It certainly seems like we’ve entered the era of the Tag Fighter. With 2XKO repping 2v2 action and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls planning to introduce a 4v4 fighter later this year, our Invincible VS review looks at a title representing a more familiar 3v3 structure.

Developed by Quarter Up—a team comprised of much of the core group that developed 2013’s fantastic Killer Instinct reboot—Invincible VS is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, and extremely mechanics-driven successor to that unique style of 2D fighting. While that specific style may be polarizing for some, and its ancillary modes are a bit underwhelming outside of an impressive but brief story mode, the core gameplay remains a heavy contender.

The High-Stakes Counter Tag Minigame

While not immediately apparent just from looking at it, Invincible VS’s fighting system is actually quite unique. The closest approximation is the aforementioned Killer Instinct, where combos are a two-way street—a mind game between the attacker and the defender in almost every interaction.

The attacker must focus on building their combo while monitoring their meter to ensure it doesn't fill completely, otherwise, the combo will drop. Conversely, the defender wants to monitor that meter too, because as it fills, the attacker will look to reduce it by tagging a teammate in.

However, if the defender reacts to that tag right before they are hit, they can execute a Counter Tag, which halts the combo and resets the situation to a neutral state. This creates an intense psychological battle where players must choose between:

  • Delaying a tag to throw off the defender's timing.
  • Feinting a tag to bait the opponent into a vulnerable position.

When both sides understand this little Counter Tag minigame, it is incredibly satisfying. Successfully baiting an opponent with a feint or finding an escape from a long combo provides much-needed tension to every match.

Balancing Issues and Match Flow

Despite the brilliance of the Counter Tag, other mechanics in this Invincible VS review feel problematic. The Assist Breaker is particularly frustrating in its current state. While using it costs two bars of meter, a lengthy cooldown on assists, and 50% of an assist character’s max health, the mechanic is currently uncapped.

In most fighting games, a "get-out-of-jail-free" card like this is used sparingly. Here, because each character starts with three full bars of meter, matches can become incredibly drawn out. I have frequently encountered opponents who use the breaker repeatedly, simply waiting for their cooldowns to reset to break every new combo I attempt.

This frustration extends to the match timer. When time runs out, the winner isn't simply the person with the most health. Instead, a sudden death occurs between the two active characters, where health bars are restored based on the remaining inactive fighters while both players suffer constant damage over time. It feels punishing to hold a lead only to potentially lose the match due to a single interaction during sudden death.

Character Depth and Gameplay Feel

The movement in Invincible VS can feel quite stiff, falling into the same vein as Mortal Kombat or Killer Instinct. If you prefer the smoother animations of Guilty Gear Strive, 2XKO, or Street Fighter 6, it may take some time to warm up to how characters move.

However, the character roster is a massive strength. Quarter Up did a great job making the 18 launch fighters feel like their TV counterparts:

  • Cecil can teleport across the screen and attack from nearly every angle using his weaponry and army of zombie cyborgs.
  • Monster Girl and Titan feature heavy, obnoxious armored moves that are difficult to punish.
  • Rex can become a nightmare for opponents if played with high precision.

Ultimately, while there are significant balancing hurdles to overcome, the distinct and interesting spread of characters makes this a title worth watching.