Marvel heroes have been swinging into video games since 1982, when Spider-Man first appeared on the Atari 2600. Some attempts worked. Some did not. The Uncanny X-Men on the NES is proof of the latter.
Now the medium has matured, and the genre runs the full range of genres. Here are the ten best Marvel games of all time, ranked by how well they hold up today.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns (2022) tops the list. Firaxis Games, known for XCOM, built a turn-based strategy game where players recruit an army of heroes to fight Lilith. Thirteen playable characters ship in the base game, with expansions adding four more.
The game blends deck-building with environmental hazards and waves of enemies. It is a surprising mix of genres, and it works.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2021) follows, letting players control Peter Quill through a third-person adventure. Combat mixes ally commands and branching dialogue, with a polished feel that recalls Naughty Dog games.
Marvel Snap (2022) is a card game with a fast loop. It unlocks early characters quickly but slows down in later seasons. Still, it earns its place as one of the best mobile experiences available.
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (2005) lets players smash the world apart with Hulk’s fists or found objects. Building up a meter before unleashing a final surge defines the whole game.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (2013) turns Doctor Doom and Loki’s plan into a colorful block-fight. The dark plot stays light thanks to plastic heroes. Co-op play is not supported, though.
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (2000) is the rare fighting game that stands as a cultural touchstone. Its roster was larger, its controls deeper, and its backgrounds richer than the original. Tagging in and out felt smooth, and even newcomers could learn quickly.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2006) let players pick a team of four from more than twenty options. Raven Software brought experience from Hexen and Soldier of Fortune to produce a game that gave lesser-known characters like Elektra their due.
| Game | Year | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Marvel’s Midnight Suns | 2022 | PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One |
| Marvel Snap | 2022 | Android, iOS, PC |
| Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy | 2021 | PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Switch |
| The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction | 2005 | PS2, Xbox, GameCube |
| LEGO Marvel Super Heroes | 2013 | 3DS, DS, Wii U, PS3, PS4, Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Mac, PC, Switch |
| Marvel vs. Capcom 2 | 2000 | Arcade, Dreamcast, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, iOS |
| Marvel Ultimate Alliance | 2006 | GBA, PSP, PS2, PS3, PS4, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC |
Each entry is a distinct game with its own identity.
The list is a reminder that Marvel has been doing video games for a very long time, and the best of them still stand up.
From the 1982 Atari 2600 to the 2022 Midnight Suns, the genre has produced a remarkable run of hits.
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