Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 unlockable characters: How to complete the roster

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 unlockable characters
(Image credit: Marvel)

There are a lot of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 unlockable characters, and given the pop culture phenom that Marvel has become in the past decade, the game is brimming with Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 unlockable characters missing from the hero select screen. 

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 offers up the most expansive roster yet with 36 playable heroes and villains, but once you wrap up your duties and save the world, you might be wondering about the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 unlockable characters missing from the hero select screen. Read on and we’ll show you how to fill in the blanks and complete your roster.

*Spoiler Warning*: The final two characters in this list could absolutely be considered as spoilers, and perhaps you don’t want to know anything about which superheroes and villains you can play as over the course of the game. If that’s you, do not read any further!

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Elektra

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Elektra

(Image credit: capcom)

Whilst the rest of the roster is picked up naturally throughout the course of the narrative, the first unlockable character in the game is Elektra, who features for a brief moment in Chapter 3, Shadowland. To play as Elektra you first have to continue through the game until you unlock the Infinity Trials menu and the first rift, Gamma.

Once you’ve done that navigate to the Infinity menu and you should see that the hexagon on the far-right of the rift is a level 30 mission known as ‘Bad Business’ where you fight the Kingpin. All you have to do is progress through the hexagon towards Bad Business until it is unlocked, then complete it with an appropriately levelled team, and Elektra will join the alliance. It’s as simple as that really. ‘Ultimate’ themed rift trials often involve a number of boss battles in quick succession, so make sure you’ve got your best team on the job.

Magneto

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Magneto

(Image credit: capcom)

The second unlockable character in the game is Magneto, the evil grandad who can warp magnetic fields to his will. As expected, he is immensely powerful and crops up in the campaign during Chapter 5, Xavier Institute. His role in the campaign suggests that he has had a change of heart, as he turns on The Black Order and helps the alliance for a brief moment, but you still don’t unlock him after his appearance, unlike other characters.

To play as Magneto, you have to progress through the story until you unlock the ‘Psi’ Infinity Trial, which is picked up naturally as you play through the campaign. This Infinity Trial tree is a strange shape, but you should see Magneto in the top right, heralding a level 38 mission known as ‘Boss Wave’, which asks you to defeat Klaw, Kingpin and Doctor Strange in quick succession. I’ll not mince words, this one is very difficult, so make sure you’re at an appropriate character level to deal with it before you start. Once you beat them, old man Magneto will join the cause.

 

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 loki

(Image credit: capcom)

The evil trickster and brother of Thor, Loki crops up throughout the campaign to raise hell and cause mischief. I won’t spoil exactly how he’s involved with The Black Order, but let’s just say he plays an interesting role right through to the game’s gripping conclusion. 

Anyway, the fun part is is that you can play as Loki, you just have to progress through another Infinity Trial rift tree. Loki is sitting at the top of the Sigma tree, which is picked up right at the end of the story after Chapter 9. Once you’ve unlocked it, take a look and you should see the diamond-shaped structure with Loki’s grinning face at the top. He lords over a whopping level 45 ‘‘Boss Wave’ mission where you have to fight The Black Order in quick succession. Once you manage this lofty feat Loki will join the alliance!

Thanos

(Image credit: Capcom)

Oh yes - the final unlockable character in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is The Mad Titan himself, Thanos. Pretty much the big bad of this game and the leader of The Black Order - his role in the story is mainly to cause anguish - but much like Loki, for sake of spoilers I won’t be revealing where it all ends up, you’ll just have to find out for yourself!

To unlock Thanos you’re going to have to beat the game. Once you’ve finished the story mode you’ll be booted back to the menu and told about a new final rift that’s been unlocked in the Infinity menu. This rift is known as the Lambda rift, and once you click on it you should see Thanos right at the top of the triangle, waiting for you. All you have to do now is navigate up through the tree, completing the rift trials until you unlock the level 65 Ultimate mission The Black Order, which has you taking on - you guessed it - The Black Order one more time as well as a suite of dangerous teammates. Wrap that up and you’ll unlock Thanos as a playable character!

Freelance writer

Jordan Oloman has hundreds of bylines across outlets like 12DOVE, PC Gamer, USA Today, The Guardian, The Verge, The Washington Post, and more. Jordan is an experienced freelance writer who can not only dive deep into the biggest video games out there but explore the way they intersect with culture too. Jordan can also be found working behind-the-scenes here at Future Plc, contributing to the organization and execution of the Future Games Show.