Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order – Assemble Your Friends, Not Your Expectations

The Marvel Ultimate Alliance series has always been about one thing: grabbing some friends and smashing through waves of enemies as your favorite superheroes. After a decade-long hiatus, Team Ninja brought the franchise back as a Nintendo Switch exclusive in 2019, and while it doesn't reinvent the wheel, it delivers on that core promise in a way that kept me coming back for more. This isn't a masterpiece, but it's a surprisingly addictive romp through the Marvel universe that knows exactly what it wants to be.

Wokeness: 0.5

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is largely focused on being a fun action game first and foremost. The roster is massive and diverse, but it feels organic to the Marvel universe rather than forced. You're picking characters because of their abilities and synergies, not because the game is lecturing you. That said, there are minor moments where character dialogue feels like it's checking boxes rather than serving the story, and the roster leans into the MCU-era lineup in ways that occasionally feel more corporate than creative. It's negligible, but it's there if you're looking for it.

Gameplay: 8.5

Here's where the game sinks its hooks in. The gameplay loop of smashing through enemies, experimenting with team compositions, and chasing character levels is genuinely addictive. Team Ninja knows action combat, and while this isn't Nioh-level depth, the synergy attacks and ability combinations give you enough to chew on. The camera can be an absolute nightmare in tight corridors or during chaotic four-player sessions, and the early game leveling feels like a slog before things open up. But once you hit your stride, the dopamine loop of unlocking new characters and powering up your favorites is hard to put down. Co-op elevates everything here — this is a couch game through and through.

Story: 5.0

The story is essentially a greatest hits tour of Marvel events stitched together with the thinnest of threads. The Infinity Stones are scattered, Thanos and the Black Order are coming, and every Marvel locale gets a pit stop. It's serviceable as a reason to move from one set piece to the next, but don't expect anything resembling narrative depth. Characters pop in and out with little development, and the dialogue ranges from passable to cringe. It's a vehicle for gameplay, nothing more.

Graphics: 7.5

For a Switch title in 2019, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 looks solid. The cel-shaded art style is a smart choice that holds up well on the hardware and gives the game a comic book energy that suits the source material. Character models are detailed and distinct, and the ability effects pop with color. It's not pushing the Switch to its limits, but it's a clean, stylish presentation that rarely detracts from the experience. Frame rate dips during the most chaotic moments are noticeable but not game-breaking.

Audio: 6.0

The voice acting is a mixed bag — some characters land well while others feel phoned in. The soundtrack is generic superhero fare that you'll forget the moment you put the console down. Sound effects during combat are satisfying enough, with abilities carrying decent weight, but nothing here elevates the experience. It does its job and moves on.

Replayability: 8.5

This is where the game quietly excels. The massive roster encourages multiple playthroughs with different team compositions, and the Infinity Trials offer a substantial endgame grind for those who want it. Throw in co-op — local or online — and you've got a game that keeps pulling you back in. The DLC added even more characters and challenges, extending the life significantly. If you've got friends willing to play, this game has serious legs.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 isn't going to win any awards for storytelling or audio design, but that's not why you're here. You're here to assemble a team of Marvel heroes and punch Thanos in the face with your buddies, and on that front, it delivers. The addictive gameplay loop, massive roster, and co-op focus make this one of the better party action games on the Switch. Just temper your expectations for everything surrounding that core loop, and you'll have a great time.