It's funny, despite Marvel Comics being all about superheroes punching waves of baddies, the brand has never really been a staple of the beat 'em up genre – especially when Marvel Cosmic Invasion makes it feel like such an obvious intergalactic slam dunk. Sparse attempts have been made, especially in the '90s, with Capcom's Punisher and Konami's X-Men remaining relatively iconic. When it comes to retro style revivals and some of the best beat 'em ups ever, I think Tribute Games – the developer of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge., The studio's crack at the Marvel universe with Marvel Cosmic Invasion has a distinctly '90s tinge, and even if it doesn't quite hit the turtles' highs, it's definitely Marvel's best contribution to the genre.
Big bug boy Annihilus has risen and sent his titular cosmic invasion to the ends of the Marvel universe, insectoid swarms giving way to even bigger and buggier villains to terrorize anyone without mandibles (and even some with). . As beat 'em up stories go, it's pretty standard stuff, but Annihilus has also sent mini mind control bugs to the world that conveniently allow for you to battle basically every notable villain in the Marvel canon as you explore classic locations like Asgard, New York City, and Wakanda. Unfortunately, it suffers the same fate as many Marvel properties where the quips come fast and furious. Mixed with some disappointing choices for the core combat, it feels like a game just shy of beat 'em up royalty.
