The fighting game genre has been utilizing the same underlying bedrocks of game design for decades. Various permutations on the genre still work to refine the mechanics of the early pioneers like Street Fighter, adding unique rosters and distinctive elements to stand out from the rest of the pack. One of the easiest ways to do this is by including a superhero roster in the game, which often easily comes together thanks to the natural compatibility between gaming and superhero adaptations.
The latest is Invincible VS, the hard-edged adaptation of the Skybound series of the same name. With a visual style similar to the Prime Video animated adaptation, Invincible VS is able to play with the same colorful and brutal edge that defines that series in animation and comics, all while fusing different superhero fighting game mechanics into something especially engaging. During a preview event for the Invincible VS event held in Los Angeles after the 2026 Evo Awards, Comicbook.com got the chance to try out the brutal superhero fighting game and found a lot to like about the experience.
Invincible VS Is The Brutal Fusion Of Injustice And Marvel Vs. Capcom
One of the really interesting (and entertaining) elements of Invincible VS is the way the game takes cues from previous superhero adaptations into the fighting game genre. Similar to the overt ways the Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment animated series based on it takes inspiration from the established heroes and tropes of the Marvel and DC Universes, Invincible VS has a lot of fundamental similarities to the previous iterations of the genre that featured powerhouse superheroes as the playable roster. Superheroes make for a natural fit with the fighting game genre, with the mix of distinctive characters and flashy moves helping the game roster feel unique from one another. However, the game is also keenly reflective of the brutal edge the franchise brings to the established tropes of the broader superhero genre.
This extends beyond the characters being bloodied by combat, with particularly brutal hits at opportune times, beheading opponents, or reducing them to piles of blood and gore on the ground. It feels like Injustice: Gods Among Us if it had gone the full Mortal Kombat route, especially given the harder edge of the punishing blows or stage changes set off by big hits. However, rather than seek to replicate the deliberate pace of that game, Invincible VS blends in a bit more of the fast-paced chaos of the Marvel vs. Capcom series.
The tag-team function is crucial, giving players the chance to play with three different characters and use the full trio across the entire battle. This, coupled with the game’s inclusion of airborne juggling mechanics, gives the title a much quicker pace than other fighting games. The central game design of the characters reflects their movement and sense of power, each fighter feeling genuinely unique from one another. It adds more depth to the gameplay and encourages inventive approaches to team competition, which is a boon given the current size of the fighter roster.
Invincible VS Has Enough Crunch For Fans And Enough Power For Gamers
Getting to attend the Invincible VS Preview Event was a solid showcase for what Skybound Entertainment has been cooking up, with the 1v1 gameplay working very well. There’s a level of depth to the character design that encourages trying different combos. I found just as much enjoyment bending the elements to my will as Ella Mental as I did grabbing someone in a headlock as Monster Girl and reducing their skull to mush. There’s a rewarding heft to the attacks that keep the action from feeling too light, even when the action becomes a back-and-forth of aerial combos and flips. The fusion of weighty attacks and quick-paced ranged attacks adds a fun sense of quick-paced variety to the combat that keeps the action from ever feeling repetitive.
As a fan of both the Marvel vs. Capcom and Injustice franchises, Invincible VS does a good job carving out its own niche between them. It has the pacing down for quick rounds, with the use of tag teams leading to plenty of excuses to try out different gameplay styles. The game takes influence from plenty of older fighting games while still putting its own distinctive stamp on the genre, thanks to a more gruesome edge and bombastic side that other games in the genre can’t quite match. While it doesn’t reinvent the fighting game wheel, Invincible VS refines it enough to be a solid entry in a crowded genre. As the animated adaptation continues to expand into the full scope of the much larger superhero universe from the comics, Invincible VS feels like a fitting addition to the franchise that blends classic fighting mechanics with a uniquely colorful style of brutality.
Invincible VS will be released on April 30, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/ S.