mark appeared first on Destructoid.

Friends who Snap together, stay together

While Marvel Snap is quickly taking over phones, one particular feature that's missing is the ability to challenge friends. But that's going to change soon, as the team says a mode for playing against friends in Marvel Snap is arriving before the end of the year.

Speaking to The Washington Post, a spokesperson for developer Second Dinner confirms an update is on the way for this calendar year. Part of this update w??ill be a "friend-centric" Battle Mode.

The Battle Mode was mentioned in an October roadmap update, as a different way of playin Snap. Rather than competing for Cosmic Cubes, pla?yer have health.

Multiple matches are played out and players lose health like Cubes, with Snaps taking more health. This is a bit different from the ??current one-and-done l??adder climbing mode.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNuq6E3enZQ

Snap back

This is an interesting way of playing, and one I'm pretty interested in seeing. As much as I love the current version of Marvel Snap, the concept of playing out mul?tiple matches and adapting to the opponent is a co?ol concept.

Ob??viously, using health rather than Cosmic Cube progression, means you can have a little bit of fun with it too. Maybe rather than worrying about certain decks or strats, you can just instant-Snap and roll out your gimmick decks.

Marvel Snap has surged its way into the conversation in a serious way. Understandably so, as it's a seriously fun card game. It's nice to ??see the team at Second Dinner is still working at wa?ys to keep things fresh, even as players are still working their way through card unlocks and the seasonal pass.

The post Marvel Snap will let you Snap against fr??iends sometime this ye??ar appeared first on Destructoid.

A few helpful tidbits to get your head around Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap recently went into early access on mobile platforms and PC, and it's been creeping its way into every social feed. I've seen players who rarely get hooked on a card game seeking out some Marvel Snap tips, deck adv?ice, or just sha??ring bizarre board states.

I, too, have been deep in the Snap mines. This isn't my first rodeo, as I've spent a decent chunk of time in games like Hearthstone and Artifact, and dabbled in card games like Magic: The Gathering. Heck, Geralt of Rivia and I dominated Novigrad in Gwent.

With that in mind, I thought I'd provide some helpful tips for players new to the game, or maybe even new to the ideas in Second Dinner's card game.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNuq6E3enZQ

Play the lanes

A big difference maker between Marvel Snap and something like Hearthstone is the three-lane board. Winning means having more power in tw?o of the three available locations in play.

It's crucial to think about that in the early-to-mid stages, as you and the opponent are still posturing for control. If one lane is out to an early lead, you don't nee?d to cement it just yet. Likewise, take adv??antage of some cards' ability to boost other lanes to get a two-for-one effect. Tunnel-visioning on one location can make it tough to come back in others.

Take some measured risks

In turns one through three of Marvel Snap, the locations reveal themselves one-by-one. They'll ea?ch have effects, that can help or hinder, do nothing, or radically alter the way you play for control.

So an easy Marvel Snap tip I h?ave for early game is to take some measured risks on those unrevea??led locations. Say turn one reveals Ruins, which does nothing, or is a location with an immediate, one-time effect. It might be better to play for a different locale, on the off-chance that controlling it will garner some benefit.

Inversely, if there's a good locale on turn one like the Baxter Building or Muir Island, play for it. Read the board and see where you could develop som??e early momentum.

Count to four

This Marvel Snap tip is fairly straightforward. Each location, barring special ??circumstances, can only hold four cards.

It's ea??sy to forget this and get caught up dumping low-cost cards in, then watching as a single turn-six Hulk slams through all your one-cost drops. Don't leave spaces open for no reason, but be mindful of overcrowding a spot early and losing the chance for larger power swings in the later turns.

Additionally, watch your opponent for this. So many times I've been able to flip a point, or make an educa??ted guess on their other plans, because of an overcrowded locale.

Consider the curve

If you're a Hearthstone veteran, or really most card games, you're probably familiar with the concept of a "mana curve" or another, similar term. Cards in games like Marvel Snap are metered out by ??how many resources you have to play them each turn. Hulk may bring a lot of power to the table, but it's going to take six energy to play him; it's a way?? of balancing power.

It also means that Hulk will usually only be playable on turn six. (Again, barring special circumstances, and heaven knows Marvel Snap has some of those.) When building a deck, take into consideration how playa??ble e??very card will be, and when. Stacking a deck with 4, 5, and 6-cost cards can come back to bite you, as those cards need to leave your hand to do anything.

The way I like to think about it is, what do I want my draw odds to be? I want a good chance to draw into some 1 and 2-drops, and less chance to get stuck with 5's and 6's in my hand. Start there wi?th your deck balance, and you'll find yourself spending fewer turns playing nothi??ng.

Tinker with your deck

On that note, please don't just keep running the basic Deck 1 forever. Marvel Snap encourages you to make a new deck as part of its onboarding Recruit pass, but continual tinkering is beneficia??l in many, many ways.

It helps you start to identify pain points. If you notice you're not playing a certain card from your deck very often, s??wap it for something that might see more play. If you get a new card with a cool abili?ty, like Odin's ability to re-proc all On Reveal abilities in a location, build a new concept around it. Trust me, it's fun, especially in the case of Odin.

This will also give you a chance to level up cards, which is the main progression path in Marvel Snap. While cards don't gain any stats or gameplay effects from boosting up the cosmetic ranks, those do boost your collection level, which gives you more cards and ?resources. Swap in new cards, bounce between lower rarity variants, and create entirely new decks to keep the collection growing.

Retreat is sometimes an option

Look, I may be trying to give you some good Marvel Snap tips? and advice here, but it's time for an admission: I'm a serial snapper. I love to hit the "snap" button and up the ante on others, and I can rarely resist snapping back when my opponent does. (Winning as the retu??rn-snapper is electric.)

Learn from me. Learn from my mistakes. Don't be afraid to cut and run if the win ?clearly isn't going to happen. You might lose some levels, but not as many if yo?u stayed or snapped back. A retreat is fully viable, especially if you don't want any big setbacks as you climb the ranks.

Play what you like

Everyone has?? a favorite build or hot new deck they're running. Don't worry too much about that.

While there are certainly builds and a meta will, I'm sure, emerge around this game, I've found I enjoy Marvel Snap most when I'm playing how I want to play. I like finding a cool synergy and making it work. I like finding out that I can use cards like Armor and Nightcrawler to ??bend the rules of the arena.

Cyclops is a favorite X-Men character of mine, and in Marvel Snap, he is simply a 3-cost 4 Power drop. No abilities. No flash. But I try to make Scott Summers shine anyw??ays. I'm convinced it's because of the massive, catastrophic optic beam he emits when you drag him onto the field.

The point is, have some fun. I've found that even the best-laid?? plans can fall apart, and the most directionless ideas can suddenly become winning strategies with the right mindset. Play what you like, and curse the game every time it pops up the "add five rocks" location.

Marvel Snap is in early access on iOS, Android, and PC.

The post Marvel Snap: Some helpful tips for newcomers appeared first on Destructoid.

Heroes and villains slam the digital tabletop next month

Nuverse and Second Dinner are bringing the heroes and villains of Marvel to the card arena next month. Digital card battler Marvel Snap hits PC and mobile on October 18.

Announced today during the Disney and Marvel Games Showcase at D23 Expo, the free-to-play card game will feature over 150 cards at launch and more th?an 80 different locales for digital dueling.

Marvel Snap is being developed by Second Dinner, a studio founded by several former Hearthstone developers. In its reveal back in May, the team assured that while Marvel Snap ?is free-to-play, every card will be ava??ilable through gameplay.

Probably shouldn't let Thanos play Snap

One of the key mechanics in Marvel Snap is the titular "snap" move, allowing players to effectively double-down. It's a bluffing mechanic that reminds me a lot of Gwent, and could add an interesting dynamic to play.

Second D?inner is also advertising fast play s??essions, at just three minutes a pop. Seems like the idea is to pick up and play quickly.

Considering the way Hearthstone dominated the digital card landscape so fast, I'm interested to s?ee what this team puts together. With? the whole Marvel universe behind it for fodder, the team certainly won't lack for interesting characters to toss in. Fingers crossed for some Squirrel Girl.

If you want to keep up with the game and be ready to grab when it's live, you can pre-register over on the Marvel Snap site here.

Marvel Snap debuts for mobile and PC on October 18.

The post Superpowered card game Marvel Snap hits PC and mob?ile in October appeared first on Destructoid.

Marvel heroes and villains clash in card form

A new collectible card game is mixing superheroes and villains with some digital card game talent. Marvel Snap is a new CCG set in the Marvel universe, from a team founded by former Hearthstone developers.

In today's reveal, we get a good look at the general art style before heading into some Marvel Snap gameplay. Snap is taking a multiverse approach, with tons of Marvel characters represented in car?d form.

Decks consist of 12 unique cards, as players duke it out over different cubes and zon??es. Both players play simultaneously, vying for c?osmic cubes.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=61zjv1HcJDI

There are also multiple locations to win, and the ability to double-down if you think you're sure to win. It has some Gwent vibes to it, which is a bit surprising. More cards and variants are also set to roll out, w?ith different looks for the Marvel characters.

And Second Dinner assures that while it's free-to-play, every card will be available through gameplay. It's a mobile game, but the ??studio is ??also working towards an early access version for PC to line up with the global launch.

Snap your fingers

It's an interesting debut for Second Dinner, a team founded by several former Hearthstone developers. Some familiar faces for longtime Hearthstone players pop up throughout today's gameplay reveal, and it's cool to finally see what they've been worki??????????????????????????ng on al??ongside Marvel and Nuverse.

There isn't a hard date yet for launch, but a closed Android beta is currently open for sign-ups. You can submit yourself for the Marvel Snap Android closed beta here. And tho??se who do get in won't lose their progress, as closed beta progress will carry over into launch.

Marvel Snap looks like an interesting new part of Marvel's larger games push. While we've seen single-player games like Guardians of the Galaxy to a card-driven tactical game in the upcoming Marvel's Midnight Suns, the portable quick-play potential of Marvel Snap certainly appeals to the card player in me.

The post Marvel Snap is a n??ew card ga??me from some former Hearthstone developers appeared first on Destructoid.