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The Punisher (arcade game)
Encyclopedia
The Punisher is a 1993
arcade game
developed and released by Capcom
. It stars the Marvel Comics
' anti-hero
vigilante
Punisher
, and co-stars S.H.I.E.L.D.
agent Nick Fury
as the second player's character.
where Punisher and Fury embark on a quest to kill the New York
crime lord Kingpin
, engaging on various foes and stage bosses mostly in hand-to-hand combat
. Several established Marvel Universe
villains appear throughout the game, such as the Mafia
captain Bruno Costa, Bonebreaker
, Bushwhacker
, Jigsaw
, and the Kingpin himself as the final boss.
follows the same side-scrolling beat'em up formula Capcom established in Final Fight
. Much in the same way that Capcom's Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
did when released the same month, the game distinguishes itself by the frequent use of several firearm
s (Ingram
submachine gun, M16
rifle, an improvised flamethrower
), along with the traditional melee and thrown weapons (including baseball bat
s, hammers, knives, Japanese swords and shuriken
), as well as improvised weapons such as lead pipes or car tires. Common enemy characters the players confront during the course of the game include basic street thugs, classic-style Mafia mobsters, gun-toting mercenaries, and even teleporting ninja women and skeleton-like cyborgs resembling T-800. Unlike in Final Fight, Punisher and Nick Fury's size, abilities, and tactics are essentially interchangeable; they both use the same punch, kick, throw, and special piledriver
and "megacrush" attacks. There are also several sections of the game in which the characters draw their handgun
s enabling the player to shoot the enemies.
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A (16 Meg) home version of The Punisher was released for the gaming console Sega Genesis (Sega Mega Drive) in North America
in 1994
and for the European
Mega Drive in 1995
. This version, while published by Capcom, was developed by Sculptured Software
. In addition to the noticeably worse graphics and sound (due to the limitations of the hardware
), there were several design and gameplay changes to the game and many of the previously breakable background objects were rendered unbreakable in the Genesis version. There is also some content censorship
in this version (for example, the animation of cigar
smoking by Fury being removed from the game, the female ninja enemies not wearing provocative costumes, and the boss character Scully not being shot following his interrogation instead and he is thrown off screen).
is 8.3 / 8.0 (reviews / users), compared to 8.8 / 8.6 for the arcade version. The game was also ranked by IGN
#10 among the Top 10 Greatest Superhero Games in 2010 and as #5 on the list of Top Five Marvel Arcade Games by iFanboy
in 2010.
in 1993.
1993 in video gaming
-Events:*March — In Sweden, the Swedish video game magazine Super PLAY starts. The original name is Super Power.*Midway Games embroiled in controversy for its game Mortal Kombat from 1992 when the game is launched for video game consoles in 1993....
arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
developed and released by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
. It stars the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
, and co-stars S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
agent Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
as the second player's character.
Story
The Punisher is a beat 'em upBeat 'em up
Beat 'em up is a video game genre featuring melee combat between the protagonist and a large number of underpowered antagonists. These games typically take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical or fantasy themes...
where Punisher and Fury embark on a quest to kill the New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
crime lord Kingpin
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
, engaging on various foes and stage bosses mostly in hand-to-hand combat
Hand to hand combat
Hand-to-hand combat is a lethal or nonlethal physical confrontation between two or more persons at very short range that does not involve the use of firearms or other distance weapons...
. Several established Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
villains appear throughout the game, such as the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
captain Bruno Costa, Bonebreaker
Bonebreaker
Bonebreaker is a super villain in the Marvel Comics Universe. He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #229 and was created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri.-Fictional character biography:...
, Bushwhacker
Bushwacker (comics)
Bushwacker is a fictional character, a supervillain in the , who is primarily an enemy of Daredevil, although he has had dealings with the Punisher and Wolverine. He first appeared in Daredevil #248 ....
, Jigsaw
Jigsaw (Marvel Comics)
Jigsaw is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Throughout his many appearances, he has served as one of the Punisher's few recurring villains...
, and the Kingpin himself as the final boss.
Gameplay
The gameplayGameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
follows the same side-scrolling beat'em up formula Capcom established in Final Fight
Final Fight
is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up game originally released by Capcom as a coin-operated video game in . It was the seventh game released by Capcom for their CP System arcade game hardware...
. Much in the same way that Capcom's Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (arcade game)
Cadillacs and Dinosaurs: The Arcade Game, known in Japan as Cadillacs: Dinosaurs of a New Century is a 1993 arcade game released by Capcom. It is a side-scrolling beat 'em up based on the comic book series Xenozoic Tales...
did when released the same month, the game distinguishes itself by the frequent use of several firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s (Ingram
MAC-10
The MAC-10 is a highly compact, blowback operated machine pistol developed by Gordon B. Ingram in 1964.-Design:The M-10 was built predominantly from steel stampings...
submachine gun, M16
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
rifle, an improvised flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
), along with the traditional melee and thrown weapons (including baseball bat
Baseball bat
A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. It is no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches in length. It typically weighs no more than 33 ounces , but it...
s, hammers, knives, Japanese swords and shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
), as well as improvised weapons such as lead pipes or car tires. Common enemy characters the players confront during the course of the game include basic street thugs, classic-style Mafia mobsters, gun-toting mercenaries, and even teleporting ninja women and skeleton-like cyborgs resembling T-800. Unlike in Final Fight, Punisher and Nick Fury's size, abilities, and tactics are essentially interchangeable; they both use the same punch, kick, throw, and special piledriver
Piledriver (professional wrestling)
A piledriver is a professional wrestling driver move in which the wrestler grabs his opponent, turns him upside-down, and drops into a sitting or kneeling position, driving the opponent head-first into the mat. The most common piledrivers are the basic belly-to-back, or Texas piledriver, and the...
and "megacrush" attacks. There are also several sections of the game in which the characters draw their handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
s enabling the player to shoot the enemies.
Mega Drive version
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in 1994
1994 in video gaming
-Events:*Nintendo calls this year "1994: The Year of the Cartridge".*Nintendo Australia Pty. Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd is established and opened by Hiroshi Yamauchi and effectively ends Mattel Australia's distribution of Nintendo's products throughout Australia.*"Project...
and for the European
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
Mega Drive in 1995
1995 in video gaming
-Events:*May 11 – Introduction of trade magazine GameWeek *May 11-16 — The 1st annual Electronic Entertainment Expo is held in Los Angeles, California...
. This version, while published by Capcom, was developed by Sculptured Software
Sculptured Software
Sculptured Software Inc. was a late twentieth century video game developer in the Salt Lake City, Utah metropolitan area. They specialized in porting games to different platforms, especially from arcade games to home console games.-History:...
. In addition to the noticeably worse graphics and sound (due to the limitations of the hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
), there were several design and gameplay changes to the game and many of the previously breakable background objects were rendered unbreakable in the Genesis version. There is also some content censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
in this version (for example, the animation of cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
smoking by Fury being removed from the game, the female ninja enemies not wearing provocative costumes, and the boss character Scully not being shot following his interrogation instead and he is thrown off screen).
Reception
The Genesis port holds an average rating of 73.33% according to GameRankings. As of August 2010 its average rating at GameFAQsGameFAQs
GameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...
is 8.3 / 8.0 (reviews / users), compared to 8.8 / 8.6 for the arcade version. The game was also ranked by IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
#10 among the Top 10 Greatest Superhero Games in 2010 and as #5 on the list of Top Five Marvel Arcade Games by iFanboy
IFanboy
iFanboy is a weekly video podcast and audio podcast produced by Revision3 which both focus on comic books, comic book publishing, and comic book creators. It stars Josh Flanagan, Conor Kilpatrick, and Ron Richards....
in 2010.
Soundtrack
Music from the game was included in Tenchi wo Kurau II -The Battle of Red Wall- ~ G.S.M. Capcom 7, released by Pony CanyonPony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
in 1993.