Injustice 2 has arrived - bringing with it a host of easter eggs, unlockable characters, and premiere skins and we're laying out how to collect them all in a handy guide.

Injustice 2 reviews are strong, with critics praising the one-on-one fighting game's rock-solid combat mechanics and the complex RPG-style loot system. The team at NetherRealm (the same team behind the ultra-violent Mortal Kombat franchise) have truly outdone themselves when it comes to the variety of characters at players' disposal. From DC titans like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, to more obscure figures like Doctor Fate and Atrocitus, there are more than enough characters here to satisfy even the most hardcore of comic book fans.

Unbeknownst to some, there are actually even more characters than the initially available 27 fighters. Several combatants have alternate costumes which transform them into brand new characters. Their movesets are the same, but they all have brand new voice actors and dialogue to go along with their new looks. Here's how to unlock all of the currently available "Premiere Skins," as they are known, as well as more traditional secret and DLC characters.

Unlockable Characters & DLC

Injustice 2 only has a single traditional "secret character," but he's a big one: Brainiac, one of Superman's greatest enemies, and the final boss of the game's arcade ladder. To unlock Brainiac, one must simply play the story mode through to completion. A message following the credits will confirm that the green-skinned technomaniac (voiced by none other than Re-Animator's Jeffrey Combs!) will be available for play.

Aside from Brainiac, there are no other wholly unique unlockable characters, though NetherRealm has suggested that there could be as many as ten or more DLC characters coming to the title at a later date. For now, the only DLC fighter is Darkseid, one of the most dangerous villains in the whole DC universe. Currently this character is only available to players who pre-ordered the game, but he should be available for for everyone else to purchase eventually.

Earlier this month, NetherRealm announced the Fighter Pack 1, which will include DLC combatants Red Hood, Starfire, and Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat. If the developer aims to include ten DLC characters, then fans can expect two more Fighter Packs to release over the next year or so. Interestingly, the Fighter Pack 1 also includes access to the Power Girl premium skin, which is already accessible within the game, provided one can collect enough Source Crystals...

Source Crystals

There are currently seven Premiere Skins in Injustice 2, and most of them require an investment of 6,000 Source Crystals, though several of them can also be obtained through other means, and one can only be received by linking to the Injustice 2 mobile game.

What are Source Crystals? This form of currency is separate from the Credits, Guild Credits, and Regen Coins. Players receive Source Crystals far more sparingly than other currency, so be sure you know what you want before you spend them; that way, it's less tempting to resort to spending real-world money to purchase additional Source Crystals.

While Source Crystals have several uses, the two most valuable are the purchasing of Premiere Skins and bringing other characters up to rank 20 (provided you've already reached that threshold with at least one character). We recommend using the Crystals for Premiere Skins, and simply play the game to rank up other characters; sure, it's time-consuming, but depending on how much one values the Premiere Skins, they're arguably more fun and a better bargain for the cost. Ultimately, the choice of how to spend premium currency is up to each individual player.

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Premiere Skins

Injustice 2 Jay Garrick The Flash

If you purchased the Ultimate Edition of Injustice 2, then you should already have access to three of the seven Premiere Skins, but if not, six of the seven can be purchased with Source Crystals (or as rare rewards, though don't count on getting more than one this way, as the drop rate is exceedingly low). Purchasing them requires a grand total of 36,000 Source Crystals, which is a lot, but Crystals can be obtained just often enough that it shouldn't be too much of a hassle to unlock them over the course of frequent play sessions.

Without further ado, here are the seven Premiere Skins, the conditions for unlocking them, and a brief rundown of which characters they are based upon.

Grid: In the comics, Grid is a sentient robot created from the cybernetic parts of Victor Stone, AKA Cyborg. Thus, the villainous android is a natural fit for Cyborg's premiere skin. To unlock Grid, one only needs to link their Injustice 2 console title to the Injustice 2 mobile game, and he's yours!

Reverse-Flash: Reverse-Flash is best known for tormenting the Scarlet Speedster during season 1 of The Flash on CW, but the character's comic book origins date all the way back to the 1960s. In any case, the man in the yellow suit is one of two Premiere Skins available for The Flash (more on the second in a bit), and he is available to owners of the Ultimate Edition of Injustice 2; otherwise, one must lay down 6,000 Source Crystals to gain access to the alter ego of Eobard Thawne.

Power Girl: Supergirl was one of the most highly-anticipated characters making their fighting game debut in Injustice 2, and her Premiere Skin is based on Power Girl, the Earth-Two version of Supergirl. Access to Power Girl –and her totally chic hairdo– costs 6,000 Source Crystals. Owners of the Ultimate Edition, the Digital Deluxe editions of the game, or the Fighter Pack 1 already have access to the skin; it stands to reason, then, if you're planning to buy the Fighter Pack 1, it's best to save your Source Crystals for a different Premiere Skin than Power Girl.

John Stewart: Not to be confused with Jon Stewart, erstwhile host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, John Stewart was the Green Lantern after Hal Jordan, and has arguably eclipsed Jordan in popularity. Like Power Girl and Reverse-Flash, John Stewart is instantly unlocked for owners of the Ultimate Edition of Injustice 2, while regular players need to fork over 6,000 Source Crystals to gain access to one of the most revered African American super heroes in comics.

Vixen: This character was relatively obscure until she became a fan-favorite part of the CW's Arrowverse. Vixen, played by Megalyn Echikunwoke, appeared in her own eponymous animated series before making a guest appearance on Arrow. She was supposed to star in season 2 of Legends of Tomorrow, but scheduling conflicts led to the show using the character's grandmother (played by Maisie Richardson-Sellers) instead. In Injustice 2, Vixen is a Premiere Skin for Cheetah, and costs 6,000 Source Crystals. As a fun nod to the CW, she is even voiced by Megalyn Echikunwoke!

Golden Age Flash: The Flash's second Premiere Skin is of Jay Garrick, the original, Golden Age iteration of The Fastest Man Alive, complete with his iconic metal helmet and impossibly tight long-sleeved shirt. Jay costs 6,000 Source Crystals.

Mister Freeze: When it was first announced that Captain Cold was joining the cast, some were upset that the iconic Mister Freeze was being left out in the cold, so to speak. However, concerns were assuaged by the reveal that Freeze would be joining the cast as a Premiere Skin for Captain Cold. Like all the rest, Mister Freeze costs 6,000 Source Crystals.

The Future

The Joker smiling in Injustice 2

As the months roll by, NetherRealm Studios will likely add more Premiere Skins, particularly to tie in with movies and television; it's hard to imagine that Injustice 2 won't include a DCEU Wonder Woman outfit when the new movie debuts next month, and it would be awesome to get skins based on the CW versions Supergirl, The Flash, and the rest of the Arrowverse; the original 2013 game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, included a skin based on Stephen Amell's version of Green Arrow, which was voiced by the man himself. Time will tell just how many Premiere Skins will be included in Injustice 2, but the future is wide open for fans of the superpowered fighter.

Next: Injustice 2: Official Joker Gameplay Trailer Arrives