Crossover: The Punisher Arcade Game
This week's Crossover game, sadly, cannot be found in stores... though it might still be in your favorite pizzeria arcade (like it is near my house) if you're lucky. Back in 1993, Capcom managed to produce one of the best licensed Beat 'Em Up games of all time with The Punisher, a title which is in desperate need of some proper porting to home (or perhaps even handheld) consoles.
The game follows the thinly-plotted adventures of Nick Fury, Agent (not director, at least not at this point in time) of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Frank Castle as they go off in search of street thugs, androids, female ninjas, and random gangsters armed with machine guns to kick the snot out of. Eventually, they end up taking on Wilson Fisk, AKA The Kingpin, with little more than their fists and an overabundance of testosterone. Yes, I know, it sounds just like any other Final Fight or Streets of Rage clone, but the random enemies actually fit in rather nicely to the Marvel Universe, and if anyone was actually going to willingly kick ass alongside Frank... well, I have less of a problem imagining Fury doing so rather than any of the other MU heroes.
What truly makes the game shine, though, are its polished graphics and tight controls. Visually, the game is a feast of great animation, smooth lines, and nifty character designs. Not only that, but each of the game's six levels are simply gorgeous (by 1993 standards, at least) and wonderfully colored. Both Nick Fury and the Punisher responds well to player-controls, and they each have a number of similar moves at their command, complete with special attacks and throws which will make short work out of one's opponent if executed properly.
While there was a rather lame port of this game to the Genesis, a true port with all of the game's positive attributes has yet to make an appearance. Maybe, if we're lucky, Capcom will release The Punisher on the Wii's Virtual Console or for an upcoming arcade collection for the PSP.
Boy of Tomorrow
Posted to Comics on 8 August 2007
Other stuff like this: arcade game, capcom, crossover, kingpin, nick fury, the punisher
