Parents' Guide to

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

By David Chapman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Comic book action returns with new focus on teamwork.

Game Nintendo Switch 2019
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

uvaldog
uvaldog Adult
July 28, 2019
age 10+

Live an Avengers Adventure!

Really good game. 4 character co-op mode is fun. Reminds me of the old TMNT or Gauntlet games. A huge gallery of characters to choose from once you defeat them or reach certain levels. The violence is anything you would see in any superhero fighting game. No blood. Just knocking people over as their life status bar wears down. The main thing I was surprised by is the high usage rate of the word "hell" in the game. In names of places, items, and characters saying "What the hell..." I suppose it's considered a mild swear if at all anymore but it's enough that I don't want my 6 year old hearing it.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What’s It About?

In MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: THE BLACK ORDER, the heroes of the Marvel Universe must band together to save humanity and the entire universe from a threat of cataclysmic proportions. The Mad Titan Thanos and his cult of Black Order followers are on a quest to collect the Infinity Stones, six cosmically powered gems that grant their users dominion over a specific aspect of all existence. After a chance encounter with the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Stones have now found their way to Earth. Now it's up to you to assemble your team of heroes from across the Marvel Universe and recover each of the Infinity Stones before they fall into the wrong hands, facing off against a Who's Who of Marvel villains in the process. Players will choose from a roster of more than thirty Marvel heroes, each bringing their own unique skills, powers, and team abilities to the fray. You'll sync up your powers with teammates and execute powerful Epic moves that can turn the tide of battle in your favor. Gamers can play solo or, in true comic book form, team-up with up to four friends in local or online co-op play. With stakes this high, you'll need all the help you can get.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (6 ):

It's been a long time coming for comic book fans, but after a decade-long hiatus, a new entry in the Marvel Ultimate Alliance series has risen from the ashes, complete with a new developer, a new publisher, and a new home as an exclusive for the Nintendo Switch. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order isn't just a rehash of the previous games, though. Instead, a lot of work has gone into taking everything that fans loved about the franchise, polishing it up, adding some new and original twists on that formula, and cranking it all up to eleven to deliver an adventure that's not only the best entry of the series to date, but also a game that earns a spot as one of most entertaining Marvel games in recent memory and a must have title for the Nintendo Switch.

One of the best things about most comic book events are the team-ups. Ultimate Alliance 3 also has a heavy focus on teamwork that goes well be beyond the diverse roster of available characters. While the game is fantastic in single player, it's even better when shared with friends in via local or co-op play. And thanks to the drop in/drop out feature, friends can come and go as they please with little interruption to the flow of the action. Syncing moves together for Synergy attacks between characters adds a new layer to the gameplay and, in multiplayer, encourages players to communicate and work together. Different characters interact with one another in different ways too, including different dialogues, Synergies, and team bonuses. This variety of options gives fans plenty of ways to play and reasons to experiment with different character combinations. And fans will also get a kick out of all the extra unlockables available throughout the game, such as new costumes, artwork, character dossiers, and more. From top to bottom, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is a complete revitalization for the Ultimate Alliance franchise and just about everything a Marvel fan could ask for.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what traits define a "hero". Would these characters still be heroic without their superpowers? If you could have any superpower, what would it be and how would you use it?

  • What are some of the ways that working with others can be better than working alone? How can different abilities and skills work together both in games and in real life? What are some of the ways that video games can help build positive methods of teamwork in the real world?

Game Details

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