Funko Funkoverse DC Review: A Deep Experience That Won't Frustrate New Players

Funko is known for its incredibly popular line of Funko POPs, whose roster has grown to include a number of iconic licenses over the years. That stable includes the heroes and villains of DC Comics, and now Funko has teamed up with DC to bring the POP experience to the tabletop with a new game series titled Funkoverse. Funkoverse allows fans to use miniaturized POP versions of their favorite characters as they take on the opposing team in a full tabletop experience, and while everything has the charming Funko aesthetic, there's actually a fun and addicting game underneath the Funko sheen.

Funkoverse DC gives players the choice of using the heroes (Batman and Batgirl) or the villains (Joker and Harley) in a straight-up battle for Gotham in one of four different scenarios that change up the gameplay. The beginning game has players attempting to knock down and ultimately knock out the other team, and you'll do so with a variety of abilities. At first glance, the game might seem pretty simple and straightforward, but once you start looking at the character cards and ability cards, you'll notice a nice layer of complexity.

For instance, Batman has a character ability that allows him to get a defense boost if two or more rivals are adjacent to him. That means you'll need to balance your attack on him between melee and range, or, in Joker's case, throwing your Joker bombs with careful planning. Meanwhile, Harley has several abilities that lets her push and pull rivals, allowing her to set them up for a big combo attack from her or Joker, who can do a nice chunk of damage up close.

The game introduces another wrinkle in your attack strategy thanks to ability cooldowns. Each character has two ability dots at their disposal, and each ability has a number next to it, which is the number of rounds that dot will need to go through to return to your card. That means you'll need to be careful about which special abilities you use and when, as once you use a skill, it might be a minute before you can use it again.

These mechanics all liven up the core gameplay for avid tabletop players to enjoy while keeping things more streamlined and straightforward for newer players, but if you're looking to add a few new wrinkles to the game, Funkoverse has you covered as well. The game ships with four scenario cards and each one varies the goal of the game, the map layout, and how points are accrued. Control, for instance, has one main area where players will fight to have more people standing in by the end of the round to grab a point, but there are also other point markers on the map that someone can pick up to add to their totals.

Each scenario changes up the gameplay just enough to make every game fresh, and the board is also double-sided, with Gotham City Streets on one side and Joker's Carnival Chaos on the other. Throw in special items that give your players new abilities and things like control points (used in Flags), and the game offers a level of variety and depth that we did not really expect. Even someone who isn't an avid a board game player will have no issues picking things up, becoming an expert at swinging Harley's baseball bat in no time.

The game's main issue is depth, because, for as many interesting elements are added to the gameplay via scenarios and more, there isn't necessarily enough there to appease someone coming from a more complex type of game, which often has several systems in play at any given time. If you have a group of expert board game players around the table, Funkoverse probably won't be your first pick, though there is something to be said for a lighthearted and timely experience, as Funkoverse doesn't take three to five hours to play, either. The sets are combinable as well, and the DC iteration also has an expansion available that adds new characters, cards, and locations, which can add even more replay value.

Funkoverse gives players flexibility and that patented Funko charm while offering fun mechanics that any fan, regardless of experience, can enjoy. For those who are looking for something more on the expert side of complexity, this likely won't meet that bar, but if you're going to invest in a game that will appeal to just about anyone, you can't go wrong with Funkoverse DC.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Funkoverse DC is available in stores now.