Marvel Cosmic Invasion review: Iron Man, Wolverine et al unite for modern beat ’em up

Gamers of a certain age will remember when beat ’em ups ruled arcades. Although most arcades are gone, those experiences live on thanks to developers such as Tribute Games, which has made a name for itself by finding new life in the genre.

In 2022, the team released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, an excellent adventure inspired by Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games on the Super Nintendo and in arcades. Now, its follow-up echoes another classic.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion takes the formula from Shredder’s Revenge and applies it to the X-Men arcade game, a legendary beat ’em up that supported up to six players on a two-screen cabinet. That tech was advanced for its time, but nowadays, the widescreen format does not stand out as much.

Instead, Tribute pushes what is capable in the gameplay. The 1990s version had simpler mechanics with three buttons for jumping, attacking and a super move that was powerful but consumed health. Marvel Cosmic Invasion moves beyond that by adding elements of action and fighting games.

When it comes to movement, characters can sprint across the screen with a double-tap. Heroes capable of flying can stay above the fray by hitting the jump button twice. Tribute adds a defensive component with a button that can either dodge or block, depending on the character. With the right timing, fighters such as Phyla-Vell can even counter an enemy attack.