Out of all the powerful heroes primed for the picking in Marvel Rivals, there is one that captured the hearts of players just like a match objective. Jeff the Land Shark has been an adorable addition to Marvel’s expansive franchise ever since his first appearance in West Coast Avengers Vol. 3 #7. Since then he’s had many adventures within the world of comics. Now, he gets to cause cute and cuddly chaos while helping out his team in Marvel Rivals.
A Small Package of Cuteness
Even before the full release of Marvel Rivals, people were excited to play as the chunky character. This is due to the introductory trailer released in July. In that trailer, Jeff the Land Shark is seen and heard singing along to the theme song for the game. Well, he sings it as best as he can without the capabilities of actually speaking. After playing as Jeff in many matches now, I can say that his actual gameplay matches perfectly with the joyful tone that his trailer set. This also includes the interactions that he has with other heroes. My personal favorites are between him and Squirrel Girl, Mantis, or Star-Lord.
The Joy Of Playing Jeff
Not only is Jeff the Land Shark an adorable addition to the Marvel Rivals roster, but he is also a surprisingly powerful one. As a Strategist, his role is to assist his team with his incredible healing abilities. Healing isn’t the only thing the little guy is capable of though. His few damage-dealing attacks are genuinely good, and his ultimate attack has become infamous for wiping out entire enemy teams. The victims of Jeff might just be the only ones who can’t stand to see him in the game.
Attacks
- Joyful Splash – Jeff is able to unleash a stream of water that heals team members who come into contact with it.
- Aqua Burst – Jeff launches a water sphere that bursts on impact and does damage to any enemy within its range.
Abilities
- Hide and Seek – Jeff is able to dive into the ground, which grants him a boost in his movement speed and mobility. While submerged, he heals himself and is able to wall-crawl.
- Healing Bubble – Jeff spits out a bubble that heals allies who walk into it, giving them both a Healing and Movement Boost. It also launches nearby enemies.
- It’s Jeff! – This is Jeff the Land Shark’s ultimate attack. He dives deep into the ground and resurfaces to swallow up anyone within the range of the attack’s whirlpool. This can be used to evacuate allies or spit enemies out over ledges, which kills them if they can’t get back on land.
Team-Up Abilities
- New Friends – When Jeff is on the same team as Groot, he can ride on top of his shoulders and receive Damage Reduction.
- Frozen Spitball – When on the same team as Luna Snow, Jeff gets a new damaging attack that is infused with ice energy. When activated, it replaces Aqua Burst.
Passive
- Oblivious Cuteness – This passive gives Jeff the Land Shark even more survivability, as it reduces the damage he takes from critical hits.
Putting Focus on Lesser-Known Heroes
The immense love and praise that Jeff is getting from players is a wonderful thing to see. When thinking of a Marvel superhero, most people might think of Captain America, Iron Man, or Spider-Man. Bringing generally lesser-known characters like Jeff the Land Shark, Psylocke, Squirrel Girl, etc. is a great thing to see. These are characters that have had so much heart and soul put into them, and they deserve a larger fanbase. Since these heroes are gaining more attention thanks to Marvel Rivals, a world of opportunities may open up for others who are in the same boat.
