Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 on the Nintendo DS delivers fast‐paced, squad‐based action in a surprisingly faithful handheld adaptation of its console counterpart. You control a four‐hero team at all times and can switch freely between them using the touch‐enabled lower screen. This dual‐screen setup keeps the battlefield uncluttered, as health bars, character portraits, and the star meter are relegated to the bottom display, while the upper screen hosts the full 3D action.

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Combat revolves around chaining basic attacks, special powers, and team‐based fusion moves. As you defeat enemies, you build up a star meter: spending two stars resurrects a fallen ally, while spending all five initiates a unique fusion attack between any two heroes. These fusions not only dish out massive damage but also provide satisfying visual flourishes and strategic depth, encouraging experimentation with different pairings.

Progression is handled through experience points, which boost your heroes’ stats and unlock new abilities. Each character boasts four active powers and two passive traits; you can allocate upgrade points manually for fine‐tuned builds or let the game auto‐assign them. Points can be reallocated at any time via in‐game menu terminals, allowing you to tailor your roster to upcoming challenges or personal playstyle preferences.

Save “shield points” act as strategic checkpoints scattered across levels. At these terminals, you can switch in reserve heroes, reassign skill points, or refill your team’s health. This mechanic prevents frustrating backtracking while also encouraging you to adapt your squad on the fly, whether you’re facing hordes of common thugs or headline‐grabbing supervillains.

Graphics

Translating a 3D console title to the DS comes with inherent compromises, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 manages to retain the essence of its bigger‐screen sibling. The upper display renders arenas, characters, and effects in a condensed polygon count, yet the art style—bold colors, high‐contrast shading, and comic‐inspired outlines—remains intact. Character models are instantly recognizable, even at handheld resolution.

Loading times are infrequent and brief, keeping the action fluid. While frame rates occasionally dip during large onscreen battles or explosion‐heavy sequences, these hiccups are rare enough not to derail the experience. The touch interface on the lower screen never feels tacked on; switching heroes via simple taps and sliding your finger to pick fusion partners is intuitive and responsive.

The game’s 2D narrative cutscenes embrace a cardboard‐cutout aesthetic reminiscent of comic panels. Though simple, they provide clear visual storytelling, complete with dynamic camera pans and speech balloons. It’s a clever stylistic choice that sidesteps the DS’s hardware limitations while preserving the franchise’s comic‐book roots.

Story

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 weaves together the Secret War and Civil War comic arcs into a cohesive narrative. The prelude sees Nick Fury’s covert operation in Latveria, triggering global mistrust of superhuman activity. This tension spills over into the Civil War event, where the government enacts the Super Human Registration Act (SHRA), forcing heroes to choose sides.

Early missions play out identically regardless of allegiance, establishing stakes and introducing key players. Once you declare for or against registration, the mid‐game branches into divergent objectives, level layouts, and boss encounters. Fans of either side will appreciate the roster rotations—Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, and Spider‐Man take different paths than the likes of Captain America, Luke Cage, and Wolverine—encouraging replay to see both perspectives.

The handheld’s streamlined narrative captures the essence of political intrigue and moral conflict central to Civil War, even if it lacks the granular character moments of the console/PC versions. Cutscenes are short but punchy, and voice clips peppered into combat give the story urgency without overwhelming the DS’s modest audio capabilities.

Overall Experience

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 on DS stands out as one of the better arcade‐style superhero brawlers on Nintendo’s handheld. Its pick‐up‐and‐play structure, coupled with deeper strategic options via fusion attacks and skill point redistribution, delivers satisfying variety over a dozen hours of playtime. Whether you’re blitzing foot soldiers or trading blows with high‐level bosses, the gameplay loop remains consistently engaging.

Portability is a major plus: you can jump into a mission during a commute or kill time in short bursts without losing momentum. The shield point system and instant save prompts ensure you won’t end up repeating long stages after shutting the DS off. Plus, the distinct “Pro‐Registration” and “Anti‐Registration” campaigns add replay value, making it worthwhile to revisit the game once you finish your first run.

While it doesn’t match the visual fidelity or narrative depth of the console releases, this DS adaptation hits the sweet spot for fans craving handheld superhero action. Its blend of varied teamwork mechanics, robust character progression, and faithful comic‐book aesthetics make it a compelling addition to any DS library—especially for those who can’t get enough of Marvel’s heroic roster.

Retro Replay Score

6.7/10