Beginner’s Guide for MARVEL Snap - Everything You Need to Know About This New CCG
The MARVEL Snap release date is rapidly approaching, with the game promising to dazzle us with a brand new style of card-based gameplay this October 19. Specifically, while Snap’s gameplay revolves around cards, like all the other games in the genre, it has a very different premise and gameplay loop, centered around very quick matches that last, at most, three minutes. As such this title is directed toward the more casual gamers that seek to play a match or two during the few minutes of downtime they may have during the day.
With a different gameplay system comes a ton of new elements that we must examine and learn. To this end, we’ve decided to write up a MARVEL Snap beginner’s guide, so that you know exactly how to play and win before you even begin.
Let’s get started!
Play on BlueStacks to Get the Best Gameplay Experience
MARVEL Snap is expected to launch both on Android and iOS, as well as on PC open beta this coming October 19, giving users the possibility of enjoying this awesome game on a wide variety of platforms. However, while gamers can play the game natively on many different devices, there may still be the scenario where someone doesn’t own a gaming PC, which might force them to play exclusively on phones. Moreover, no matter how good a phone may be, you will still have to conform to playing on a small screen, with accelerated battery drainage, and possibly with overheating issues if you’re playing on high graphics.
If you find yourself in similar circumstances, you can easily play MARVEL Snap on PC with BlueStacks, since our Android app player installs and runs flawlessly on nearly any computer, even the ones that, in today’s standards, would be considered sub-par or outdated. Moreover, BlueStacks not only runs great on most systems, but it also gives you access to a variety of tools and features to enhance your experience even further than what you would get on the best phones or in the native computer version.
Whether you’re looking to experiment with multiple decks at the same time by playing on different accounts simultaneously on one screen, or simply want to get the best graphics and frame rate without having to break the bank on an expensive PC or flagship phone, BlueStacks offers the best gameplay experience with MARVEL Snap on your computer. Check out our PC setup guide for MARVEL Snap to learn how to get started.
The Game Basics
While MARVEL Snap features very different game mechanics compared to other titles in the genre, the core concepts are very much familiar. In fact, if you’ve played games like Hearthstone, you’ll see a few common elements in Snap. For example, the games are played in turns where both players place cards on the field. Moreover, each card has a power value, as well as an energy cost to summon. However, this is mostly where the similarities end, as the victory conditions and overall match flow is quite different here.
In Snap, the objective of each match is to dominate at least two out of the three “Locations” that are present on the field. The only way to do this is by summoning cards in each one, and accumulating more power than your enemy in each respective Location. Each match has six turns, and the idea is to have more power than your enemy at the end of the sixth, which is when results are tallied and the outcome of the match is determined.
A slight difference in this game is that the turns take place with both players simultaneously setting down cards on their sides of the board. Each player can summon as many cards as they can afford, as per their energy reserves. Moreover, they begin with 1 unit of energy on the first turn, and gain an additional point on every subsequent turn, much like in Hearthstone. And once both players are finished setting down cards and end their turns, the cards are then flipped and revealed to the opposite player in the order that they were set down. At this time, any relevant card effects and interactions take place.
The Location System
One of the other defining aspects of MARVEL Snaps is the Location system, which consists of three cards that are automatically placed in the middle of the field at the beginning of every match. These cards consist of various zones and locations in the MARVEL universe, each with different traits and properties that can affect the power and functionality of any of the cards placed in each of them. Moreover, there are also many player cards that have interactions with specific Locations, adding an extra layer of strategy to where and when you place your cards on the field.
It’s very important to read up on the different Location cards before you place your own units in them, since these can affect you both positively as well as negatively. For instance, there may be locations where certain cards are forbidden, or other locations that automatically close and forbid placing any more cards in them after a specific turn. Additionally, some of your own cards can enjoy different effects when placed in specific Locations.
As we mentioned above, there are three Location cards per match, though you can only view one of them at the beginning, while the others are progressively revealed in subsequent turns. And while you can place cards on any Location, regardless of whether they’re revealed or not, you always run the risk of a play backfiring due to the effects of a Location that is revealed later on in the match.
The “Snap” Feature
The name “MARVEL Snap” is more than just a play on words revolving around the game’s short matches, as well as a reference to the ever-popular “Thanos Snap”; it’s also an in-game mechanic that players can use to increase the stakes of any given match.
One of the rewards for playing and winning matches in this game are Cubes, a currency that you can use for increasing your rank and climbing the leaderboards. Each player automatically wagers 1 Cube per match, an amount which is doubled when the match ends. However, any player can, at any moment, use the “Snap” feature to double the stakes, increasing the number of cubes wagered. This mechanic not only increases the potential wins or losses in the match, but it can also work as a bluff to psyche your opponent out by making them believe you have a good hand.
Mind games are your bread and butter in MARVEL Snap, and the Snap mechanic just serves to reinforce this point. But don’t worry, if you ever find yourself on the losing side of a Snap, you can always just retreat from the match, forfeiting the initial entry fee, but avoiding losing extra Cubes from the increased stakes. You can always quit a match early on, or before the sixth turn, in order to protect yourself from losing lots of Cubes—or you could be an honorable player and stick it out to the bitter end; the choice is yours!
Acquiring New Cards
No card game is ever complete without the ability to unlock new cards and experiment with different decks and setups, and MARVEL Snap is no exception. However, instead of purchasing boosters or spending resources on unlocking new cards, you can obtain them simply by playing the game and increasing your Collection Level. This system is akin to a ladder that you climb by playing and winning matches, and essentially corresponds to your in-game “level”.
You start off at level 1, like any other player, and get several predetermined cards as you level up, until level 14. Furthermore, from level 18 onward, you’ll get access to “Mystery Cards”, which are basically just randomized cards that are drawn from the vast pool in MARVEL Snap. As such, even if two players are the same level, they could have vastly different setups and strategies. This is why you can benefit tremendously from playing MARVEL Snap on PC with BlueStacks, since you can effectively level up multiple accounts at the same time, and play around with different card setups and strategies as you progress.
MARVEL Snap is poised to take the world by storm when it finally releases this October 19, and with all the info and tips that we’ve shared in this beginner’s guide, you now know everything there is to know in order to get a good start.
