MARVEL Cosmic Invasion

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is a 2D beat 'em up from Tribute Games, available since December 2025 and published by Dotemu, among others. The game uses hand-drawn-looking pixel art and short, action-packed levels in the style of classic arcade fighters. At the center is Annihilus, whose so-called Annihilation Wave pushes from Earth into the Negative Zone.

The story brings together 15 Marvel characters, including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Storm and Nova. The selection is not just cosmetic: each hero has their own fighting moves and special attacks, which can be combined with character switching. The game can be played alone or in co-op.

The base game was released on December 1, 2025. The developer is Canadian studio Tribute Games, which previously developed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, among others. The publishing group includes Dotemu and, on Steam, also Gamirror Games.

The standard version is already playable. DLCs that add new fighters to the existing game have also been released. The second major character expansion, The Siege of Castle Doom, is announced for November 10, 2026 and has not yet been released.

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S. The console versions are listed in the official Dotemu fact sheet and on the respective platform stores. An entry for Nintendo Switch 2 refers to a dedicated version for that console, not just backward compatibility.

On PC, Steam supports Windows and Linux/SteamOS. No native version is listed there for Mac. Depending on the console, online games may require a corresponding platform subscription.

Before each stage, two Marvel heroes are selected. The central Cosmic Swap system allows instant switching mid-fight. This means attacks and special moves from different characters can flow into each other. As a result, a run with Wolverine and Storm feels noticeably different from a combination of Rocket Raccoon and Captain America.

Levels run sideways through various locations in the Marvel universe. Enemy waves alternate with boss encounters. Although the controls are reminiscent of classic arcade beat 'em ups, switching characters, movement profiles and the order of the two characters allow different combinations.

Cyclops & The Thing was released on May 18, 2026 and added two more characters. Coming on November 10, 2026 is The Siege of Castle Doom with Doctor Doom and Invisible Woman and a replayable challenge mode in Doom's fortress.

In the new mode, players choose between rooms with equipment, healing, events and combat boosts. Victories bring batteries for a stabilizer, which slows Doctor Doom's power gain. Upgrades to attack, defense and tactics, along with further unlocks, give successive runs new options. Both expansions require the base game.

Steam lists at least Windows 10 for Windows, a Core 2 Duo E6550 or Athlon 64 X2 6400+, 4 GB RAM, a basic DirectX-compatible graphics card and 1 GB of free storage. That configuration is listed there for 1080p at 30 frames per second.

For the recommended Windows configuration, the store lists a Core i3-540 or Phenom II X2 550, 8 GB RAM and a GeForce GT 730 or Radeon R7 240, also with 1 GB of memory. For Linux/SteamOS, the store page includes a separate requirements profile, which should not simply be equated with the Windows values.

The playable starting lineup includes Spider-Man, Wolverine, She-Hulk, Captain America, Phoenix, Black Panther, Storm, Iron Man, Rocket Raccoon, Beta Ray Bill, Venom, Cosmic Ghost Rider, Nova, Phyla-Vell and Silver Surfer. The selection ranges from close-range fighters to characters with ranged and area attacks.

Which two characters accompany a stage is a gameplay choice. The paid expansions are offered additionally; Cyclops, The Thing, Doctor Doom and Invisible Woman are therefore not part of the list of the 15 originally included heroes.

The game supports up to four players locally or online. A drop-in/drop-out system lets you continue ongoing games with a changing group size. Switching characters alone offers different attack combinations, even in larger groups.

Steam lists cross-platform multiplayer. However, that alone does not guarantee that every possible combination of console and PC versions can be connected without restrictions. If you plan a specific cross-platform group, check the platform details before buying.