Summary
- Marvel games have a range of difficulty levels, some titles are exceptionally challenging.
- Some Marvel games, like the Howard the Duck movie tie-in, were major disappointments.
- Unusual crossovers, like Iron Man with X-O Manowar, have left fans scratching their heads.
Marvel fans are spoiled for choice when it comes to video games, especially when compared to DC fans who are so starved that they still long for a return to the Batman Arkham era.
Since 1982, we’ve had a nonstop outpour of Marvel-licensed games. While some have gone on to be the best superhero games to have existed, some have been real stinkers, and some have been so deranged they’d even make Grant Morrison raise an eyebrow. That’s no small feat. After all, it’s not easy to make an anthropomorphic duck wielding a bazooka feel even weirder than he already is. But here we are.
7 Kellogg’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Game
They're Not-So-Gr-r-reat!
During the height of the Andrew Garfield era, fans of both Spider-Man and Kellogg’s products alike were treated to Kellogg’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Game. This AR-based app lets players see through the eyes of their favorite wall-crawler, using web-shooters to take down enemies and complete various minigames.
This wasn’t Kellogg’s first or last attempt at milking Marvel. Before this, they released a somewhat obscure demo version of the PS1 Spider-Man game to coincide with the Tobey Maguire movie. Later, they jumped on the MCU hype train with Kellogg’s Marvel’s Civil War VR.
6 Howard the Duck
Dud, Dud, Goose
Howard the Duck
- Released
- 1986
- Developer(s)
- Alternative Software Ltd
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
It’s only fair to include the movie tie-in game for Marvel’s strangest live-action outing, Howard the Duck. As most would expect, the game was a dud, much like the movie. This is a shame, considering Howard the Duck has an incredible back catalog of comics, some of Marvel’s best output from the 1970s.
But back to the game: Howard embarks on a rescue mission for his pals on Volcano Island, a location that appeared in neither the movie nor the comics. This all goes to show how much the developer cared about the IP.
5 Captain America in: The Doom Tube of Dr. Megalomann
Not the Kinda Doom We Wanna See
This appears on the list mainly because of its title (Doom Tube should not be confused with DC’s Boom Tubes). Out of all the iconic Captain America villains to choose from—Red Skull, Baron Zemo, Arnim Zola—the game instead shines the spotlight on its own original character, Dr. Megalomann.
Best Handheld Marvel Games, Ranked
These Marvel games are perfect to take with you wherever you go.
This fascinating villain has an incredibly fresh and unique backstory where he is *checks notes* an evil scientist with an underground lair. Well, at least the game received this glowing review: "The graphics aren't going to win any awards, but they're a nice size and very clear."
4 Iron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal
A Confusing Cross-Over
Iron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal
- Released
- November 1, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Action
This game raises a ton of questions right off the bat. Who is X-O Manowar? What does this have to do with Heavy Metal magazine? And why was this even made? Let’s put those questions to rest: 1) He’s a superhero from Valiant Comics. 2) Absolutely nothing. And 3) Money.
It’s a baffling crossover. Sure, both characters were popular at the time of release, but they’re so similar that it only highlights how unoriginal X-O Manowar is as a character. And for the 10 people deeply offended by that statement, yes, we know there’s more to him than just the suit.
3 Men in Black: The Game
The Game Marvel Won't Let You Remember
Men in Black: The Game
- Released
- November 1, 1997
Some comic nerds will always get a kick out of telling people that Men in Black is, actually, a Marvel Comics property. Once the high from sharing that “interesting” tidbit fades, there’s more enjoyment to be mined from the far more perplexing movie game tie-in.
Remember how the franchise is an action-comedy? Well, Gigawatt Studios decided to turn this officially licensed game into a Resident Evil-style survival horror. It has no connection to the movie’s plot whatsoever and does its own thing, a move that’s as bold as it is brainless.
2 Questprobe featuring The Hulk
Hulk Keyboard Smash!
Questprobe featuring The Hulk
- Released
- May 1, 1984
- Developer(s)
- Adventure International
- Publisher(s)
- Adventure International
- Genre(s)
- Graphic Adventure
One of the first-ever Marvel games to hit the shelves was definitely one of its weirder titles. This text-based graphic adventure was the first in a trilogy released by Adventure International, a studio that had ambitious plans for the series. Unfortunately, bankruptcy would keep the world from seeing the QCU (Questprobe Cinematic Universe) in full form.
8 Longest Marvel Games, Ranked By Playtime
Marvel games cover a wide range of genres, but these single-player, story-driven titles offer the longest playtimes.
But what we did get was undeniably wild. Well, as wild as a game where players move by typing "north," "south," "east," and "west" can be. The game starred Bruce Banner and his big green alter ego as they attempted to escape a computer simulation. Along the way, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man, and Ultron made surprise appearances, adding some extra Marvel flair to this bizarre mix.
1 X-Men: The Ravages of Apocalypse
Attack of the Clones
X-Men: The Ravages of Apocalypse
- Released
- December 5, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
First-person superhero games are already a strange concept. But a boomer shooter set in the X-Men universe using the Quake engine? That’s on a whole new level of baffling. Now add the fact that it’s technically an expansion for Quake, and you get X-Men: The Ravages of Apocalypse.
The game kicks off with Magneto tasking the player to stop Apocalypse from building an army of mutant clones. And how does one stop that? By mowing down wave after wave of them, leaving behind piles of beloved (and bloodied) X-Men characters. That’s right—players can shoot fan favorites like Wolverine, Cyclops, Psylocke, and Storm right in the face.
10 Best Marvel Games Where You Play As A Villain, Ranked
Marvel games often allow fans to control their favorite villains. These games did it the best.