E3 06: Marvel Trading Card Game Preshow Report

Fans of comic books and collectible card games should be pleased to learn that Konami is bringing Marvel Trading Card Game to the PC, Sony PlayStation Portable, and the Nintendo DS. Using Upper Deck Entertainment's established real-world "VS System," players will assemble a deck of cards from a huge selection of Marvel superheroes and supervillains--Konami has already name-dropped Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, Ghost Rider, the Fantastic Four, and The Hulk--and go into a head-to-head battle against another player.

All three versions will feature extensive online support, including multiple modes of play that promise to accommodate players of varying skill levels, the ability to instantly start your own tournament with four or more players, and Konami-run tournaments for prizes. Much like players of the real-world version of Marvel Trading Card Game, players will have access to an online store where they can purchase additional packs of cards and post their own cards up for trade. Perhaps most exciting of all, there promises to be cross-platform support between the PC and PSP versions of the game. Additionally, the PSP and DS versions will both feature local multiplayer support.

Marvel Trading Card Game will also feature a single-player story mode where you can choose to play as hero or villain, with the story being advanced between battles through comic-book-style sequences. Card art will include work from such comic book notables as Alex Garner, Adam Kubert, and more. Marvel Trading Card Game is set to save the day on all three platforms this fall.