Development
In August 2005, video game publisher Konami acquired an exclusive license to make games based on Upper Deck's Marvel collectible card game. Konami had published previous titles based on card games, such as the Yu-Gi-Oh! series. Marvel Trading Card Game was formally announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) video game convention in May 2006. Konami explained that the game would use Upper Deck's "VS System" rules and would be available for the DS, PSP, and PC consoles. It was to have both single-player and multiplayer modes for all three systems, and the PC and PSP versions would be cross-compatible. Konami promised that it would host online tournaments, complete with prizes. The PSP and PC versions were developed by Vicious Cycle Software, and the DS version was outsourced to New York-based designer 1st Playable Productions.
From the beginning of development, Vicious Cycle wanted players on all three consoles to be able to play against each other online. This option was ultimately not implemented for the DS. Lead designer Dave Ellis said "...development time and platform limitations didn’t permit our DS developers to pursue that option, so the DS version was ultimately limited to Wi-Fi and online play with other DS players." The PSP and PC versions allow players to use the same matchmaking system, and the game's code is linked so that if one platform is patched, the other must be as well. Players with a PC can download and use the online component of the game for free.
The plot in the single-player mode of Marvel Trading Card Game was composed by Marvel writer John Layman, and the cutscenes were drawn by comic artists like Keron Grant and Pat Olliffe. Early in the development process, the design team had considered portraying the player's avatar as a character within the game's story, but this idea was eventually discarded, and the game does not explain the player's role. The plot, which revolves around the group of robotic enemies of the X-Men known as Sentinels, was created because in real life, competitive play in the Marvel card game community was focused on Sentinel decks around the time of Marvel Trading Card Game's development. Around 300 separate decks were created by the design team for the single-player mode, and AI opponents use a more challenging deck if they are played against more than once.
The game contains over 1,100 cards, and includes cards from select expansion sets in the physical version, like the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. PC and PSP owners can download the X-Men expansion set online for free. Over four hundred characters are represented, with over a hundred as specific entries in the story mode. Artwork for cards was provided by artists such as Alex Garner and Adam Kubert. Whenever a player completes a chapter in the story mode, they are awarded a five-card booster pack. The game includes a deck editor that allows players to create and modify decks as they see fit.
Marvel Trading Card Game was released for the PSP on February 27, 2007 in North America, June 8 in Europe, and July 6 in Australia. The DS version was released on May 22 in North America, July 25 in Europe, and on August 3 in Australia. The PC version was released on June 8 in Europe and July 3 in North America, and included a limited edition.
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