Marvel Cosmic Invasion: The Ultimate Cosmic Cube Location Guide

Cosmic Cubes are the elusive collectibles that unlock both the coveted Cosmic Cubist achievement and the sprawling Cosmic Matrix reward board in Marvel Cosmic Invasion. Hidden in every campaign stage, these invisible keys offer more than just a trophy—they grant exclusive skins, lore, and game-changing modifiers. This guide will show you exactly where to find all 16 cubes and how to maximize their rewards.

Introduction to Cosmic Cubes and the Cosmic Cubist Achievement

Cosmic Cubes are the main collectible in Marvel Cosmic Invasion, with exactly one hidden in each of the game's 16 campaign stages. You won't spot them outright since they're completely invisible until you smash the objects they're tucked inside, though you can keep an eye out for faint green sparkles that give away their location. Grab all 16 and the Cosmic Cubist trophy automatically pops the moment you pick up the final cube.

But these aren't just achievement fodder. Each Cube functions as a physical key for the Cosmic Matrix, a massive 101-slot reward board in your Vault menu, and this is where things get interesting. Think of it as a giant treasure map where you spend Cubes to unlock 30 Hero Palettes for fresh character skins, 41 Nova Corps Files packed with lore, 20 Music Tracks to vibe with, and 10 Arcade Modifiers that work as gameplay cheats.

If you're gunning for 100% completion, you can't skip this. The Matrix hands out exclusive cosmetics, behind-the-scenes content, and game-changing modifiers you won't find anywhere else, making each discovery feel meaningful rather than like abstract currency grinding. You can grab Cubes three ways: finding hidden ones in levels, knocking out mission challenges, or leveling up your heroes. And here's the kicker—once you drop your 98th Cube into the Matrix, the whole board automatically finishes itself, with the last three slots unlocking simultaneously.

Essential Tips for Finding Cosmic Cubes

Visual and Audio Cues

Don't just run around hoping to stumble on these things—Cosmic Cubes actually give you a bunch of sensory hints. You'll hear a soft chime that gets louder as you get closer, so headphones are basically mandatory if you want to hunt efficiently. Visually, they show emerald-green "constellation" sparkles that twinkle for one second and then disappear for two seconds, which means you need to be patient and watch for the pattern. The rotating neon outline only shows up when your camera is within about 25 meters and looking in the right direction (roughly a 60-degree cone), so you can't just spin in circles and expect to see them. When you're right on top of one—within five meters—the screen edges get a faint jade tint, which is your signal to stop and search. If you're still struggling, just enable 'Cube Sense' in the Accessibility options; it'll slap a persistent green arrow on screen that points toward nearby cubes.

Hero Selection Strategies

You absolutely need a flying hero in your duo—no exceptions. Captain Marvel is the queen here; she's got unlimited hover and the fastest horizontal air-speed in the game, which makes her perfect for reaching those annoying high cubes. Rocket Raccoon is a sneaky-good alternative since his jet-pack recharges in just 0.8 seconds and his blaster auto-targets crates on multiple vertical planes while you're airborne. Iron Man gives you similar flight capabilities plus repulsor AoE that can break several containers at once, so he's great for clearing areas quickly. If you're desperate, Thor can float indefinitely by holding his heavy-attack, but his turn-rate is painfully slow. Oh, and equip the 'Air Supremacy' ISO-8 for +25% ranged damage while airborne—you don't want to be forced to land just to break a box.

Exploration Techniques

Before you leave any named sub-area, climb to the highest point and rotate your camera 360 degrees because those cube sparkles are view-angle dependent. While you're up there, break every single destructible prop in dead-end areas—crates, rocks, arcade cabinets, everything—because cubes 9, 13, and 15 are specifically hidden behind breakables. Keep an eye out for slightly darker wall textures, mis-aligned brickwork, or props that cast purple rim-light; those are visual tells for hidden paths. Many secret areas only open after you complete local objectives like defeating mid-bosses or extinguishing flaming barrels, so don't just sprint through. If you're completely lost, use the level-select 'intelligence' filter which overlays icons on stages that still hide specific collectible types.

Post-Combat Checks

Here's the thing: cubes are completely invisible until you defeat the final enemy in a local skirmish—only then do they materialize. If you die after a cube spawns, you're fine; it'll still be there when you respawn. But if you exit to the Quinjet, the entire level resets, which is brutal. For example, in Operation Jailbreak, the cube spawns above the elevator handrail after you survive the three-wave lift fight. At Fort Galactus, you have to smash every rock in the dead-end canyon and defeat the last stone elemental before it appears. Bring rapid-area heroes like Captain Marvel to ensure no stragglers hide behind geometry and prevent the spawn—you don't want to clear a whole room and then miss the cube because one enemy clipped through a wall.

Early Game Cosmic Cube Locations (Levels 1-5)

Level 1: Nova Cruiser

The opening shoot-out on the Nova Cruiser is where you'll grab your first Cosmic Cube, but it's a pain to spot while you're dodging those purple flying drones. Once the auto-scroll starts pushing you forward, hug the right-hand side of the screen and watch for faint green sparkles near the green-tinted monitors. The cube itself hovers right in front of one of those monitors, which means its glimmer blends into the background like a cruel joke. You'll need to boost or double-jump toward that sparkle the instant you see it, because the scroll doesn't care about your collectible hunt.

Level 2: New York City

Right after that chaotic cut-scene where Arthosians burst out of the Daily Bugle delivery truck, you'll want to make a hard detour. Drop down to the lower-right balcony of the apartment buildings that line the right side of the screen—characters with air-dash or flight (like Iron Man or Captain Marvel) can hover down there effortlessly. The cube's sparkles are hiding in front of an AC unit perched on the balcony rail, so you'll need to squint past those green dumpsters to catch the shimmer.

Level 3: Genosha

Genosha's Sentinel factory is a maze of metal walkways and conveyor belts, but the third Cube shows up right after you free Forge and trigger the assembly-line cut-scene. Once you're back in control, you'll be standing on a high metal catwalk overlooking the chaos—walk forward a few steps, then look down and to your right. The cube sits on a narrow grated platform halfway between the walkway and the factory floor, practically begging you to risk the drop. You can snag it with a simple double-jump, and luckily there's a magnetic lift nearby to get you back up.

Level 4: Helicarrier (Operation Jailbreak)

This one's brutal because it punishes you for doing what the game trained you to do. When the elevator doors open to the upper flight-deck, do not move forward—the default camera angle immediately shoves you toward the right where the objective marker is. Instead, pan your camera all the way left the instant the doors open. The cube is hovering just off the port-side railing, almost invisible unless you're looking for it. If you need a landmark, scan for the pair of SHIELD tech crates stacked nearby; those crates only spawn on this specific balcony, so you know you're in the right spot.

Level 5: Savage Land

The Savage Land Cube is probably the most scenic of the bunch, which makes it extra annoying to miss. After you survive the first dinosaur stampede and enter the leafy village area, keep your eyes peeled for a shallow river cutting across the screen. Two baby dinosaurs will be drinking water in the background—a cute moment that doubles as your signal. Move your camera slightly up and to the right once you reach that watering hole, and you'll spot the sparkles tucked in the back-right corner near the small lake.

Mid-Game Cosmic Cube Locations (Levels 6-10)

Level 6: Wakanda

You'll hit this section right after Annihilus does his bombing run, and you'll see two enemies betting on a green slug race. The cube is sitting right by the finish line, next to a bench where some Arthosians are clapping. Just head left toward those park-style benches and look for the tell-tale blue-white sparkle on the ground—though it's tricky since it blends with the dim stone. Here's the kicker: you absolutely must grab it before you open that large vibranium gate leading to the next combat arena because once that gate opens, backtracking is completely blocked. Don't get locked out.

Level 7: Blue Area of the Moon

Your first run-in with the alien blockade is where this one hides. You'll see a living gate with blue-energy tentacles, and just to the left there's a shallow alcove with two pulsating alien egg sacs. You need to smash both of them with a melee combo—one hit each isn't enough, you gotta finish the combo. Once both sacs pop, the Cosmic Cube materializes right there in the alcove, hovering slightly above ground in front of that tentacle gate. It's pretty easy to miss if you're rushing, so take a second to clear that alcove before moving on.

Level 8: Asgard

After you blast through the rainbow road section and past Hela's murder of crows, you'll hit the shimmering rainbow bridge with a shield-bug blockade. This one's sneaky: look for two wooden barrels leaning against the right-hand guardrail, and wedge your character firmly between them. The cube is actually invisible until you stand in that sweet spot, with green sparkles that camouflage perfectly against the technicolor pavement. You don't even need to destroy the barrels—just position yourself right and it'll pop into existence.

Level 9: Destromundo

Right after your first elevator ride down from the early A.I.M. grunt fight, you'll want to check the rear-left corner of the freight elevator. The cube appears once you reach the lower floor, flush against the wall and half-hidden behind a stack of crates. The green sparkles blend annoyingly well with the emergency lighting, so keep your eyes peeled. Critical tip: grab it before you press that elevator control panel because once the lift starts moving, the cube becomes completely unreachable. Don't trigger the next sequence until you've scooped it up.

Level 10: Klyntar

This one's a vertical hunt. After riding the first elevator down, you'll hear Knull's voice-over and face three explosive symbiote blobs you need to destroy to progress. Look straight up above the middle blob—the cube hovers just beneath the ceiling, visible as green-gold sparkle against the dark biomass. Flying heroes like Storm, Iron Man, or Ms. Marvel make this trivial, but any hero can nail it with a well-timed double-jump off the nearby tendrils. Just make sure you grab it before you blow up those blobs and move on.

Late Game Cosmic Cube Locations (Levels 11-16)

You're in the home stretch now, and these last six cubes are absolute nightmares to spot. The developers really cranked up the visual trickery here, so you’ll need patience and a keen eye. Don’t worry though—I’ve got your back.

Level 11: Hala

The eleventh cube sits on the Kree homeworld, and it’s probably the most deviously hidden one so far. After you hit the Star-Forge Courtyard checkpoint, you’ll see a small circular balcony overlooking the main courtyard. That's where you need to go, but the path isn’t obvious.

First, hug the left rampart right after that cutscene where the two Kree Sentries power up. You’ll find a narrow maintenance ramp tucked away—follow it up to reach the balcony. Once you're there, look for a stone statue; the cube is perched on its spear. Here’s the brutal part: it only emits a single ring of sparkles every three seconds, which is way slower than any other map, and those sparkles barely show up against the teal Kree force-field background. You’ll literally have to stand still and wait for the glint, so don’t rush it.

Level 12: Sanctuary II

Early in Sanctuary II, you’ll clear the first hallway and hear Thanos and Phyla-Vell talking. After that conversation ends, head into the massive monitor room with the giant holo-display cycling through Earth’s heroes. The cube is hiding to the right of that huge screen wall.

It’s placed at shoulder height on a narrow rail, but a green-tinted monitor bank covers half of it. The sparkles are pale green, which means they blend right into the screen glow—sneaky, right? You’ll need to tilt your camera upward slightly to spot it, since the default combat stance won’t show it clearly. Just veer right as soon as you enter and scan the monitors carefully.

Level 13: Fort Galactus

Right after Cosmic Ghost Rider mentions getting closer to Silver Surfer, you’ll hit a mid-level checkpoint near the main gate of Fort Galactus. The cube is stashed behind a destructible rock wall, so you can’t just grab it—you have to break it.

Hug the right-hand cliff face until you see a giant stone slab that looks like a robot head fused into the rock. You’ll notice hairline cracks and a subtle green shimmer leaking through, which is your cue to smash it. Heavy-damage heroes make this trivial: use Hulk’s Thunderclap or Thor’s Hammer Spin. If you’re playing someone lighter like Spider-Man or Black Widow, look for the purple explosive barrels nearby—they’ll do the job just fine.

Level 14: Hetropteron

Level 14 throws you into the alien hive, and the cube is midway down the web-covered slope in the "Hell Is the Hive" section. As you’re descending, stick to the right-hand wall past the Heteropteron drones.

You’re looking for a partially buried, destructible rock formation. The catch? The sparkles blend into the green-screen chroma backdrop and the bioluminescent foliage, making it nearly invisible. If you’ve got a flyer like Nova or Captain Marvel, you can cheese this by air-dashing from the first ledge straight to the rock shelf, bypassing the entire slope encounter. Otherwise, take it slow and watch for the faintest glint against the wall.

Level 15: Arthros Citadel

Once you climb the stairs to the upper floor observation room with three alien containment capsules, you’re in the right spot. Immediately turn right and you’ll see a waist-high glowing breakable object that looks like a stacked equipment crate.

The cube sits on top of it, but the sparkles are subtle and the crate is almost flush against a green-tinted wall panel, so it’s easy to walk right past. Flying characters like Iron Man or Captain Marvel make this much easier to reach and give you a better angle for backtracking if you miss it the first time. Just break the crate and grab the cube before moving on.

Level 16: Final Stage

This is it—the last cube, and it’s a doozy. In the platforming section just before the Annihilus showdown on the Baxter Building rooftop, clear the first wave of enemies on the lower roof. Then, look off-screen to the right for green particle effects dancing around.

The cube is actually invisible until you strike it, and it floats slightly above a narrow neon-blue maintenance platform bolted to the building’s side. Here’s your critical warning: you must collect this before crossing the boss trigger boundary. Once Annihilus’ cutscene starts, you cannot backtrack, and you’ll be locked out of the trophy for this run. Hit the cube first, then proceed. Don’t be that person who finishes the game and has to replay the entire final level.

Cosmic Cubist Achievement and Cosmic Matrix Rewards

Cosmic Cubist Achievement

First things first—snagging all 16 hidden Cosmic Cubes gets you the Cosmic Cubist achievement, which is a silver trophy on PlayStation and 100 Gamerscore on Xbox. It's one of 36 trophies total and sits in the exploration category, so completionists will definitely want to grab it.

You'll need to find one cube in every single level, and yeah, that includes the prologue. The tricky part is they're completely invisible until you hit them with any attack—a physical punch, ranged blast, or even chucking an enemy into them works. Once revealed, they only stay visible for a few seconds before disappearing, so you have to be quick.

Here's the good news: once you collect a cube, it's saved permanently, which means you can quit the level right after grabbing it. You don't have to finish the mission, so farming these is way less painful than it could be.

Cosmic Matrix System

But those cubes aren't just for the trophy—they're also currency for the Cosmic Matrix, a massive 101-slot reward cube sitting in the Vault section of the main menu. Each slot costs one Cosmic Cube to flip, revealing one of four reward types: Hero Palettes (skins), Nova Corps Files (lore), Music Tracks, or Arcade Modifiers.

In total, you're looking at 30 Hero Palettes, 41 Nova Corps Files, 20 Music Tracks, and 10 Arcade Modifiers to unlock. That's a lot of stuff, and you'll need to farm cubes through level challenges, the hidden cubes we just talked about, and team level-up rewards.

The last three slots are the exception—they auto-unlock once your team hits levels 78, 82, and 85, so you won't need to burn cubes on those. Everything else is manual, which means you'll be hunting for a while if you want to reveal everything.

FAQ: Cosmic Cube Collection Questions

Can you miss Cosmic Cubes?

Nope, you can’t permanently miss any of them. Marvel Cosmic Invasion doesn’t have branching story paths or cruel auto-save checkpoints that lock you out of levels, which means every single Cosmic Cube is available for replay at any time. Even the one from the Prologue isn’t a one-shot deal—you can grab it later from the main menu once you’re past the intro sequence. Honestly, you could ignore cubes entirely during your first story run and just binge-collect all 16 later through free-play mode.

Do Cosmic Cubes carry over between playthroughs?

They absolutely do, and this is where the system gets generous. Every green Cosmic Cube you collect is permanently logged to your save profile and automatically carries over when you start New Game Plus. Your collection tally never resets, so you’ll never have to re-collect a cube you’ve already grabbed—the counter only moves forward. Even better, any cubes you’ve banked can be spent immediately in the Cosmic Matrix (via the Vault menu) as soon as you unlock it in NG+, so your progress feels meaningful across runs.

What if you miss a Cosmic Cube?

Missing a cube isn’t a big deal since you can replay any level through the level select menu whenever you want. The game actually helps you hunt efficiently: from the main menu, you can see exactly how many cubes you already own per stage. Each mission shows a cube icon—an empty outline means you missed it, while a solid glowing icon means it’s collected. If you’re just mopping up, you can even drop the difficulty to Casual to melt through mobs and speed-run straight to the cube’s location.

Can you replay levels for Cosmic Cubes?

Yes, and replaying levels is the only way to add missed cubes to your collection, since each cube can be grabbed just once per save file. You can jump into any mission at any difficulty through the level select menu, and the best part is that the menu updates instantly the moment you destroy a cube in-game. This means you can safely back out as soon as you see the icon change, saving you from replaying the entire mission if you’re just there for the collectible.

How to track your Cosmic Cube progress?

You’ve got a few ways to keep tabs on your hunt. From the main menu, head to Mission Select → Collectibles to see a 4×4 grid for each map, where filled silhouettes show which cubes you’ve nabbed. Inside a level, the Objectives pane has a hidden Cosmic Cube checkbox that stays unchecked until you collect it. After finishing a stage, the results screen lists mission challenges plus a fourth line specifically for the hidden cube, using a solid or empty icon. Finally, each of the 16 stages displays a miniature cube slot right on the campaign map—empty means you still need to grab it, solid means you’re good to go.

Collecting all 16 Cosmic Cubes secures the Cosmic Cubist achievement and fuels the Cosmic Matrix, rewarding you with exclusive content that enhances your entire experience. With the right heroes, keen observation, and these location-specific tips, you can efficiently complete your collection. Now, gear up and start hunting—your rewards await.