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Computer Times
Editors' Choice Game Marvel Super Hero Squad Online Review by Angie Kibiloski
Marvel Super Hero Squad Online is a great MMO for kids, based around the world of Marvel super heroes, and brought to you by Marvel, The Amazing Society, and Gazillion Entertainment. Geared for younger gamers, Super Hero Squad allows kids to take on the role of a variety of their favorite characters, while exploring interactive environments, chatting with fellow online gamers, doing battle with Marvel villains, playing a cool card game, and more. With cute cartoon versions of all the classic characters, even the villains seem friendly. The battles are bloodless, and require little skill beyond button pushing and a little strategy, so players of all ages can enjoy a satisfying win. Earn gold, silver, and experience points to trade in for additional content. Collect all of the super heroes, each with a different personality and special fighting skills, purchase stuff for your squad’s headquarters, where all your heroes can relax and hangout together, and collect all of the game cards, to create the ultimate battle deck. There is so much to do inside this game; the fun could go on forever.
When you first sign up for Super Hero Squad Online, at http://www.HeroUp.com, and download the game software, you’ll have access to all of the Free to Play content. If you’d like to become a full Jr. S.H.I.E.L.D. member and receive premium content, you’ll be able to change your account to a monthly membership anytime in the future. Choose the $9.95/mo plan, or a 6-month or year membership for a discount. After the brief tutorial video, you are taken to one of the open play areas of the game, where you can become familiar with the 4 free super heroes you’ve been given to start with, and learn what makes them each unique. They each have their own personalities, and you can have fun making them dance, cheer, laugh, and do all sorts of other little actions. You’ll get to choose one for your play, and roam around the open environment, interacting with items and other players. These open areas are sort of like your launch pad to the other activities in the game, as well as sandboxes in which to play with all of your heroes. The Daily Bugle features the Daily Bugle Building and Aunt May’s House, where you can drop by for a delicious homemade pie. Asgard is Thor’s world, and features interactive statues of all of the gods of his realm. Baxter Plaza is based around the Fantastic Four, and has some hidden surprises. In each of these areas, as you explore around the paths, buildings, and platforms, be on the look out for stuff to interact with, like mailboxes, benches, and bubblegum machines. There will also be creatures making nuisances of themselves, like alien saucers trying to make laser holes in the city, which you can interact with and destroy. You’ll be rewarded for each of these interactions with tickets or stars, which can be used elsewhere to gain currency and stuff for your HQ. Also take note of the hotspots that will transport your hero to the other activity areas, like the Card Game, HQ, Shopping, Prize Wheel, and Battles.
Every day, you can embark on a new battle mission. Play the missions alone, or join up with other online players and defeat the villains side by side. Each mission consists of 2 regular stages, in which you traverse areas around the Marvel world, fighting the minions who are sent to get in your way. All you have to do is use your super powers on each enemy that comes your way, while trying to sustain as little damage as possible. Don’t worry if you lose all of your health, your hero will be right as rain after a brief pause and reincarnation. You can get aid along the way by unlocking power-ups hidden in each stage. The 3rd stage of the mission is the boss level, where you will battle the villain who was controlling the minions, like Green Goblin. These villains are harder to defeat than the minions, and will require some cunning and teamwork to take down. After you have completed the mission by defeating the main villain, you and your teammates will be rewarded individually, for the number of enemies you defeated, how well you did staying healthy and alive, and various other factors. You can replay the mission as many times as you like, or come back another day for a new one. If you enjoyed playing with the teammates you just worked with, take note of their squad name. Find them in the open areas and ask to be their friend. You can chat with your friends and play missions with them in the future.
The Prize Wheel is where you go to play a little carnival game of luck. Here you will use the tickets you earned from destroying those pesky, city-destroying creatures in the open areas. Each ticket gets you one spin. You can win silver coins, gold coins if you’ve become a paying member, and goodies like food or furniture for your HQ. The gold spaces on the wheel will turn silver after you land on them, but will refresh to gold the next day. You use the silver and gold to purchase everything you want in the Shopping area. Here you will find a wide assortment of additional super heroes, from all across the Marvel world, like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Iron Man. Some heroes are only available for purchase if you are a paying Jr. S.H.I.E.L.D. member, but there are more than enough to keep Free to Play members happy. You can also buy additional booster packs of playing cards, to increase the power of your battle deck, and your chances of winning a card game. There are extra missions to buy, as well as all manner of stuff for your HQ. Like in the hero section of the store, each area has special items only available to paying members.
The HQ works like a little dollhouse for your squad of super heroes. You’ll take all of the items you’ve purchased, like furniture, playthings, food, and additional rooms for your HQ, and arrange each item where you want it around the room. Once everything is set, you can hit the play button, and watch as all of your heroes interact with their surroundings. See them enjoy the treats you’ve provided for them. You can save the layout of a room, or completely change it. You can even paint the whole room a new and interesting color. Keep your heroes happy by giving them food and plenty of things to do.
The card game is in the style of many of the popular card games for kids, where you try to trump the card your opponent plays, or stop them from being able to put one down at all. You’ll begin by building your deck, choosing cards with a high damage potential, or cards that might help you block your opponent’s attack. Your chosen hero will face off in an arena with one opponent. Each turn you have the chance to attack, block an attack, or pass if you have nothing to play. Make your opponent lose all of the cards in his hand to win the game. With each card you play, the character on the card will enter the battle arena and perform an action. It’s really fun to see your favorite characters attacking, blocking, or cheering their victories. When you win a game, you’ll be rewarded with a new card for your deck. To be honest, I was a little confused at first with which cards were good ones to play, and why certain actions were happening, but picked up on the strategy by the end of my first game. No doubt, a kid who’s grown up with this type of card game would pick it up even quicker. Kids always amaze me by seeming to instinctually know how to play games, which take me ages to wrap my adult brain around.
There is even more to say about this game and the online community that supports it, but I’ll let you discover all of that on your own. I’ve loved jumping in to the world of Marvel super heroes, and I can’t imagine a kid who wouldn’t love it as well. Even the Free to Play membership provides a player with hours of fun stuff to do everyday. The ease with which you can get started and step right into the action, without any complicated controls or frustrating set up, makes this a perfect game for kids. The site is still in its BETA stage, so there’s sure to be even more fun added in the future. Marvel Super Hero Squad Online is a super fun experience, and is sure to please anyone who chooses to step into the shoes of a favorite hero.
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