Gaming

‘Legendary: Marvel Studios Phase 1’ is here — for better or worse

This … will not be for everybody.

August 3, 2018

It began with a cryptic ICv2 post from the GAMA Trade Show in March. Evidently, there was a Marvel Studios (MCU) version of Upper Deck’s massively popular Marvel Legendary deckbuilding game on the way, although the franchise usually features illustrated images of superheroes and villains.

Then a semi-official description appeared on BoardGameGeek, which fueled speculation that much of the content would be cards from the original core set, reformatted with movie images.

Now the chickens have come home to roost, as “limited numbers” of Legendary: Marvel Studios Phase 1 are being sold at the currently ongoing Gen Con board game mega-event.

'Legendary: Marvel Studios Phase 1' is here -- for better or worse

BGG user Todd Warnken, often one of the first to disseminate new Legendary information from conventions, got his hands on it, and spilled the beans on its contents.

As many people speculated (feared?), the game is mostly re-skins. There are only seven heroes (Nick Fury and the Avengers from the core set), and the Red Skull and Loki Masterminds are completely the same. The screen caps actually look good, but their relevance to the card names is greater on some sets than on others.

There seem to about about 30 fully NEW cards, including the already-known Iron Monger Mastermind and his Iron Foes Villain Group. The Iron Foes, a new Chitauri Villain group and a re-worked “Gamma Hunters” feature the new keyword Conqueror. If a Villain has Streets Conqueror 2, that means it has +2 Attack while any Villain occupies the Streets.

They Hydra Villain Group also has some new cards, and Baron Strucker is replaced by Arnim Zola. “Enlsaved Hawkeye” gets to substitute for Enchantress in the Enemies of Asgard! There are also a few “named” Bystanders that have previously seen abilities. Jane Foster, appropriately enough, takes the place of Dark City‘s “Radiation Scientist,” for instance.

The less said about the box art the better, as it deceptively depicts characters that aren’t in the game, although it just seems to be duplicating the same “10 years of Marvel Studios” branding that you’ve probably seen everywhere recently. And yes, all the cards have giant, obnoxious movie titles emblazoned on them, just as was required for the MCU releases of the Vs. System 2PCG.

'Legendary: Marvel Studios Phase 1' is here -- for better or worse

All this and a poorly-cut playmat for $49.99? If you can even get it, considering the few places that have Legendary: Marvel Studios Phase 1 up for pre-order repeat over and over in its solicitation text that this product is “limited edition”? Is this the Legendary set you’ve been waiting for? Good only for new gamers, or not even for them? Tell us what you think.

All photos except box art by Todd Warnken. Check out the BGG thread for more.