Marvel Rivals continues to get bigger and better, with a wide array of characters to take control of, and recent comments from the developer have got us thinking about the weird and bizarre characters that should be introduced.
NetEase has full creative control over Marvel Rivals, with the ability to explore the full Marvel Universe, and they won’t just focus on the “heavy hitters” that have starred on the big screen.
We’ve already seen some weird and wonderful with the likes of Jeff the Land Shark and Squirrel Girl, so who could be next? Here’s our picks.
8 Bizarre Characters Marvel Rivals Need to Add
Doop
Doop is a bizarre, floating, green alien with close ties to the X-Men, with his list of abilities in Marvel’s comics including flight, superhuman strength, and the ability to manipulate time and space. If you want to get even weirder, in one X-Force issue, he accidentally sucked the entire team into his body through a popped pimple.
The Marvel Rivals team could go nuts with the addition of Doop as a playable character, either harnessing his weirdness from recent comic history or spinning out on their own to create their version of Doop.
Howard the Duck
Weirdly receiving his own movie in the 1980’s, Howard the Duck has become somewhat mainstream once again through cameos in the MCU, voiced by Seth Green, and has gone on to feature in various animated series too. Although largely powerless, he is trained in the martial arts of Quak-Fu, so he clearly isn’t someone to mess with.
Marvel Rivals already boasts a roster that Howard the Duck can immediately fit into, taking the role of a Duelist who excels in close-range combat and quacks in the face of danger. I’m sure other players would flock at the chance to control the humanoid duck.
Spider-Ham
Sticking with the bizarre animal hybrid theme, Spider-Ham is a must-have. Sure, we already have Spider-Man himself, Peni Parker, and Venom, but Spider-Ham is in a league of his own and would bring further comedic value to Marvel Rivals—and this is personally the one character on this list I see as most likely to feature.
Alongside the standard Spider-Man abilities, Spider-Ham is a comedic genius, relying on slapstick-like giant wooden hammers, and would fit straight into the roster. While he has featured in Sony’s Spider-Verse animated movies, there’s a real opportunity for NetEase to go out and make their own impression with Peter Porker.
Doctor Bong
I know what you’re thinking, and no, Doctor Bong is not a professor who celebrates 4/20. Instead, he’s the arch-enemy of Howard the Duck, possessing an advanced knowledge of genetic engineering. Oh, and wears a bell-shaped helmet that can be stuck to ring out a range of effects.
In my mind, Doctor Bong is an ideal and hilarious Vanguard who can support teammates in Marvel Rivals, blocking damage head-on and ringing his bell to provide buffs to nearby allies and nerfs to teammates. Just be careful whoever is chosen as a voice actor doesn’t scream too loud to leave your ears ringing.
Swarm
Mainly featuring as an enemy to Spider-Man, Swarm has a body that is entirely composed of bees, and I for one would be buzzing if this bizarre villain made his way into Marvel Rivals.
With the ability to phase, fly, shift his shape, and boasting superhuman strength, there’s quite a few approaches that Marvel Rivals could make with Swarm, though personally I’d love to see bees used to inflict damage over time and nerfing effects upon opponents. Perhaps with his Ultimate, you could turn into a giant stinger and inflict damage to an enemy, then promptly dying yourself.
Hellcow
A vampiric cow by the name of Bessie, Hellcow is certainly from the realm of nightmares, but there’s every reason to make some room in the Marvel Rivals roster by milking one of the lesser-known characters from the world of comics.
Possessing abilities that are pretty much what you’d expect from a vampire, Hellcow is udderly bonkers (sorry), with the ability to transform into a half-cow, half-bat form, and a cloud of gas. Honestly though, I’m imagining a healing effect where blood is sucked from enemies, dealing damage, and health is restored to allies through milk.
Orb
There are two supervillians by the Orb moniker, the first of which, Drake Shannon, wears an eyeball-shaped helmet. The second Orb, introduced in 2008 and playing a central role in the Original Sin crossover after stealing The Watcher’s eyes, actually has a giant eyeball as a head, which can be used to shoot lazers out of.
It’s the second version of Orb I think the Marvel Rivals team could have the most fun with, though they might need to take some creative freedom and create their own version. Either way, eye can certainly see the appeal in this character…
White Rabbit
It’s no secret that the Marvel Rivals community enjoys costumes where the character is wearing little clothing, and White Rabbit is the perfect addition in that regard. A wealthy criminal who created her persona based on Alice in Wonderland, White Rabbit has often been a thorn in the side of Spider-Man.
The costumes for White Rabbit could rake NetEase in a small fortune, though admittedly they’d probably have to get creative with her abilities, as she doesn’t have any superhuman talents, but she has fun weapons like an umbrella that shoots carrots and can call upon genetically engineered killer rabbits.
Which bizarre Marvel character would you love to see added to Marvel Rivals? Let us know in the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Marvel Rivals, check out the patch notes for the Season 3 update and read about a potential Nintendo Switch 2 port.
