There have been countless Marvel video games that began development but never really saw the light of day, being canceled before they could ever be released. While full Avengers games are rare, there is a wide range of team-based and Marvel superhero titles that feature many of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Of course, today it’s easy to jump into Spider-Man PS4 or Marvel’s Avengers for a dose of famous Stan Lee characters. Looking back through the timeline though, there were far fewer retro games on offer; Many of these 8-bit hits continue to be classics in the gaming community even to this day.
10 Honorable Mention: Iron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal (1996)
There is something about this title that is quite unique. As one of the first games to feature one of the most important Avengers, Iron Man, In Heavy Metal is certainly historically significant. Plus, crossover titles like these are certainly rare, so the Realtime Associates game deserves a spot on the list.
Although the animation itself was praised, reviews suggest the gameplay was almost numbing. Nonetheless, there’s something lovely about a simple side-scroller that certainly wouldn’t be commanded in the current era of franchise separation. The game amazingly featured characters from Valiant Comic’s X-O Manowar series.
9 The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom’s Revenge! (1989)
Team titles are always great fun, and this Paragon Software Corporation game, published by Medalist International, put players in control of two of the most famous Avengers in Marvel history. Fans could switch between Spider-Man and Captain America in this side-scrolling adventure.
Of course, Dr. Doom is a heavy hitter among Marvel’s infamous foes and provided a big hurdle for players to overcome. This retro experience has a fun premise and connects incredibly well to the comics, though players may be disappointed with some of the game’s lackluster mechanics.
8 Avengers in Galactic Storm (1995)
This arcade-style fighting game, developed and published by Data East, is a full Avengers title. As such, it has a diverse roster of characters, all of whom joined the team at some point in their comic book careers. However, there are very few spots available on these battle teams.
Pitting the Avengers against the Kree, the playable characters consisted of Black Knight, Captain America, Crystal, Thunderstrike, Doctor Minerva, Korath, Shatterax, and the Supremor. Intriguing game mechanics, use of assists, and a compelling narrative make this a title that comic book and MCU fans should check out.
7 Marvel Nemesis: Rise Of The Imperfects (2005)
A much newer title, this Marvel game was created and published by EA and Nihilistic Software. Launching on more modern consoles, including the PS2 and original Xbox, the game saw a group of Avengers and a handful of villains take on an invading alien army; many of these characters had not previously held their own video game title.
Notable names include Wolverine, Spider-Man, Venom, Daredevil, Elektra, and Iron Man. The mixed reviews definitely hurt the title a bit, but it brings in a completely different story that actually saw a comic book series tied into the Nemesis universe.
6 Captain America and the Avengers (1991)
This arcade title is a real throwback and one of Marvel’s first attempts at making an Avengers game. Another Data East project, this game is often considered an underrated gem, often overlooked by some of Marvel’s somewhat later 8-bit creations.
Of course, the game didn’t exactly feature groundbreaking, groundbreaking gameplay mechanics, or visuals for that matter. However, he brought the spirit of Marvel Comics to life with his roster of heroes like Iron Man, Hawkeye, and Captain America in lead roles. The brawler would go on to be released on a wide range of consoles, from the SNES to Game Boy and Genesis.
5 Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems (1996)
A spin-off game from a title that will also be discussed, War of the Gems was a Capcom title and primarily supported by SNES. The premise of the game was for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to collect all of the Infinity Gems for Adam Warlock, a story largely based on the source material.
This side-scroller was definitely a button type game, but one that had a lot of wacky enemy types and unique takes on the heroes on its roster. Players could choose between Hulk, Wolverine, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Captain America, with fans reacting positively to the title.
4 Marvel Superheroes (1995)
The game that launched the franchise and the first major co-op between Marvel and Capcom in the gaming world, Marvel Super Heroes also saw the team take on the Infinity Gems, in a comic book-based story that surprised and delighted the fans.
Considering there were no other games like this at the time, it certainly deserves a high ranking thanks to its prominence in the genre. Doctor Doom and Thanos were the two extremely powerful threats players had to deal with, as they took on the identities of heroes and villains, including Magneto, Psylocke, Blackheart, Captain America, and Spider-Man.
3 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006)
The Ultimate Alliance franchise has kind of become the blueprint for any future Marvel team-up titles and could indeed influence Square Enix’s Avengers game updates. It even managed to spawn two sequels, one of which is a successful Switch title.
From its reliance on Ultimate Comics to its massive roster and focus on underrated characters from the source material, the story really came first in this RPG. The gameplay itself was chaotic but great fun, with Activision creating a game with a lasting legacy full of positive reviews.
2 Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (1998)
Marvel Vs. Capcom has become a universally recognized franchise that sees both Marvel heroes and Capcom characters face off in a traditional fighting game. It really started with the 1998 arcade title, which captured the imagination of fans.
Gathering positive reviews thanks to its now well-known gameplay style, beautiful animation and imaginative combos, players could take on the roles of some of their favorite Avengers such as Hulk, Thor or even Venom, and face off against legends of Capcom such as Mega Man and Ryu.
1 Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter (1997)
It’s increasingly common to see Marvel characters appear in alternate game universes. Fortnite is a perfect example. The world of video games, however, changed forever with the first installment of the Marvel and Capcom crossovers.
Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter was very much the fighting game predecessor to Marvel Vs. Capcom and long-running titles like Injustice (with the original Mortal Kombat before that, though). The graphics were colorful, the fights were intense, the rosters were packed. Most importantly, the reviews have been excellent, making this title the ultimate retro classic for Avengers fans.
NEXT: The 10 Best Superhero Video Games, Ranked According To Metacritic
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