SupaScoot’s Favorite Classic Superhero Video Games

It’s not too often we get to play a really good superhero game. They are few and far between, but they occasionally show up and surprise us. It’s rare these days, but I can recollect a time when there were so few games out that they all seemed good. I get all misty when I remember some of the great old school arcade and console games, so I thought it would be fun to lay down a quick list of some of my favorite classic superhero video games we have seen over the years.

Captain America & The Avengers

 

I remember rocking this game in the arcade for hours upon hours. It was a cool side scrolling action game that was typical of most arcade style games. While you were obviously able to play as Captain America, you could chose from either Iron Man, Hawkeye, the ivory version of the Vision, or Namor, for some reason. You fought a variation of the Masters of Evil, led by the Red Skull. Not entirely faithful to the comics, but a good time waster, that’s for sure.

The Uncanny X-Men

 

Another great arcade side stroller, you could play as an assortment of 80’s X-men, which sadly included Dazzler. The game featured some good boss battles, but really long levels, again with no save points, and you fight way too many Sentinels. The biggest downside was the horrible voice script and generally terrible grammar. But it’s always a laugh hearing a monotone Magneto scream “Welcome to Die!!”.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time

 

While iffy on the superhero title, this game is one for history, and I’m sure everybody has his or her story regarding this game. Play as any one of the four turtles; you make your way through the levels and through the time stream. Kicking ass with a bo staff and double kitana’s while traveling through the age of dinosaurs, pirates, and the future can’t be beat for the price of a quarter. And with the game being surprisingly short, you can see the ending with one pocketful of change!!

Maximum Carnage / The Death and Return of Superman

 

Torn straight from the pages of Marvel’s Spider-Man and DC’s Superman, obviously, they were both semi-faithful, and ridiculously difficult SNES and Sega Genesis games. I don’t think I’ve finished either one to this day. Both games were side scrolling, and featured an assortment of characters to play as and with. They also both primarily relied on beating up street punks and robots. And there were no save points in either games!!!!! With cut scenes taken straight from the comics, and each with their own cool soundtracks, these incredibly hard games should be tried, but not beaten, because it’s effin impossible.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 2

 

I have to come clean here…I’m pretty sure that I have never played nor even seen Marvel Vs. Capcom 1, but that in no way diminishes the awesomeness that is Marvel Vs. Capcom 2. Made in the Street Fighter genre, and featuring the characters of Street Fighter and other Capcom titles, this was a fast paced combo based button mashing masterpiece…. which meant I totally sucked at it. But I was happy to get worked over round after round, as long as I got to play as my favorite marvel heroes. Which there were many, with a huge character list, and all with unique specials. Great to just sit around and play with a buddy for hours, provided you can handle some ego shattering defeats.

Spider-Man 64

 

This is the game that started it all for the Spider-Man franchise. While not as polished and user friendly as the Spider-Man movie video games, it allowed you to BE Spider-Man, and had some memorable levels and villains. With cool unlockables like the playable Black Suit and Captain Universe costumes, and too many comic covers to collect in one playing, there was a lot of entertainment for your buck. Not to mention fighting the final villain, Doctor Carnage, a weird bonding between Doctor Octopus and the Carnage symbiote. While it had some camera issues, it was a commendable effort on the early platform of the 64.

These are the games of my childhood, and I still play some of them to this day, although they usually cost a lot more these days then they used to. If any of you doubt the quality of these games, I challenge you to go play Superman 64 for more than 30 minutes. Trust me, you will appreciate this list more than you can know.

 

‘Nuff Said