Debuting in Marvel Comics back in 1975, Magik has been around for quite some time, but recently she’s been finding herself being added to the playable roster of quite a few Marvel games, including the highly anticipated Marvel’s Midnight Suns. While her role in Marvel’s Midnight Suns is likely to be one of her most high-profile appearances yet, there are a surprising number of titles where Magik is either already playable or is confirmed to be joining the roster in the near future. While fans wait for the release of the X-COM inspired Marvel’s Midnight Suns, they may wish to learn more about Magik and the other games that put players in control of her unique power set.
Magik first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1 in 1975 as Illyana Rasputin, the younger sister of the X-Men hero, Piotr Rasputin aka Colossus. But she didn’t take on the title of Magik until 1983’s Magik (Storm and Illyana) #1. Since then, she has become a staple member of both the X-Men and The New Mutants, even appearing as of the teams’ members in the film, The New Mutants, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. While it has taken some time for Magik to begin making appearances in X-Men games, her recent movie appearance and growing importance in many X-Men storylines in Marvel Comics has seen that being to change.
Magik’s powers are also very well suited for video games. Also known as the Darkchylde, Magik has the ability to create inter-dimensional portals that lead to Limbo, a paranormal alternate dimension. She has the ability to manipulate magic as the Sorceress Supreme of Limbo. She also has the ability to use many mystical items, such as her Eldritch Armor and her giant blade, the Soulsword. Magik’s offensive abilities and chaotic nature make her an enticing character to play as, and although gamers will now have to wait a little longer for the recently delayed Marvel’s Midnight Suns, there are several other titles where gamers can already play as Magik or will be able to soon.
Magik Brings A Soulsword To A Fistfight in Marvel Contest Of Champions
In Kabam’s Marvel-themed mobile fighting game, Marvel Contest of Champions, Magik can be summoned from the game’s crystals, which award a player with a random Champion. As a playable fighter, Magik wields her massive signature weapon, the Soulsword. This provides Magik with excellent range and spacing options when facing off against her opponents. She also has a passive ability that gives her a chance to enter a state of Limbo for 3 seconds, giving her bonus damage and refunding any damage she takes when the state ends.
Unlike many of her fellow X-Men Champions, Magik is considered a Mystic hero rather than a Mutant. This gives her a class bonus against Cosmic heroes, but also makes her weak to Science heroes. Magik is regarded as being one of the stronger heroes in Marvel Contest of Champions’ increasingly obscure roster and is often ranked by many top players as being in either S or high A tier.
Magik Solves Problems In Marvel Puzzle Quest
Marvel Puzzle Quest is a part of the Puzzle Quest series, which blends traditional match-three style gameplay with RPG elements. In Marvel Puzzle Quest, players are challenged to collect heroes with unique abilities and team them up to battle against opponents. Magik is one such playable hero, and her Limbo themed abilities help her take down her enemies and dominate matches. She has a special ability called Ruler of Limbo, which teleports her to Limbo to gain power before returning and surprising an opponent with massive damage. She also has a passive ability that gives her the use of her Eldritch Armor, gaining mystical armor pieces throughout the match that help protect her from damage. Among the massive roster of Puzzle Quest characters, Magik appears as a four-star character, also referred to as the Legendary Tier, the second highest in the game (with five-star Epic characters being the highest).
Marvel Future Fight Fully Utilizes Magik’s Abilities
Marvel Future Fight is a mobile action RPG from Netmarble that is well-known for having a massive roster of playable characters, including some really obscure characters like Agents of Shield’s original character, Lincoln Campbell. Magik is playable in the game and is unlocked by collecting five of her character shards, which can be acquired through X-Gene selectors. In Marvel Future Fight, players can team up three characters and take on missions through the game’s Diablo-like isometric gameplay. Magik is best paired with fellow members of the X-Men, and has team synergies with her brother, Colossus, and her mentor, Cyclops.
Magik also possesses a very powerful passive ability, called Darkchylde, that gives her entire team a higher critical chance, helping players to score more critical hits against Marvel Future Fight’s many villains. Much like in Marvel Contest of Champions, Magik wields her Soulsword in combat, slicing through the massive groups of enemies that regularly swarm the player. Magik also has the ability to summon illusory demons from Limbo to help her fight in a pinch, and can apply her Eldritch armor for a time, making her invincible for a few seconds. While the roster of X-Men characters in Marvel Future Fight is massive, Magik stands out from the rest with her unique kit.
Magik Supports The X-Men In Marvel Strike Force
While not yet available to play, Magik has been confirmed as the next upcoming hero in Marvel Strike Force. She will be the first character added to the game following the addition of the Eternals in Marvel Strike Force. Magik’s kit is built for her to be slotted in the Uncanny X-Men team, replacing the empty slot left by Wolverine after he was reworked to fit on the Weapon X team. Magik has the ability to barrier her fellow X-Men teammates and can help charge Cyclops and Storm’s ultimate abilities more quickly. She also has the unique ability to summon Dark Phoenix if her spawn was blocked by a character like Kestral, who can prevent most summons.
Magik Is Set To Become Marvel Future Revolution’s Ninth Playable Hero
When Magik was announced as the upcoming ninth playable hero in Marvel Future Revolution, the choice took some players by surprise. Eight playable characters in a Marvel mobile game is a relatively small roster, and the current roster of playable heroes is made up of popular, mainstream favorite heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Star-Lord, Dr. Strange, Black Widow, Spider-Man, and Storm, while lesser-known characters tend to be included through Marvel Future Revolution’s Companion system.
Before the announcement that Magik would be occupying the roster’s ninth slot, many theorized that characters like Black Panther, Scarlett Witch, or Wolverine would be the most likely candidates to come next. While there isn’t much information as to how she’ll play just yet, she has been shown to wield her Soulsword, and will likely utilize her powers as the Sorceress Supreme of Limbo as well.
Magik Will Battle Supernatural Horrors In Marvel’s Midnight Suns
When Firaxis announced their supernatural themed strategy game, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, the trailer showed off ten of the playable characters that players could add to their team upon release. Magik was one of those ten characters, and her appearance here is very fitting, considering her long history of battling Marvel’s supernatural threats, including herself.
As the Sorceress Supreme of Limbo, Magik is well acquainted with hellish worlds and the demons that inhabit them. She also regularly has to battle her own inner demons, suppressing the Darkchylde within her that wants to take control. She joins Marvel’s Midnight Suns large roster that includes other supernatural heroes like Blade, Dr. Strange, and Ghost Rider.
While there have been a few other games that have featured Magik as a playable character throughout the years, such as the fan-favorite Marvel Heroes Omega or the Facebook browser game Marvel: Avengers Alliance, those games have since been shut down and are unplayable at this time. Still, with plenty of games to choose from and several more on the way like Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Magik has certainly made in impact in Marvel video games and will likely continue to do so for a long time to come.
