8 shows to watch if you like Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play hero shooter created by NetEase Games in collaboration with Marvel Games. It features cross-play across all platforms and includes a roster of 42 Marvel characters. By February 2025, the title had surpassed 40 million players.

The narrative centers on a clash between Doctor Doom and his heroic counterpart from the year 2099. Their conflict triggers a "timestream entanglement," spawning new realities where heroes and villains from across the multiverse are drawn into battle. To save these worlds, they must stop both versions of Doom before one seizes control.

If viewers enjoyed Marvel Rivals for its action, team dynamics, and battles, here are 7 shows that explore similar themes of teamwork and conflicts.

Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.

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The Defenders, Heroes, and 6 other shows to watch if viewers like Marvel Rivals

1) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a TV series inspired by the Marvel Comics agency S.H.I.E.L.D. (Image via Apple TV+)

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a TV series developed by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen, inspired by the Marvel Comics agency S.H.I.E.L.D.

The series was the first set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following Phil Coulson, played by Clark Gregg, and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Alongside a cast that expands in later seasons, they investigate unusual threats and secret agendas ranging from Hydra operatives to alien forces.

Like Marvel Rivals, this series dives into a world of shifting alliances and battles that span beyond Earth, making it a perfect watch for fans who enjoy superhero conflicts.

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2) The Defenders

The Defenders is a miniseries based on Marvel Comics characters Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist (Image via Apple TV+)

Marvel's The Defenders is an American miniseries created by Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez, based on Marvel Comics characters Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist.

Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the series brings together heroes from their individual shows while upholding the franchise’s continuity. Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, and Finn Jones reprise their roles, joined by a supporting cast and Sigourney Weaver.

The four vigilantes unite in New York City to confront a threat too great for any of them alone.

If Marvel Rivals excites fans with its team-based clashes, The Defenders offers a street-level version of heroes learning to fight side by side against a powerful common enemy.

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3) Legends of Tomorrow

Legends of Tomorrow is a time travel superhero series (Image via Apple TV+)

DC's Legends of Tomorrow is a time travel superhero series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klemmer. Part of the Arrowverse, the show brings together characters from across the DC universe in a fast-paced, adventurous format.

The story follows a mismatched team of heroes and antiheroes traveling through history aboard the Waverider to protect the timeline from powerful threats. The series features superhero action alongside teamwork and cosmic-scale challenges as the Legends fight to safeguard history in their own unconventional way.

Fans of Marvel Rivals’ multiverse chaos will find a similar thrill in Legends of Tomorrow, where time travel and unpredictable team-ups drive the action.

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4) The Umbrella Academy

The Umbrella Academy is a superhero comedy-drama (Image via Apple TV+)

The Umbrella Academy is a superhero comedy-drama based on the comic series by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá. It follows a dysfunctional family of adopted sibling superheroes who reunite after their father’s death while confronting potential world-ending threats.

Raised by billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves, each sibling has unique powers, but past conflicts keep them at odds. Together, they face challenges that span time travel, alternate realities, and global dangers, with action, dark humor, and family drama that reveal the bonds that connect them.

Just as Marvel Rivals pulls together characters with clashing personalities, The Umbrella Academy shows how a dysfunctional team must unite to face world-altering dangers.

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5) Titans

Titans is a superhero series created by Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns, and Greg Berlanti (Image via Netflix)

Titans is a superhero television series created by Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns, and Greg Berlanti. Based on the DC Comics team Teen Titans, it follows a group of young heroes who unite to fight against evil.

The series mixes action with drama as the Titans face dangerous threats across cities like Detroit, San Francisco, Gotham, and Metropolis. While tackling crime and villainy, they also struggle with personal conflicts, fractured relationships, and the challenges of living in the shadow of legendary heroes.

Titans reimagines iconic DC characters through themes of loyalty and responsibility, showing how both veterans and new recruits learn to stand together as a team.

Marvel Rivals is all about teamwork under pressure, and Titans delivers a darker take on young heroes managing personal struggles alongside the responsibility of saving lives.

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6) Heroes

Heroes offers a grounded look at ordinary people coping with life-changing powers (Image via Apple TV+)

Heroes is a superhero drama told like a comic book, with each season split into “volumes.” It follows ordinary people who discover extraordinary abilities and must face the challenges their powers bring while their paths gradually intersect.

The series features intimate character-driven stories alongside larger arcs involving mystery, science, and hidden organizations. Themes of identity, responsibility, and human connection run throughout as the characters confront challenges that test both their abilities and their place in the world.

If viewers enjoy the discovery of extraordinary powers in Marvel Rivals, Heroes brings a grounded take on how ordinary people handle abilities that change their lives forever.

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7) Young Justice

Young Justice is an animated DC superhero series (Image via Hulu)

Young Justice is an animated DC superhero series following teenage heroes like Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Artemis as a covert team under the Justice League. The show evolves from a teen spy drama into a mature story examining intricate themes and character growth.

Across four seasons, Young Justice broadens its scope, introducing new heroes and escalating threats, with story arcs that span from Earthbound missions to intergalactic conflicts.

Like Marvel Rivals, Young Justice thrives on teamwork and missions that test both power and loyalty across Earth and the wider universe.

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8) What If…?

What If...? is an animated anthology series (Image via Disney+)

What If...? is an animated anthology show developed by A. C. Bradley, adapted from the Marvel Comics series bearing the same title.

The show reimagines pivotal moments from MCU films, presenting alternate timelines that reveal how events might have unfolded differently.

Set after the multiverse’s creation in Loki, What If...? follows the Watcher as he observes alternate realities shaped by small but significant changes to the MCU’s history.

Across its seasons, the series introduces new heroes and possibilities, expanding the MCU by asking its central question: What if things had happened another way?

For fans drawn to Marvel Rivals’ multiverse concept, What If...? expands on alternate realities, reimagining iconic Marvel moments with surprising and game-changing twists.

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Marvel Rivals launched on December 6, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S, followed by a PlayStation 4 release on September 12, 2025.

Edited by Moakala T Aier