Marvel Heroes is the first MMO offered natively on Nvidia’s streaming box Nvidia Shield. This allows you to conveniently play PC games on the couch. But how does Marvel Heroes work on the Android console? Is it really free and what the hell is actually an Nvidia Shield?
Marvel Heroes, the cheerful action-MMO with superheroes, is perfect for cozy gaming evenings on the sofa in front of the TV. It’s just annoying that the upcoming console version Marvel Heroes Omega only offers half of the 60 heroes from the PC version. Other content from the PC version is also missing.
I have to make a decision:
- Do I want all the content and have to go to the desk?
- Or do I want to play comfortably on the couch, but only have a slimmed-down console version?
- You can’t have both! Or can you?
Nvidia Shield – The All-Purpose Streaming Box
Of course, you can theoretically place the PC in the living room, connect it to the TV and play from the sofa with a wireless mouse and keyboard or gamepad. But in most apartments, that wouldn’t be practical. A solution via Nvidia Shield is much more convenient.
This is essentially a small computer that connects to a TV via HDMI cable and connects to your home network via (W)LAN.
Nvidia Shield – Stream Movies and Play PC Games from the Couch
On the Shield, you can watch movies through streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or media libraries. Additionally, the Shield offers the possibility to play PC games directly from the Nvidia cloud.
You don’t need to install the respective game. Just start the game and off you go! You can control either with a controller (a decent device is included) or a mouse and keyboard, which you can connect via USB or Bluetooth.
However, to play games from the Nvidia Cloud, you need to pay a monthly fee of 9.99 euros to Nvidia, but you gain access to nearly 60 free games like Tomb Raider, Saints Row 3 and 4, or Marvel Heroes. An additional 60 games are available as extra purchase options, including hits like The Witcher 3.
Nvidia Shield – Game Streaming from the Cloud or PC
Unfortunately, you also need to maintain the Nvidia subscription for purchased games; otherwise, you can’t play them. However, you usually receive another key for Steam, Origin, and others with each purchase in the Nvidia Cloud. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work the other way around; if you already have a game on Steam, you need to buy it again on the Shield.
Also annoying: Your save games (apart from online games) are saved specifically for the Nvidia version and cannot (yet) be synchronized with Steam, Uplay, or Origin.
As an alternative for people with an Nvidia graphics card, a good gaming PC, and (most importantly) a fast internet connection, there is another cool option. You can use the Nvidia GeForce Experience software to enable your installed PC games for game streaming and transfer the game as a stream to the Nvidia Shield.
This way, you can comfortably play your PC games from the couch on the TV screen. Unlike cloud streaming, this won’t cost you an extra cent! It works perfectly from a 50k internet connection and LAN cable, but for Wi-Fi, you should have a strong 5 GHz router to ensure smooth streaming.
Marvel Heroes on the Nvidia Shield – Console Gameplay with the PC Version
Unlike single-player games like The Witcher 3 or Tomb Raider, you share the player account with the PC version when playing Marvel Heroes on the Shield. What you achieve on the PC is available to you on the Shield, and vice versa.
You can play comfortably on the Shield, and in case your girlfriend wants to watch her favorite series on TV, you can switch back to the PC and continue where you left off on the couch.
Marvel Heroes on the Shield is the same game as on the PC. The controller support works perfectly. You move with the analog sticks and trigger your skills with buttons and combinations with the shoulder buttons. This may take some getting used to for pure PC players, but after a few attempts, it works perfectly with the pad, and eventually, you won’t want to miss it. The only annoying thing is the sometimes clumsy navigation of menus with the analog stick cursor.
Marvel Heroes on the Nvidia Shield – Console Gameplay with the PC Version
So if you have dealt with the controller gameplay, Marvel Heroes on the Shield is a blast. You can comfortably sit on your sofa and enjoy the game on the big TV. You don’t need a separate console or a version of Marvel Heroes Omega. And unlike the console version, you don’t have to wait for all PC features to be available. You have all the heroes, all the instances, and even the trading function between players, which was not planned for the console, right from the start!
Moreover, as Marvel Heroes veterans, you don’t have to level up all your heroes again, as you would with the console version. You simply continue from where you last left off on the PC. And unlike the PC version, you don’t have to install updates or configure your hardware. Just start the game and start playing! So, for those who want the best of both worlds – console gaming feel with the cool features of the PC version – the Shield is a great idea.
Marvel Heroes and Co. – Are Games on the Shield Worth It Despite the Paywall?
The only downside to the gaming fun on the Shield is the 9.99 euros that you have to pay monthly to play anything through the Nvidia cloud. But keep in mind that you get a bunch of other games for this price, and the Shield is an excellent choice for video streaming. Additionally, Nvidia plans to expand the game offerings soon and add more MMOs.
The MOBA Paragon is set to be available next without any additional costs in the Shield offering. Furthermore, a partnership with Ubisoft is planned for the near future. Then you can play all your Uplay games with the same account on the Shield. And if you’re considering a home control system like Amazon Echo: The Shield will soon support Google’s competitor product, Google Home. Interesting for gamers who like to stream via Twitch and Co.: The Shield supports streaming via app.
So, if you want to play PC games effortlessly on your TV, don’t yet own good streaming hardware, have an Nvidia graphics card, a gaming PC, and good internet, and ideally don’t have a console, then the Shield is definitely worth it! All others have to weigh whether the Shield features are worth 220 euros or more.
Interesting Alternative to a Console if You Don’t Have a PS4 or Xbox One Yet
Jürgen’s Conclusion: The Nvidia Shield is ideal for me. I previously only had my hefty gaming PC, which fortunately had an Nvidia GPU, and my internet is okay as well. Otherwise, I had neither a console nor a streaming device, and I am fully thrilled with the capabilities of the Shield. The small box has a lot of power and streams movies and games in top quality to the TV screen.
Action games like Marvel Heroes are a blast, and I’m already looking forward to Paragon and the planned partnership with Ubisoft. For Honor should be even more fun this way.
I definitely don’t want to miss my Shield anymore, and even my rather less tech-savvy girlfriend is delighted with the many streaming video portals like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play on the Shield.
Now, the game offerings need to expand and the Ubisoft partnership needs to be finalized, then I will be completely happy with the Shield and can also save on a console in the future.
While I will still have to do without exclusive titles from the consoles, I have managed just fine without them so far.
So the Shield is worth it for me. However, if you already have a PS4 or Xbox One and primarily play on it, you probably don’t need the Shield.
The Technical Specifications of the Shield
For tech enthusiasts, here are all the Shield specs summarized. There is the standard version for about 220 euros and the more extensively equipped Pro version for about 100 euros more.
| Operating System | Android TV 7.0 Nougat, Google Cast |
| Processor | NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor, 256-core Maxwell GPU |
| RAM | 3 Gigabytes |
| Storage Space | 16 Gigabytes, external hard drives can be connected via USB, Pro version has 500 GB of storage and can be additionally expanded with an SD card |
| Video Output | 4K, HDR, 60fps |
| Audio Output | Dolby Atmos and DTS-X surround sound via HDMI, high-resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/192kHz via HDMI |
| Connections | Wi-Fi 802.11ac dual-band, 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 4.1 LE |
| Ports | USB-A 3.0 (2), Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0b w/ HDCP 2.2 and CEC |
| Included Additional Equipment | Nvidia Shield Controller, remote control |
Also interesting: Want a console instead? Here you can see the PS4 Pro and the upcoming Xbox Scorpio in comparison!
