Despite being released about 2 months ago, NetEase’s Marvel Rivals has scaled its place in the gaming industry, gaining a position among the best 100 games of the year, but, why? Is it because of the game’s shocking design, its inspiration from already popular characters, or because of its innovative playability that, thus far, has dethroned major shooter games such as Overwatch, Paladins, or Apex? Whatever the reason is, there is something that cannot be denied, Marvel Rivals’ rapid growth has not only shocked the world, it has also reached the TCS community, making the school’s gamer community eager to discover what this game has to offer. Ultimately, it is more than clear that, due to Marvel Rivals’ innovative playability, its revolutionary impact among shooter games, and its appeal to the Marvel Comics universe, Marvel Rivals is a game that must be played by any gamer at The Columbus School.

First of all, it is necessary to consider Marvel Rivals’ playability and its role in making it a game worth any gamer’s time. Compared to games such as Overwatch, Paladins, and Apex, Marvel Rivals employs many innovative features that extend beyond the usage of already famous characters. “The ability to combine hero powers, the destructible maps, and the Marvel characters make it feel different from other hero shooters. Plus, the game emphasizes verticality and movement in a way that keeps fights dynamic,” Tomas Navarro, senior, said. This change in features such as movement, map design, and hero combinations might seem small changes, however, for a community that has been long used to the same playability features, it is refreshing to see new features that make new games feel more engaging, and that is what Marvel Rivals did, it changed common dynamics ultimately making the game, according to Navarro, “smooth and strategic, making every match very exciting.”

Furthermore, Marvel Rivals has also brought about a new perspective to shooter games, enabling a sort of fresh site for more veteran gamers as well as an opportunity for new players: in other words, it completely changed the genre of shooter games. “I think Rivals appealed to a large audience not only because of the popularity of all Marvel characters but also because of the lack of a good multiplayer co-op hero shooter in 2025 as other hero shooters like Apex Legends and Overwatch were failing and had a small player base which was generally considered toxic,” Pedro Sierra, 10th grade, said. As Sierra explained previously, besides the usage of famous characters and change in playability, Marvel Rivals brought about a change to shooter games since it offered a strong base for its competitive community. Consequently, new and veteran players are introduced to the game in an environment where they are free to explore their favorite characters and abilities, this makes the game suitable for new players because it offers them the opportunity to progress with the Marvel Rivals’ community. In Fact, according to Sierra, “I feel like you could just get good with a lot of characters instead of having to focus on only one and competition can sometimes feel really fair. when you match up with people of similar skill sets and are able to progress and rise above the ranks.”

Another motive that makes Marvel Rivals suitable for new gamers of the TCS community, relies on its appeal to popular characters from the Marvel Comics universe. “Being a superhero fun was the main reason why I installed the game in the first place. I’ve always been fascinated by the parts personalities and dynamics between characters,” Simon Alvarez, senior, said, “Marvel Rivals did an excellent job of representing the Marvel Universe. The games include a diverse set of characters from well-known heroes like Captain America to other fan favorites like Namor. Also, the fact that they have their own lore and concert their comic book personalities is a big plus.” Alvarez, likewise many different players including Navarro and Sierra were attracted to Marvel Rivals because of its usage of popular characters that have appealed to young gamer generations for the last decade. Thus, this appeal or bond that people have formed with characters such as Ironman, Captain America, or Wolverine has served as a magnet that pulls more players into the game as they all want to experience the fun of playing a “great blend of Marvel fan service” as their favorite characters, Sierra said.

Even after knowing all these opinions that ultimately asses Marvel Rivals as a must-have for every gamer at TCS, the truth is that it only depends on the player. A gamer who does not enjoy strategic games or the characters offered by Marvel Rivals might not be as enthusiastic to try this game in the first place. Nevertheless, Marvel Rivals is bringing new frontiers to the shooter game industry, and even if new players are not so encouraged to try it out, there are many gamers at TCS who are starting to get caught up in the game and have addressed their praise for the game’s new features, besides, the game is barely new, so there is a lot of potential for future gamers.

“Overall, I think Marvel Rivals has a lot of potential if it’s not already doing a lot of good to the gaming community, and I hope to see it grow in the future,” Sierra said.