System: Wii U
Dev: Ubisoft
Pub: Ubisoft Quebec
Release: December 4, 2012
Players: 1-4
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p	Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes

Every match in every mode awards you with experience and a medal based on your mastery of basic and super attacks, as well as defense. Adamantium replaces platinum as the medal of perfection. The experience, however, does little more than promote your rank to display on your gamer card. The cards themselves are nifty looking banners with different Marvel montages. More are unlocked after completing different objectives. Alternative costumes are also unlockable, though besides the movie outfits, most others offer nothing more than a color swap. The collector cards and costumes are superficial rewards. The only worthwhile unlocks are more characters, as only ten of the twenty are available at the start. The remaining roster of heroes and villains are unlocked simply by completing the Campaign Mode a single time.

Considering the lack of substance in the unlockables and the overall mild challenge, the solo modes are only worth a single playthrough, giving replayability a low grade. The multiplayer matches are more exciting, but they’ll still lose their appeal after a few rounds.

It's hard for me to truly say I love or hate Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth. I can't even say I'm indifferent toward it. There are parts that are exciting, yet others that I know need work, and some features that feel unnecessary. This is Ubisoft Quebec's first foray into the Marvel fighting realm, and I applaud them for bringing a fresh methodology by using motion and touchscreen controls. They have a solid platform to build on, and I would love to see a sequel in future with a focus on more content and a deeper challenge. Still, I enjoyed my time with this game, and even mild fans of the Marvel universe will find it at least worth a rental.

By Sean Engemann Freelance Writer Date: December 11, 2012