Heroes and villains team up in DC puzzle RPG

Midweek update: Take on role of Luthor, Superman and others to battle galactic threat

If you’re reading the current (excellent) Superman comic, you know that the Man of Steel is currently working with his frequent enemy Lex Luthor against threats to Metropolis. 

That’s also happening – and on a larger scale – in the DC Comics puzzle role-playing game “DC Heroes and Villains,” available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play store. 

In the game, a  mysterious pulse has stripped away all superpowers throughout the world. Heroes and Villains are forced to team up in a shaky alliance to fight for their survival against the Quintessence of Evil.

The game was developed by global entertainment studio Jam City. DC Heroes & Villains is licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on behalf of DC. The free-to-play game offers plenty of opportunities to spend money on upgrades, but is a fun diversion in which fans can assemble a team of heroes and villains to solve puzzles and ultimately defeat the galactic threat. 

More info from the news release: 

Players test their match-3 gameplay skills over 152 missions to collect and build the ultimate super team from over 60 fan-favorite DC Comics characters including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Joker, Harley Quinn, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and more.

Strengthen and Build Team Powers

Build teams for every type of battle based on beloved DC hero and villain teams including the Justice League, Suicide Squad, Teen Titans and more. Group Bonuses are distinctive to DC Heroes & Villains, unlocking powerful abilities when characters of the same group are used together, enabling players to unleash devastating synergy attacks to defeat foes. Players can unlock new characters and more rewards to strengthen teams as they progress through each monthly themed battle pass.

Unite and Battle to Defeat the Quintessence of Evil

Engage with Choice Missions on a unique interactive map - play as Heroes to save the world, or Villains to wreak havoc. Experience high-drama epic boss battles in familiar locations like Gotham City, Metropolis, and Themyscira. In Assault Mode, players climb the PVP Leagues to dominate the competition and earn valuable rewards.

For the global launch, Jam City has partnered with Sandsoft Games, the mobile-first game developer, publisher and investor power, to bring DC Heroes & Villains to millions of players across the fast-growing Middle East and North Africa markets.

So far, I’ve managed to acquire a five-star Lex Luthor and a four-star Nightwing for my team. The game has some similarities to both the match-3 “Marvel Puzzle Quest” and the RPG “Marvel Strike Force,” but also differences. 

I enjoy that some characters who team in the comic books bring synergies to their team-up in the game, like Birds of Prey and Teen Titans. 

It doesn’t have the direct comic-book tie like in Marvel Puzzle Quest where the character is represented by a comic-book cover, but they are fairly classic representations that will be familiar to DC Comics fans.     

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewlprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma.