If you're a fan of the modern wave of retro-inspired side-scrolling beat-em-up games, you've got a big treat coming later in 2025 with Marvel Cosmic Invasion, a new game from the publisher and developer of the fan-favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge.
For Marvel Cosmic Invasion, publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games have re-teamed for another entry into their retro-inspired catalogue, pitting an "incredible array of characters" against the villainous Annihilus, who will lead his cataclysmic Annihilation Wave against the Marvel Universe.
Players will actually choose two heroes to control, switching between them in mid-fight across levels that span the Marvel Universe from New York City to the depths of Annihilus' home, the Negative Zone.
Here's a trailer, showing some of the action:
Though a full roster has yet to be confirmed, we've seen characters including Wolverine, Quasar, Nova, Spider-Man, Captain America, Venom, and Storm. We're expecting that it's entirely likely more characters will be added over time through DLC, as with Shredder's Revenge.
"Marvel Cosmic Invasion celebrates a universe that's enthralled our team since childhood, and the genuine honor of being entrusted with this incredible roster also begins a new era for Dotemu's work with the best entertainment franchises in the world," says Cyrille Imbert, CEO of Dotemu. "Marvel Cosmic Invasion is truly a lifetime in the making - and after witnessing Tribute Games' unwavering devotion to the fans and passion for beloved characters firsthand throughout the development of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, we knew teaming up with them for a modern evolution of arcade-style Marvel action was the only choice."
"I'm quite sure I speak for the whole team at Tribute Games when I say we are profoundly honored to work on Marvel Cosmic Invasion," adds Tribute Games CEO and co-founder, Jean-François Major. "This project allows us to pay homage not only to the iconic Marvel characters but also to the classic arcade games that shaped our love for gaming."
Marvel Cosmic Invasion will release later this year on both PC and console platforms.
One of the earliest Marvel video games, The Punisher, was recently given a proper home release for the first time.
