It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Marvel Snap (Free), with a new Thunderbolts-themed season kicking off, an OTA update that changed several cards, and now a proper app update that adds new features and makes even more balance changes. Phew! It’s getting tough to stay on top of all of this, but let’s try to make some sense of this new update’s additions.
First of all, you’ll notice a new section in the Shop: Cosmetics. You’ll be able to use your Gold here to pick up new Emotes, Avatars, and more. Also in the Shop, you’ll see that Fast Upgrade is now called Bonus Boosters. What this means is that you’ll only need the normal amount of Credits to upgrade the featured cards – the Boosters are now included free. Wow! Bonus! There’s also a new Reaction Wheel during gameplay, which allows you to tap and hold on locations or cards to bring up a wheel you can choose reactions from. Just as advertised.
A bunch of cards and locations have been given new audio and visual effects, bringing them to life a little better. Those cards are: Leader, Legion, Mirage, Hazmat, Patriot, Agent Coulson, The Hood/Demon, Wakandan Throne Room, and the Triskelion. Wow, that’s a lot of nice stuff. A lot… of nice… stuff. Please hold on to this happy feeling, because we need to talk about the balance updates and I think they’re going to make a lot of players upset. I know I am!
Alright, let’s get the roughest one over with first. Zabu. Dear old Zabu, friend to 4-Cost cards near and far. Well, he’s gaining a point of Power, going from 2-Cost 2-Power to 2-Cost 3-Power. And long-time players will know that means the other shoe is about to drop on his ability. Zabu’s Cost decrease effect now only lasts until the end of the following turn after you play him. Rude. Very, very rude. Oh well.
Alioth has also gotten a kick to the chops. Stats go from 6-Cost 2-Power to 6-Cost 8-Power, and you know that means the card’s ability is about to get turbo-hosed. Alioth no longer destroys all unrevealed enemy cards at the location it is played at, but instead just strips the text from them. Alioth was already a tough card to make use of, and now… there just doesn’t seem to be much point in playing it at all. Good job. Rude streak 2/2.
Nerfs just don’t feel good, do they? Well, here’s one more. Sandman goes from 5-Cost 4-Power to 5-Cost 7-Power. His ability is now On Reveal rather than Ongoing, and it now only effects the following turn. I think Sandy will still have his uses, but he’s not going to be as useful in the same way he was. He’ll probably settle in as a spoiler for the final turn, but there seem to be better cards for that.
Okay, a couple of buffs. Lady Deathstrike seemed cool on paper but in practice she kind of sucked. She goes from 5-Cost 4-Power to 5-Cost 7-Power, but now will only destroy enemy cards at the location with 3 or less Power. A decent trade-off. Strong Guy’s stats stay the same, but his +6 Power bonus now kicks in if you have one or fewer cards in your hand, which means you don’t have to completely empty it. That’s nice.
There are also a ton of bug fixes in here, but those are less interesting to go over, so we’ll leave it here. What do you think about the new features? How about those balance changes? Personally, I’m disappointed when they tinker with a card too frequently, and I feel like Alioth has just been a hot mess because of it. Zabu… I’m annoyed. Of all the decks that needed to be nerfed, Zabu ones weren’t them. Well, it is what it is. Let me know how you feel in the comments, if you’re inclined to.