Marvel Cosmic Invasion preview: Classic beat 'em up action meets superhero mayhem in 2025 release
The graphics are pixelated and retro, looking like a game from the 16-bit SNES era. Dotemu has other 2025 games (Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Absolum), but Cosmic Invasion sticks closest to pure retro design, with very few modern updates, as per the report by Rolling Stone.
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Character selection & game mechanics
Players can pick from 15 Marvel superheroes. Instead of using just one hero, you pick two heroes per player, and you can switch between them in real-time during the game. With up to 4 people playing together, you can have 8 heroes on screen at once thanks to the tag-team system.
This tag-style setup comes from old Marvel fighting games, like X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), but it's rare in side-scrolling beat 'em ups, making it feel fresh. Each hero has Light and heavy attacks, Dodges or blocks, Special moves that use a stamina meter, and Tag-team attacks, where your second hero jumps in for a flashy hit, as stated by the Rolling Stone.
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Playable characters
9 characters were playable in the preview: Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm, Wolverine, Venom, Phyla-Vell, Nova, She-Hulk, and Rocket Raccoon. The full roster will have 15 heroes, with 4 still unannounced. More may be added post-launch.
Cap, Spidey, Wolverine, and Storm feel like their versions from Marvel vs. Capcom. Tribute Games said this was intentional, to match fans' expectations. They all move fast, with strong combos like Cap: His shield throw is great for crowd control. Spidey & Wolverine: Good for fast, close-up multi-hit combos. Storm: Can zap enemies all over the screen with lightning. Venom is stronger and bulkier than his fighting game version, playing more like a tank, as per the Rolling Stone report.
Standout heroes
Phyla-Vell (a lesser-known hero from Marvel space comics) was a top performer in the demo. She has a giant sword. Can fly and teleport. Dominates both ground and air — feels like a "one-woman army". Nova is also great — quick, hard-hitting, and smooth in the air. She-Hulk is super slow, but her big punches and long reach make her really strong in crowds.
Rocket Raccoon was the worst to play in the demo. His gun-based attacks feel different and not in a good way. Weak in the air, and awkward to control. Made fights harder, but not in a fun or rewarding way. Rocket shows the problem of having so many heroes: some will feel unbalanced or just plain bad, even if they're popular, as per the Rolling Stone report.
Ground vs air combat
A new feature is that some heroes and enemies can fly, adding two layers of combat (ground and air). Flying just needs a double jump, but then you stay locked to the air level — like walking on an invisible path in the sky.
Problem: enemies on the other plane can still hit you, and switching layers isn't always smooth. If your hero has bad air attacks, chasing flying enemies becomes annoying and kills the game's rhythm, according to the report by Rolling Stone.
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Level structure & bosses
The gameplay loop is simple: Walk in a straight line, beat up bad guys, fight a boss, and repeat. The preview included 2 levels: Streets of New York, ending with a boss fight against Beetle and S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, ending with a boss fight against Taskmaster.
Taskmaster has a special trick — you must knock off his Captain America-style shield to land real damage before it regenerates. Like old arcade games, bosses have unique attack patterns that you need to learn and counter.
The plot is simple but big: Cosmic villain Annihilus launches a galaxy-wide attack. He brings along major threats like Thanos and Galactus, tapping into Marvel's space lore that got popular again in the 2000s. The Guardians of the Galaxy's rise in the comics (which inspired the movies) is part of the vibe here, as per the report by Rolling Stone.
Level design & flow
Levels are totally linear — you just move right and fight. No secrets, no collectibles, and no branching paths were seen in the demo. Some areas are tight and narrow, forcing players into close fights.
Even open spaces don't feel as large or dynamic as in Streets of Rage 4 or Shredder's Revenge. Because of this, it can sometimes feel repetitive or slow, especially during quieter moments.
Combat feel & visuals
When action heats up, it becomes wild fun: flashy moves, tag-ins, and massive combo chains (500+ hits possible!). That said, it's best when the right characters are picked — some are clearly more fun and responsive, as stated by Rolling Stone.
Visual effects are bright, satisfying, and old-school cool. But the experience feels "vanilla" (basic) — there's nothing groundbreaking outside of the tag team mechanic.
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Cosmic Invasion is perfect for casual fun, especially for Marvel fans or people who love retro games. It's not deep or revolutionary — but it's accessible, simple, and filled with superhero chaos.
The Marvel IP is the biggest draw here — gameplay comes second, but still delivers decent fun. Whether later parts of the game include surprises or variety is unknown — the preview focused only on early levels. Marvel Cosmic Invasion launches later in 2025 for: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, as per the report by Rolling Stone.
FAQs
Q1. When is Marvel Cosmic Invasion releasing and on which platforms?
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is releasing in late 2025 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Q2. How many playable characters are in Marvel Cosmic Invasion?
The game features 15 playable Marvel superheroes, with 9 shown in the demo and more to be revealed before launch.
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