You’re standing in Chronopolis. Kang the Conqueror has basically ripped apart the timeline and smashed pieces of New York, Ancient Egypt, and Sakaar into one giant, confusing mess. But honestly? The mess is the best part. When we talk about LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 characters, we aren't just talking about the heavy hitters like Captain America or Iron Man. We're talking about a roster so deep it feels like TT Games spent months digging through the dustiest long-boxes in a Marvel writer’s basement.
It’s huge.
Over 200 characters made the cut. And yet, if you’re looking for the X-Men or the Fantastic Four, you’re out of luck. Licensing drama at the time meant they were completely snubbed. No Wolverine. No Doctor Doom. Instead, we got the Inhumans and a massive influx of Spider-Verse variants. It changed the vibe of the game entirely.
The Weird, the Wild, and the Variants
One of the most defining things about the LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 characters list is the "variant" system. Because the plot revolves around Kang’s time-warping shenanigans, you aren't just playing as Peter Parker. You're playing as Spider-Man Noir. You're playing as Spider-Gwen. You're even playing as Spider-Ham, who is exactly as ridiculous as he sounds.
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The game leans hard into the 2017-era Marvel Cinematic Universe while keeping a foot firmly planted in the comics. You’ve got the Guardians of the Galaxy front and center, largely because the sequel had just hit theaters around that time. Star-Lord comes with his own literal soundtrack. When you fly as him, he puts on his headphones and the music actually changes for the player. It’s a small touch, but it’s why people still play this game years later.
Then you have the deep cuts. For every Thor, there’s a Throg—a frog with the powers of a god. For every Hulk, there's a Maestro or a Red Hulk. The developers at TT Games clearly wanted to reward people who knew more than just the movies. If you know who Forbush Man is, you probably felt very seen when you unlocked him. He wears a cooking pot on his head. He's useless. He's perfect.
Breaking Down the Teams
The game sorts these heroes and villains into categories that mostly make sense, though the "Ability" system is what really dictates who you'll use in free play.
- The Avengers Squad: You get the core team, but they're often based on specific comic runs. Captain America (Pilot) or Secret Empire Cap? They're in there.
- The Guardians of the Galaxy: This is basically the full movie roster plus Adam Warlock and some classic comic versions like Yondu (who actually has his whistle-controlled arrow).
- The Inhumans: Since the Fantastic Four were gone, the Inhumans took the "Royal Family" spot. Black Bolt, Medusa, Crystal, and Lockjaw (the giant teleporting dog) are central to the Attilan levels.
- The Spider-Verse: This is arguably the biggest sub-section. Spider-Man 2099 is a standout here, mostly because his flight/glide mechanics are so smooth compared to the standard swingers.
Why the Customizer Changes Everything
Look, the pre-built LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 characters are great, but the character creator is where the real "expert" players spend their time. It’s vastly improved over the first game. You can actually choose the type of beam your character fires or the specific color of their energy bolts.
If you're trying to 100% the game, you'll realize quickly that some characters are just "key holders." You need Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) because she can shrink and grow, which is essential for certain puzzles in the Lemuria or K'un-L'un sections. You need a character with heat beams (like Iron Man or Captain Marvel) to melt gold LEGO bricks. You need someone with "mind control" like Doctor Strange or Enchantress.
But once you have those bases covered? You just play as whoever looks cool.
The Villains Are Often Better Than the Heroes
It’s a hot take, but the villains in this game have way better animations. Carnage and Venom are perennial favorites because their transformation animations are fluid and creepy. Kang himself is a powerhouse once you unlock him after finishing the main story. He can manipulate time to fix broken objects or age them into dust, which is a mechanic used heavily in the hub world.
And don't overlook the DLC. If you picked up the Season Pass, you got characters from Black Panther, Infinity War, and even Ant-Man and the Wasp. These weren't just reskins; they usually came with new levels that fleshed out the roster with even more obscure picks like Ghost or Ulysses Klaue.
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Understanding the Absence of the X-Men
People always ask: "Where is Deadpool?"
In the first LEGO Marvel game, Deadpool was the narrator and the guy who collected the Red Bricks. In LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 characters rosters, he is replaced by Gwenpool. It was a controversial move at the time. Gwenpool is fun—she’s a meta-character who knows she’s in a comic/game—but for long-time fans, the lack of X-Men and Fantastic Four felt like a hole.
This happened because of the corporate tug-of-war between Disney and Fox at the time. Disney (who owns Marvel) wasn't keen on promoting characters they didn't have the film rights to. Since the game was a massive marketing tool, the X-Men were effectively "banned" from the toy box. It’s a bummer, but it forced the developers to get creative with characters like Captain Avalon or Howard the Duck. Honestly, getting to play as Cowboy Captain America is a decent consolation prize.
Mastering the Hub World With the Right Roster
Chronopolis is huge. If you're trying to get around quickly, you need a flyer. But not all flyers are equal.
Iron Man is fine, but his flight is a bit "heavy." Characters like Nova or Captain Marvel feel faster. If you’re underwater in Lemuria, you’ll want someone like Stingray or Attuma. The game doesn't force you to switch constantly, but it’s much faster if you know which LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 characters handle specific terrains.
- For Speed: Quicksilver is the obvious choice for land. For air, Iron Man (Mark 47) or Star-Lord.
- For Combat: Thor (Jane Foster) or Thor (Ragnarok) have massive Area of Effect (AoE) attacks that clear mobs of enemies instantly.
- For Puzzles: Doctor Strange. His time manipulation and magic shields solve about 30% of the game’s environmental hurdles.
Fact-Checking Common Misconceptions
I've seen people claim you can unlock Silver Surfer in this game. You can't. Not without mods on the PC version. The same goes for Galactus. While they were icons in the first game, they are totally absent here. Also, some people think the "Stan Lee" unlock is just a cameo. Nope. Stan Lee is the most powerful character in the game. He has almost every single ability combined—he can swing like Spidey, shoot beams like Iron Man, and turn into a Hulk-version of himself. He is the ultimate "cheat code" character once you find all 50 Stans in peril.
How to Optimize Your Character Swapping
If you want to dominate the game, stop using the radial menu. It’s slow. Use the quick-switch buttons to toggle between your two active characters, and try to keep a "Utility" character (like Kamala Khan) in your second slot at all times.
When you're in the hub world, focus on unlocking the "Map Statues" first. This reveals the locations of character tokens. Most LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 characters aren't given to you; you have to find their token in the world and then "buy" them with studs. If you're short on cash, go to the Old West section and smash everything. The studs there seem to respawn faster.
Actionable Tips for Building Your Roster
- Hunt the Pink Bricks first: Gwenpool’s missions give you the "Stud Multipliers." You need these to afford the expensive characters like Kang or Maestro.
- Prioritize "The Collector" and "Grandmaster" missions: These usually reward you with tokens for characters that have unique ability combinations you can't find elsewhere.
- Don't ignore the "Challenge" menu: Some characters are only unlocked by completing specific tasks in the open world, like dousing a certain number of fires or rescuing all the tourists.
- Check the Chronopolis map for "Boss" icons: Defeating roaming bosses like Shocker or Mysterio often unlocks their tokens immediately.
The beauty of this game isn't in finding the "best" character. It's about the fact that you can have a team consisting of a medieval Squire Captain America and a giant talking dog. It’s chaotic, it’s vibrant, and it’s a love letter to the weirdest corners of the Marvel Universe. Even without the X-Men, the sheer volume of personalities makes every session feel different.
To get started on your collection, head to the Manhattan area of Chronopolis and look for the first few "Rescue Stan Lee" markers. They’re the hardest to complete but offer the biggest payoff for your roster's versatility. Once you've got a solid flyer and a "big fig" like Hulk, the rest of the map opens up significantly. Just remember to keep an eye on the sky—Man-Ape or Vulture are usually lurking around the taller buildings waiting for a fight.