Balatro
FairA$19.05
Addictive design
Game library subscriptionPay once (premium)
Marvel Snap
Released 18 October 2022 Developer Second Dinner Publisher Skystone Games (published by Nuverse until 2025)
A fast card battler in which you build a 12-card deck of Marvel heroes and villains and compete over three locations in games that last about three minutes. A 'Snap' lets you double the stakes when you think you are winning. It is aimed at teens and adults who like quick, tactical card games.
Money health
CautionBuilt to push spending
Addictive design
Moderate3 of 5 — counts the hooks designed in
Average price
Freefree to download
Spending ceiling
No ceilingRepeat purchases, no limit
How it makes money
Caution: built to push spending
The game is free to play with no energy limits and no ads, and cards are earned by playing. Spending is mostly on cosmetics and a seasonal pass: Gold (the paid currency) costs A$7.99 for 300 or A$29.99 for 1,450 on the Australian App Store (the page lists only ten items, so larger packs may exist) and can be exchanged for alternate-art card variants, other in-game currency and bundles. Each roughly four-week season has a pass at A$14.99, A$22.99 (Plus) or A$29.99 (Super), and the pass lists 50 levels and 900 Gold in total. Variants are cosmetic and do not change how a card plays. In the 2022 beta the game ran a 'Nexus' event with loot boxes, which drew criticism and was removed, with Gold refunded to buyers.
How you pay
- Free-to-play
Free on iOS, Android and PC. The App Store lists Gold from A$7.99 (300) to A$29.99 (1,450), though it shows only ten items. The listing says there are no energy barriers or ads.
- Battle pass
A Seasonal Pass is sold each season at A$14.99, with Plus (A$22.99) and Super (A$29.99) versions on the App Store; each pass lists 50 levels and 900 Gold in total.
- Cosmetics
Variants are alternate artwork for cards that do not offer gameplay advantages, and there were over a thousand of them by January 2023.
Techniques it uses to keep you paying or playing
- Game currency
Real money buys Gold, which is then exchanged for variants, other in-game currency and rotating bundles.
- Starter pack
A Welcome Bundle at A$4.99 is listed on the App Store.
minor part of the game - FOMO timers
Each season has its own pass with a featured card and cosmetics, and the shop rotates bundles, so items come and go with the season.
minor part of the game - Collect all
More than a thousand card variants and new cards each season give collectors a long list to chase.
minor part of the game
Used to, but no longer
- Loot boxesremoved
The 2022 beta included a 'Nexus' event with loot boxes that was criticised and removed in mid-2022, with Gold refunded in a patch that August. Apple's current listing still declares 'loot boxes' in its age-rating answers.
Fairer alternatives
Similar games with a healthier money model
What it costs
Free to start, then A$4.99–A$29.99 a purchase
| What | Where | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold 300 Smallest Gold pack |
Apple App Store (AU) · iOS ↗ | A$7.99 | Oct 2026 |
| Gold 1450 Largest Gold pack shown; the page lists only ten items |
Apple App Store (AU) · iOS ↗ | A$29.99 | Oct 2026 |
| Seasonal Pass Per season; Plus is A$22.99 and Super is A$29.99 |
Apple App Store (AU) · iOS ↗ | A$14.99 | Oct 2026 |
| Welcome Bundle New-player bundle |
Apple App Store (AU) · iOS ↗ | A$4.99 | Oct 2026 |
Store prices change often and sales are common; we record the regular price on the date shown.
Reviews from across the web
What the critics said
85Metacritic
Metascore
Metascore
Mostly PositiveSteam
player reviews
player reviews
-
9/ 10
GameSpot ↗
Rated it very highly as a quick, easy-to-learn card game.
-
9/ 10
Shacknews ↗
Rated it very highly as a fast, well-designed card game.
-
4.5/ 5
GamesRadar+ ↗
Gave it a strong recommendation as a quick, accessible card battler.
-
5/ 5
NME ↗
Gave it top marks.
Scores belong to the outlets that published them; follow the links to read the full reviews. Summaries are ours.
Age ratings
Classification
Age ratings judge content (violence, language, gambling themes). They say little about how hard a game pushes spending — that's what the badges above are for. About rating boards
Safety & parental controls
Who can talk to your child, and what can they buy?
- Preset messages only
- Players can interact with strangers
- No user-made content
- Account: not recorded
Ranked and casual matches pair you with other players online. In-game communication in matches is by preset emotes; we could not confirm the full details of the 'messaging and chat' item that Apple lists on its page, so check the in-game settings for any alliance or social features before letting a younger child play. Purchases are made through the App Store, Google Play or Steam, so use their spending limits.
Platforms & release
Where you can play it
| Platform | Released | Store |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC Windows version was in early access from launch; Steam release 22 August 2023. |
22 August 2023 | Store page ↗ |
| iPhone and iPad | 18 October 2022 | Store page ↗ |
| Android phones and tablets | 18 October 2022 | — |
Further reading
- Official website ↗
- Marvel Snap on Wikipedia ↗
- Marvel Snap official site ↗
- Marvel Snap Zone: season passes ↗
- Wikipedia ↗
Facts last checked 22 October 2026. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, apps.apple.com, itunes.apple.com, store.steampowered.com, store.steampowered.com, www.metacritic.com, www.metacritic.com, marvelsnap.com, marvelsnapzone.com. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.