Marvel Contest of Champions

Marvel Contest of Champions by studio Kabam brings one-on-one 3D fighting game battles to the touchscreen — the player controls a single character, moving left and right with swipes, attacking with taps, and unlocking special abilities with an upward swipe gesture, which turned out to be a surprisingly functional substitute for the buttons of console fighting games. The roster of fighters includes dozens of Marvel heroes and villains, each with their own set of combos, passive abilities, and synergies that only activate once the whole team is assembled, so even putting together a party before a fight has its own tactical depth.

The game launched in 2014 and from the start relied on the fan joy of seeing characters who never meet in the comics or films face off in the same ring — Spider-Man against Wolverine, Thanos against Iron Man, Captain America against variants of himself from other universes. The visuals mirror the style of the Marvel films, and the impact of the hits carries a weight not usually expected from a mobile game, earning it long-term attention even beyond the usual circle of gacha players. Over the years alliances, alliance wars, PvP arenas, and seasonal events tied to current Marvel films and shows have been added, keeping the game's community active to this day.

The game hands out new fighters and their upgrades through gacha mechanics, crystals, and time-limited events, so without spending, progress slows down significantly, and a player who wants to stay on top of the current meta and compete in higher alliance leagues can hardly get by without regular investment.

Why play it: For Marvel universe fans who want to control their favorite characters in a skill-based fighting game and can live with the gacha pace of collecting new heroes.