How to play Marvel Snap - A beginner's guide for you
By DANG BUI on Apr 04, 2026
If you're looking for a new card game to play, Marvel Snap is an excellent choice. The game is filled with strategy, as players must carefully plan their moves in order to win cubes and progress through the ranks. Here's a guide on how to play Marvel Snap:
Marvel Snap has a unique gameplay style where each game consists of only six turns, with both players taking their turns at the same time. The game isn't focused on hitting your opponent or destroying cards, although that can be a potential strategy. Instead, the objective is to outscore your opponent in two out of three of the board's locations. This raises the question of what locations are and how they function in the game.
One important aspect of the game is scoring, which is crucial to achieving victory. So, how exactly does scoring work in Marvel Snap?
The first thing to note is that each card has two values in the top-left and top-right corners. The top-left value is the Energy Cost, which represents how much energy is required to play that card. At the start of the game, players have 1 Energy, and this increases by one with each turn until they have 6 Energy on Turn 6.
The top-right number on each card is the Power value, which is what is counted towards the final score. Each card has a base Power value, but this can be affected by various factors, including different location and card interactions. Understanding these interactions is crucial to mastering the game.
There are two important keywords to become familiar with in Marvel Snap: On Reveal and Ongoing. An On Reveal effect is executed when a card is revealed on the board. For example, Jessica Jones has a base Power value of 4, but her On Reveal effect allows her to add an additional 4 Power to her total if no cards are played at her location on the next turn. This makes her a valuable card to play in certain situations.
An Ongoing effect, on the other hand, persists throughout the game and can affect cards in more than one location. Some cards have Ongoing effects that only apply to cards played at the same location, while others affect all friendly cards regardless of location. Iron Man, for example, will double your Power total at whatever location he's on, making him a valuable card to play in combination with other high-Power cards. Meanwhile, Blue Marvel will add +1 Power to all friendly cards for the rest of the game, regardless of location, which can be a game-changer if played early.
As players gain more experience, they'll learn which On Reveal and Ongoing cards work best with one another. Some cards don't have either of these keywords and instead get bonuses as part of their normal abilities. For instance, Angela will gain +1 Power for each new card played at her location, making her a valuable card to play early in the game.
As players increase their collection and learn more about how Marvel Snap works, they'll also learn how to disrupt certain effects. For instance, Enchantress has an On Reveal effect that will disable all Ongoing effects at her location, which can be used to neutralize some of the game's most powerful cards.
In summary, scoring in Marvel Snap is all about maximizing the Power value of your cards while strategically using On Reveal and Ongoing effects to gain an advantage over your opponent. By carefully considering each move and understanding the interactions between cards and locations, players can achieve victory in this exciting and challenging game.
During gameplay, players acquire energy each turn and use cards to attack their opponents. Cards can also be used to retreat before your opponent does, which can be a strategic move to minimize losses. The game has a similar feel to Hearthstone, making it easy for fans of that game to pick up and play.
As you progress through the game, you'll naturally upgrade your cards and collection level. It's also important to focus on getting cards faster through the use of boosters.
Overall, Marvel Snap is a fun and strategic game that's perfect for anyone looking for a new diversion. Give it a try and see if you have what it takes to become the ultimate Marvel Snap player!
