Summary
- Marvel Snap introduces unique cards like High Evolutionary, Thanos, and Kang the Conquerer, adding complexity and evolving strategies to the game.
- The Bloodstone season of Marvel Snap is introducing Nico Minoru, a potential "Big Good" card with versatile abilities that rival the "Big Bads."
- Nico Minoru's spells vary in effect, offering players a diverse range of options, but their randomness balances out her overall utility, making her a strong but not overpowered choice.
As the one-year anniversary of Marvel Snap approaches, the hit mobile card game continues to find ways to iterate and innovate on its core mechanics. The introduction of unique cards like High Evolutionary, Thanos, and Kang the Conquerer has given Marvel Snap a feel all its own and kept players on their toes as they adapt to newly evolving strategies around these complex cards. While these cards are typically referred to as the "Big Bads" of Marvel Snap, the game's October 2023 season may finally be introducing the first "Big Good" in Marvel Snap.
There are currently four cards in Marvel Snap that are considered Big Bads and they are Thanos, Galactus, Kang the Conquerer, and High Evolutionary. They get this title by being notable Marvel villains with abilities in Marvel Snap that break the conventional rules of the game, such as Kang's ability to rewind time and replay the previous turn, or High Evolutionary's ability to unlock the secret abilities of cards who typically have none. However, the Bloodstone season of Marvel Snap is introducing the hero Nico Minoru whose ability rivals those of the "Big Bads."
Nico Minoru's Marvel Snap Ability Seems like a Game-Changer
Among the new cards being introduced in the Bloodstone season of Marvel Snap is the 1-Cost/2-Power card Nico Minoru of The Runaways and Marvel's Midnight Suns fame. What makes her such an interesting card and a candidate for the designation of Marvel Snap's first Big Good card is her On Reveal ability which casts one of seven spells after the player plays their next card. In the announcement trailer for the Bloodstone season, Second Dinner's Ben Brode likened this ability to Thanos and his Infinity Stones which give the player a diverse toolbox of abilities to work with similar to using Nico Minoru.
The different spells Nico can cast vary greatly in their effects with one turning the next card the player plays into a demon, another destroying it and allowing the player to draw two cards, and one even doubling its power. Which spell Nico casts seems to be left up to chance, but it appears an icon will display on her card to let Marvel Snap players know which spell will be cast before they play her. As such, Nico Minoru will likely be a strong and flexible option for Marvel Snap players, but not overpowered since the randomness of her spells will balance out their overall utility.
As a 1-Cost card with a variety of potential abilities, Nico Minoru looks to be a very versatile card that will be able to find a home in many Marvel Snap decks. In particular, she seems like a good fit to pair with her Big Bad counterpart Thanos decks to give players a wide range of play options between the Infinity Stones and Nico's spells. A control or lockdown deck featuring these two cards could be quite good as their diverse toolkits can give players enough different synergies that they can adapt their play style based on whatever their opponent throws at them.
The main drawback of Nico Minoru is that each of her spells can be very situational, making one or two great for certain Marvel Snap deck archetypes, but others ultimately unhelpful. This inconsistency may lead to players being forced to play her with a disadvantageous spell, such as the one that moves the next card they play when Fisk Tower is a location on the board. So while being a 1-Cost card may make her a cheap card to play, some players may end up having to keep her in their hand or risk activating an unwanted ability at the wrong time.
Marvel Snap is available for PC and mobile devices.