CMON has announced a major expansion for their DC Super Heroes United board game campaign on Gamefound: Metropolis. The expansion, priced at $35, promises to bring the iconic city to life as a battleground for epic superhero conflicts.
The expansion introduces a host of new characters, both heroes and villains, centered around Superman’s adopted hometown. Players will have the opportunity to take control of fan-favorite heroes like Supergirl, Steel, and Krypto the Superdog, each with their own unique abilities and play styles.
Check out our review of Marvel United Here
Metropolis: The City of Tomorrow
Metropolis, one of the largest cities in the DC Universe and in DC Super Heroes United, stands as a symbol of hope and human achievement, much like its most famous resident, Superman. The expansion capitalizes on this iconic setting, transforming it into a dynamic playground for heroes and villains alike. Players will find themselves immersed in the city’s unique atmosphere, defending it from otherworldly threats or, for those who prefer to play as villains, attempting to bring it to its knees.
Kryptonian Cousin: Supergirl Soars Into Action
Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, enters the game as a formidable hero with abilities rivaling those of the Man of Steel. Her Kryptonian physiology grants her incredible power reserves, allowing players to flip a card to gain a couple of Wild tokens when they’re needed most. Supergirl’s Heat Vision can strike multiple Locations at once, providing a powerful offensive option across the board.
Supergirl’s Super-Breath adds versatility to her kit, allowing her to rescue Civilians or blow Thugs away from her Location. Her ability to easily fly around the board, using any Action symbols to Move, gives her unparalleled mobility. Perhaps most impressively, Supergirl can endure incredible amounts of damage, which only pushes her to be even more heroic, making her a resilient and persistent threat to any villain’s plans.
Man of Steel: John Henry Irons Armors Up
John Henry Irons, aka Steel, brings a perfect blend of brains and brawn to the table. Encased in his power armor, Steel can withstand a lot of damage, making him a durable frontline hero. His offensive capabilities are equally impressive, with his Kinetic Hammer able to smash nearby enemies or be thrown to hit an adjacent Location, giving him both close-quarters and ranged attack options.
Steel’s Inertial Damage Field can be used for direct attacks or to power his Hammer for even more devastating blows. As a weapons engineer, Steel comes equipped with unique gear: his Kinetic Hammer can strike several Locations, his Jet Boots provide a one-time boost when needed, and his Steel Power Armor can absorb damage or be sacrificed to absorb a significant amount of damage. Steel’s genius intellect allows him to use any Action symbol as a Wild, providing unparalleled versatility in his turns.
Superdog Unleashed: Krypto Bounds onto the Scene
Krypto is far more than just a super pet; he’s a full-fledged Hero in his own right. His Kryptonian canine physiology grants him a Wild token to use at the right time, giving players additional flexibility in their actions. Always ready to fly to the rescue, Krypto excels at saving endangered Civilians, making him an invaluable asset in missions where protecting the populace is crucial.
As a loyal companion, Krypto lends aid to any Hero operating in his Location, boosting the effectiveness of his teammates. However, players must be wary of Krypto’s wild streak. In the heat of battle, he may lash out, damaging everybody around him – including non-Kryptonian Heroes. This unpredictable nature adds an exciting risk-reward element to utilizing Krypto in your superhero team.
Unstoppable Force: Doomsday Wreaks Havoc
Doomsday enters the game as an unstoppable creature of pure destruction, presenting a unique challenge to the heroes. Unlike other villains, taking Doomsday down is a futile gesture, as he’d only come back stronger. Instead, the Heroes must focus on subduing and imprisoning him for good. This is achieved by attacking the Threats in order to gain Crisis tokens, a debilitating act that weakens the heroes but is necessary to bind Doomsday by spending Heroic Actions.
The challenge of defeating Doomsday becomes even more daunting if his self-evolution kicks in. When Doomsday becomes Under Pressure, some of his Master Plan cards start spreading the Doomsday Virus, playing facedown cards if there’s an Overflow. In Doomsday’s wake, there are no Thugs, only a Civilian population that he tears through in his destructive rampage. His attacks deal unparalleled damage to all Heroes anywhere near him, and if all Heroes are KO’d simultaneously (a surprisingly likely outcome), it’s game over.
Collector of Worlds: Brainiac’s Insidious Plot Unfolds
Brainiac brings a cerebral challenge to the game, with plans that will take brains, not brawn, to thwart. The Heroes’ Attacks are futile against him, as he can only be damaged by using Heroic Actions. Brainiac’s scheme begins in full swing, starting the game already under pressure, with the Rescue Civilians Mission filled up. His plan to add Earth to his collection involves sending in his Probes (represented by Thug tokens) on a mission of destruction.
Brainiac’s Master Plan cards add Probes, while his Threats make them more resilient. He even uses them to attack the Heroes across all Locations, creating a constant threat. As Brainiac causes Overflows and KO’s Heroes, he flips the tokens in the Rescue Civilians card, filling it with Probes. His Villainous Plot reaches completion once that Mission is dominated by Probes, creating a race against time for the heroes to thwart his plans before Earth becomes just another world in Brainiac’s collection.
Innovative Gameplay Mechanics
The Metropolis expansion introduces several new gameplay elements that add depth and variety to the DC Super Heroes United experience:
Support Characters
This new character type, exemplified by Jimmy Olsen, offers aid to heroes in smaller but significant ways. Support characters have their own movement rules and can grant advantages to heroes, but they’re also vulnerable to Overflows and must be protected.
Kryptonite Challenge
This optional rule adds a new dimension when playing with Kryptonian heroes. The villain gains access to Kryptonite Shard tokens, which can be placed on the board to weaken Kryptonian heroes, requiring careful strategy and resource management.
New Locations
Six new location cards bring iconic Metropolis landmarks into play, each with unique effects that can significantly impact gameplay:
- Daily Planet: Allows investigation of upcoming Master Plan cards.
- LexCorp: Creates a safe haven for villains but can be used by heroes to gain Move or Attack tokens.
- S.T.A.R. Labs: Grants Heroic tokens and can cancel other Location’s Permanent Effects.
- Stryker’s Island Penitentiary: Locks Henchmen in place and allows attacks on nearby Henchmen.
- Fortress of Solitude: Keeps Thugs at bay and allows solitary heroes to gain Wild tokens.
- Brainiac’s Asteroid: Offers knowledge at the cost of sacrificing a card, allowing manipulation of the Master Plan deck.
Crowdfunding Exclusive Bonuses
CMON is offering exclusive content for those who back the expansion during the current crowdfunding campaign. These bonuses include:
Superboy
This young clone of Superman brings unique abilities to the game, including tactile telekinesis that allows for simultaneous Attack and Heroic Actions in his vicinity.
Lois Lane
As a Support character, Lois is tied to Superman’s gameplay. She can investigate Threats and place Action tokens to help clear them, but also requires protection, adding an extra layer of strategy when Superman is in play.
Component Breakdown
The Metropolis expansion is packed with high-quality components, including:
- 5 detailed miniatures (Supergirl, Steel, Krypto, Doomsday, and Brainiac)
- 36 Hero cards (12 each for Supergirl, Steel, and Krypto)
- 3 Equipment cards
- 2 Villain Dashboards (Doomsday and Brainiac)
- 24 Master Plan cards (12 each for Doomsday and Brainiac)
- 12 Threat cards (6 each for Doomsday and Brainiac)
- 1 Mission card
- 6 Location cards
- 1 Jimmy Olsen Support card
- 1 Challenge card
- 6 Kryptonite Shard tokens
Additionally, crowdfunding backers will receive:
- Superboy miniature and 12 Hero cards
- Lois Lane miniature and Support card
Impact on Gameplay and Replayability
The Metropolis expansion significantly enhances the DC Super Heroes United experience by offering new strategic options and challenges. The introduction of Support characters adds a new layer of tactical decision-making, while the unique abilities of the new heroes and villains encourage players to experiment with different team compositions and strategies.
The Kryptonite Challenge and the distinctive mechanics of villains like Doomsday and Brainiac ensure that even experienced players will find fresh challenges. The new locations further diversify gameplay, offering different strategic considerations depending on the scenario.
Moreover, the expansion’s focus on Metropolis and its iconic characters deepens the thematic immersion, allowing players to engage more fully with the rich DC Comics universe in DC Super Heroes United. Whether defending the city as Supergirl or Steel, or threatening it as Brainiac, players will feel more connected to the stories and characters they know and love.
Check out our previous coverage of DC Super Heroes United Below
The Metropolis expansion for DC Super Heroes United represents a significant addition to the base game, offering a wealth of new content and gameplay possibilities. With its mix of beloved characters, iconic locations, and innovative mechanics, this expansion is poised to breathe new life into the game and provide hours of additional entertainment for superhero gaming enthusiasts.
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