- Joined
- Jan 3, 2008
- Messages
- 10,579
- Trophies
- 2
- Age
- 48
- Location
- From Where???
- Website
- wiki.gbatemp.net
- XP
- 5,535
- Country
The Punisher
The Punisher was released to arcades in 1993 by Capcom. Following the success of Final Fight, Capcom aimed to expand the beat-um-up genre. They focused on the same core gameplay while incorporating projectile weapons, new melee weapons, and even more outrageous fighting situations. Unlike similar titles released during the same period, The Punisher featured two very recognizable characters, The Punisher and S.H.I.E.L.D agent Nick Fury.
In classic side-scrolling button-mashing fun, The Punisher and Nick Fury beat their way to the King Pin, New York’s crime boss. The game featured simple control schemes that allowed players to jump in on the action within seconds of dropping their quarter. Stages were broken up between fist-fighting and gun-toting combat situations. Weapons scattered through out each level included an M-16, a flamethrower, baseball bats, knives, lead pipes, and even car tires. Graphics were fluid and smooth for the time period, with sprites animating such memorable characters as Bushwhacker, Jigsaw, and sexy teleporting ninja women. The game remained true to its comic roots by not only including Marvel characters but by incorporating onomatopoeias. The Punisher was so popular that it was later ported to the Sega Genesis, providing a similar experience with slightly worse graphics and sound.
During the era of beat-um-ups, many types of games were released for the CPS (Capcom Play System) arcade board, perhaps none as memorable as The Punisher. Kids who loved comic book action in the early 90s found a perfect mesh of entertainment with this video game. Perhaps not the very best beat-um-up to have been released by Capcom, it still holds a special place in my heart and gets gaming time on all of my CPS capable handhelds. If you have never given it a try then consider doing so now!
Genre: Beat 'em up
Release Date: 1993
Developed/Published by: Capcom
Designed by: Akiman
Composers: Yoko Shimomura, Isao Abe, Shun Nishigaki
System: Arcade (CPS-1)
If you enjoyed this weeks edition of GBAtemp Recommends! please leave a comment in the thread. This helps us monitor feedback and ensures we keep posting these articles in the future.
We are always looking for community members who wish to get more involved. If you would like to write a GBAtemp Recommends! article, let us know.