Injustice: Gods Among Us

Injustice: Gods Among Us brought the world of the same-named console fighting game by NetherRealm Studios to mobile, but instead of direct button-based fight controls it relied on collecting cards of DC Comics characters and deploying them in fast, largely automated battles, where the player triggers special attacks with a tap and watches the outcome of the animated clash. Cards are obtained in packs for both in-game and real currency and can be upgraded and combined into stronger versions, placing the game among the early mobile card-collecting fighters with gacha mechanic elements.

The game was released in 2013 by NetherRealm Studios as a companion app to the console game Injustice: Gods Among Us, and it also functioned as a promotional tool — unlocking certain characters and rewards in the mobile version could be linked to the console title. The game is free to download but runs on an energy system limiting the number of fights per time period and on purchasing card packs with real money, making it a typical example of the free-to-play model, where progress without paying is possible but noticeably slower.

The graphics use the same 3D character models as the console version, so visually the game looks better than one would expect from a mobile title of that era, even though the fights themselves are simplified down to a few taps.

Why play it: Fans of DC Comics characters will enjoy collecting their favorite heroes and villains, but anyone expecting a full-fledged fight like on console will be disappointed by the simplified, tap-based controls and the pressure to purchase card packs.