Remember Marvel Snap? I do

Marvel Snap is probably one of the video games I've spent the most time playing in my adult life, which is quite curious considering that at least in theory, being a card game for mobile devices, it's far from my tastes.

However, since its release in late 2022, Marvel Snap has proven to be a solid proposition capable of competing with giants of the genre like Heartstone or Gwent, with an intellectual property as large as Marvel's, which owns several of the biggest characters in all of popular culture: Spiderman, The Avengers, The X-Men, etc.

Interestingly, despite the appeal of having all these familiar faces, what really made Marvel Snap work was the fact that it built on a series of mechanics that initially appeared to be quite simple, but that could lead to complex strategies and varied play styles, without alienating those like me who were more casual in the trading card game market. And of course, all of this without mentioning that it was a free-to-play game that knew how to manage microtransactions very well, making its players feel like they could progress without having to spend real money.

I spent several months playing it religiously. In fact, I had the opportunity to dedicate several posts to this community, talking about my favorite deck styles for battling, as well as how difficult it was to rank up to the highest level each season to get all the rewards.

I'll admit now that I've partially abandoned this title, and I only dedicate a couple of games to it every few months, mostly out of a sense of nostalgia and a hunger to relive the satisfaction of winning with my favorite deck: one focused on destroying my own cards.

I really have no complaints about Marvel Snap, and I feel that my current issues with the game (and the reason I find it impossible to get hooked like I used to) are more a consequence of my own inconsistency with it, as well as having redirected my attention to other things over time.

Snap follows the modern video game philosophy of functioning as a live service that's constantly updated, not only including new cards and variants to alter and balance the meta, but also game modes and currency and item systems that I feel completely disconnected from. This is great for those who have stayed consistent since the game's official launch, but it seems to punish more casual players, or at least those starting from scratch.

Again, I don't think this is a problem with Marvel Snap directly, and after playing it again for a couple of hours, it's clear that most of these changes and additions were for the better. It's still an entertaining and competitive game that, thanks to its combat scheme and 12-card decks, is an excellent starting point for those looking to delve into the TCG genre.