MARVEL SNAP Explained: Who Is Spider-Man 2099?

Thanks to the Spider-Versus season, MARVEL SNAP’s roster of characters with spider-based abilities has filled out in some big ways, with Ghost-Spider, Spider-Ham, and Silk joining the game. Now, another version of Marvel’s beloved wall-crawler is joining the ranks: Spider-Man 2099, and he’s bringing with him an ability inspired by the hero’s dark history in the comics. With Spider-Man 2099 now available in MARVEL SNAP, here’s what you need to know about playing the character in the game and his history in the comics.

Playing Spider-Man 2099 in MARVEL SNAP

A 4-Cost, 6-Power card, Spider-Man 2099’s deadly ability causes him to destroy an enemy card at the first location to which he moves. This effect only happens once. On the surface, the character is formidable, with a good Cost-to-Power ratio. However, due to how specific the activation requirement is for his ability, the best decks featuring Spider-Man 2099 will generally center around move effects.

Due to the importance of move cards in a Spider-Man 2099 deck, players will want to prioritize such characters as Ghost-Spider, Cloak, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange and/or Heimdall. Each of those cards excels at moving friendly characters. From there, Kraven is an excellent choice, as he gains Power when a card moves to his location. Finally, players will want to round out their deck with such other powerhouses of the move archetype as Human Torch, Vulture, Silk and/or Dagger.

There are several locations that work well for Spider-Man 2099, and taking advantage of those could make or break a specific match. Those that are most likely to help the character are Bifrost and New York, as their effects allow for cards to move, thus increasing the chances of activating his effect. Additionally, K’un-Lun can give Spider-Man 2099 an extra 2 Power if he’s moved to it, making him even more formidable.

Despite Spider-Man 2099’s destructive potential, there are a few cards that can thwart him. Kingpin, for example, has an ability that destroys cards moved to his location on turn 6, which can pose major problems for move decks. Armor can also put down a field that keeps cards from being destroyed at her location, rendering his ability ineffective. Additionally, using Spider-Man 2099 against decks that rely on destroy effects is not recommended, as he’ll potentially make opponents more powerful.

MARVEL SNAP also has several locations that are bad for Spider-Man 2099, in large part because they cause problems for move decks. The worst is Fisk Tower, which destroys cards that are moved to it. The Bar With No Name can also cause problems, as that location is won by the person with the least Power there.

Spider-Man 2099 in the Comics

Created by Peter David and Rick Leonardi, Miguel O’Hara, AKA Spider-Man 2099, debuted in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #365 before getting his own eponymous series later that year. A geneticist for a company called Alchemax, O’Hara inadvertently combined his DNA with that of a spider, which resulted in him getting superhero powers. For the most part, O’Hara’s stories, which are notably dark and gritty, have dealt with him fighting back against devious corporations and new versions of classic villains in the cyberpunk-inspired dystopian future of 2099.

O’Hara’s comic book history has a few clear ties to his ability in MARVEL SNAP. In his origin story, for example, O’Hara accidentally severed the arm of Aaron Delgato, an Alchemax employee who attacked him, as he did not yet understand his powers. This caused Delgato to fall to his death. Shortly after, O’Hara also inadvertently killed a villain named the Specialist. While O’Hara has generally avoided taking lives, he’s come close on several subsequent occasions. As such, O’Hara’s MARVEL SNAP ability reflects his destructive history in the comics.

Spider-Man 2099’s movement-based effect also fits in with other spider-people in MARVEL SNAP. Such cards as Silk, Ghost-Spider, and Miles Morales all benefit from move effects, referencing both their multiversal adventures in such series as SPIDER-VERSE (2014) and general penchant for web-slinging.

As for Spider-Man 2099’s design in MARVEL SNAP, most cards show him in his iconic black-and-red super suit, which is made from unstable molecules, meaning that it adapts to the wearer’s body and is incredibly tough. The Francesco Mattina variant, though, showcases a different suit for O’Hara. The character received that suit in SPIDER-MAN 2099 (2015) #1, a story that saw him on present day Earth-616 working for Parker Industries.

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MARVEL SNAP is available now on Android, iOS and Early Access Windows PC!