San Diego just wasn't enough! This weekend I'm driving over to Las Vegas with a couple friends for the Classic Gaming Expo 2010. What's to be expected there? In a word: games. Lots and lots of games. Old ones. And if you've ever been by my cube, you know I've got quite the collection of old, classic (sometimes not-so-classic) Marvel games velcroed to the wall. Like this:
There's only one rule for new entries to the Mighty Marvel Game Wall: It has to have been released before I started working at Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine in January 2000 (sorry, super-awesome Neversoft Spider-Man). It's pretty crowded up there...but there's room for more, right? Here's a list of the top seven things I'm after at the convention:
7. A Questprobe game: In the mid-'80s, there were three Sierra/LucasArts-style graphic adventures starring Marvel characters, all under the Questprobe label (there were comic adaptations, too). I already have the British version of Questprobe Featuring The Hulk (the small cassette tape under the Captain America and the Avengers marquee -- yes...a CASSETTE TAPE!), but I'd love one that originated here in the States.
2. The Uncanny X-Men (NES): This is almost inarguably the least playable, most frustrating Marvel game of all time.... The fact that I do not already own this is a tragedy.
1. The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire (Sega 32X): The crown jewel for just about any Marvel or 32X collection -- two incredibly niche brands of collector...of which I am both. This thing demands tons of cash on ebay (usually around $100), and it is widely reported as being the very last 32X game ever produced. Now you want it too, right?... No?... Hmm... Oh well...
This was probably the greatest San Diego Comic-Con ever for Marvel games, replete with all sorts of panels and awesome reveals. I thought it'd be fun to compile a list of my favorite moments relating to Marvel games at the show. So here goes...
Standing on Stage With Stan Lee While He Sat on Odin's Throne: OK, so maybe this doesn't have much do with games. But he does do voiceover in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, right? And he did, like, create the character. So there. I snapped the picture above from where I was standing in relation to him.
Cute little girl quote: During the Super Hero Squad Online panel, one of the last questions came from a cute 4- or 5-year-old girl. In her cute li'l 4- or 5-year-old-girl voice: "Is there even a Wonder Woman in it?" She'll learn...
Parties for "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" and "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions": They were parties. They were centered around two games I'm working on. What's not to like?
Dan Slott's totally unnecessary "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions" plugs: I went to the Spider-Man panel Sunday morning, and I loved how Spidey writer Dan Slott insisted on mentioning the game whenever he saw an opening. "Oh, you like Ben Reilly? Well, you can play as the Scarlet Spider right off the bat in 'SMSD' if you preorder at Kmart!"
Finding the original concept art for Spider-Man Noir: All over the place at the convention, you'll find original comic book art for sale. It's really exciting to find pages or covers that you have some sort of sentimental attachment to -- at least until you see the price tag attached. What you see above is the first pencil work by Marko Djurdjevic of the concept for Spider-Man Noir, whom you might know best as one of the stars of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. (To the right, the colored, officially released version.) Yours for a mere $850! On a similar note, I also saw the cover of WHAT IF...? #19, whose image can be seen ever so briefly in the game (right).
Spider-Fans: At the Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions panel, fans dressed as all four Spider-Men showed up. This wasn't planned by us or Activision -- it just happened because our fans are awesome! You can watch the whole panel, too.
Moderating the Marvel Games Panel: Actually, there was so much cool stuff here, it could be its own entry. But among other things, we revealed the next five LittleBigPlanet characters, showed off some never-before-seen alternate costumes for Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, checked out two great Super Hero Squad games on the horizon, and revealed Thor in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. But the overall thrill of moderating a panel in front of hundreds of interested people was all I needed for this to be a huge highlight. Oh, and here it is...
MvC3 Reception: As appreciative as the crowd was at the panel I moderated, the one focused on Marvel vs. Capcom 3 absolutely blew me away. Numerous times during trailers and gameplay videos, the crowd EXPLODED into unbelievable applause that sent some pretty amazing waves of emotion through me a good three or four times. What an unforgettable experience.
Buying an Amazing New Cel: On Thursday afternoon, I fell in love with an animation cel at the Van Eaton Galleries booth. Flipping through the "Marvel" section of cels, the original Peter Parker production art you see above basically called out to me when I stumbled across it. I grew up with Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, and that was only the half of my excitement for it. Just a moment later, I realized I'd soon be meeting the voice actor Dan Gilvazen -- also Spider-Man 2099 in Shattered Dimensions, a Spidey thing with perhaps even more eventual sentimental value. I could get him to sign it and have an awesome memento to put next to my personal letter from Stan Lee. But $200? Yikes...
Actually, it wasn't that tough of a decision. I did sleep on it, but...well...hey...
Sorry for the huge lapse in updates, folks -- we've been busy here! Wanna see what we've been up to? Then come check out some of the numerous games panels at San Diego Comic-Con this week...
The Playable Games Here are all the games you can play at SDCC in chronological order by release:
"LittleBigPlanet" Marvel Content: The first two of four Marvel content packs are now available, and if you haven't seen Sackboys dressed as the likes of Spider-Man and Elektra yet, now's your chance. Or, you know...just go buy them now!
"Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions": Check out two of the four Spider-Man universes depicted in the game: a little bit of Noir and a little bit of...that other universe we haven't talked about yet. Interested?... [Activision Booth #5045]
"Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds": You might have heard a thing or two about this game. The Comic-Con build includes four new characters (two Marvel, two Capcom), plus two new environments you haven't seen yet (one Marvel, one Capcom). [Capcom Booth #4844]
"Marvel Super Hero Squad Online": Gazillion and developer The Amazing Society invite you to play their all-ages MMO for the first time ever. Also, be sure to check out the reveal of the HQ feature! [Marvel Booth #2329]
Debuting at Comic-Con
Two newly announced games will debut trailers at the show. You already know about "Thor: The Video Game" from SEGA -- the other, based loosely on a past Marvel mega-event, will bring another popular Marvel property to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for the first time. (Note, the "Thor game" pictured above doesn't actually exist. Sadly.)
Panels! Marvel games will appear at a total of five panels this year, mostly on Friday. Here’s the chronological rundown of the panels, complete with official descriptions from www.comic-con.org:
Thursday: 4:45-5:45, Room 6BCF Capcom 2010 and Beyond! The "Beyond" would include "Marvel vs. Capcom 3"...
Official Description: See the latest trailers and get the inside scoop on all of Capcom's most highly anticipated games for 2010 and beyond: Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, Sengoku Basara, Okamiden, Bionic Commando Rearmed 2, Ghost Trick, Dead Rising 2, and more. On top of all that, hear details on an exciting new game announcement by Capcom legend Keiji Inafune, the father of Mega Man!
Friday: 11:15-12:15, Room 6DE Marvel Interactive: Marvel Video Games This could be the greatest panel of all time, and the fact that I'm moderating it means I'm not biased at all about that opinion. You'll see some info on Marvel games here you've never seen before, including first-time-ever reveals from pretty much every game that's announced. See ya there!
Official Description:— Learn all about Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Super Hero Squad Online, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Thor and and other new games via exclusive trailers, surprise reveals, and Q&A with the game creators, as well as the Marvel writers working on the next wave of Marvel Games from some of the industry's top publishers.
Friday: 2:00-3:00, Room 24ABC Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds We'll whet your appetite at the Marvel panel in the morning, then you get a whole hour just a short while later.
Official Description: The wait is over! After a decade of demand, Capcom delivers with Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds! Learn all you need to know about the characters, levels, storyline, fight moves, and combos from producer Ryota Niitsuma and special advisor Seth Killian of Capcom, along with TQ Jefferson, director of games at Marvel Entertainment, and Frank Tieri, storywriter for Marvel Comics. Then show off your fighting game skills as audience members are chosen for some spontaneous challenge matches to win exclusive MVC3 prizes, followed by a Q&A session.
Friday: 4:30-5:30, Room 5AB Four Worlds, One Story: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions the Video Game Remember what I just said about whetting your appetite for "MvC3"? Same deal with Spidey. This time with Stan Lee and voice actors!
Official Description: For the first time, creative talent from all four Spider-Man universes featured in the game Shattered Dimensions (Amazing, Noir, 2099 and a to-be-revealed universe) come together to discuss all the aspects that go into creating a dynamic and explosive video game experience from four unique settings. Get an insider's look at the creative thinking and collaborative effort between comic books and video games with Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee, acclaimed Marvel writer Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man), voice-over talent from the game, and members from Marvel and game developer Beenox, as they dive into the rich lore of past and present Spider-Man, discuss bringing Spider-Man to life in four distinct ways, and unveil new content and gameplay from the upcoming game.
Sunday: 10:00-11:00, Room 7AB Super Hero Squad Online: How We Built the First All-Ages Marvel MMO You've gotta wait another couple days, but even more info on Gazillion's game is headed your way Sunday morning.
Official Description: Gazillion's The Amazing Society offers a sneak peek at SHSO, including new areas unveiled at Comic-Con. Moderator Serena Robar (community manager, TAS), Jason Robar (VP and studio manager, TAS), Jay Minn (creative director, TAS), Nik Davidson (senior game designer, TAS), Franz Felsl (senior game designer, TAS) and Matt Bell (art director, TAS) present a fun and interactive Q&A!
That's it. Comment below and let us know if we'll see you there....
Greetings from the depths of the Marvel videogame offices! Some of you may know me as Marvel games intern Randy Ma (aka demonicmurry), while others in the office refer to me as lowly coffee scrub. Kidding aside, I have yet to retrieve any sort of caffeinated beverage except when it was for myself. I’m here today to give you the inside scoop as your undercover agent on the seedy underbelly that is Marvel's games department.
Before I arrived, I imagined while working at Marvel games we would have new releases of comics spread across a table every week, daily "Marvel vs. Capcom" matches, the "X-Men" and "Spider-Man" arcade games sitting in the break room, and the Albert Pyun-directed "Captain America" (1990) and Roger Corman-produced "Fantastic Four" (1994) playing nonstop on a television in the office. Most of that wasn't the case. But after these last few months interning, I was right about one thing, anyway -- that I would be working.
Despite my wild imaginations, an internship based around Marvel games has definitely reached the expectations of a dream job. My actual duties vary from game testing, looking at various art and design documents for upcoming games, doing research for Marvel properties, and entertaining the Marvel games team -- often, you will see me walking around the office with the "Resident Evil 4" Gamecube Chainsaw controller as a hall pass.
As I bid farewell to my Marvel games superiors, we are in the midst of some very exciting games. With the upcoming release of "Iron Man 2" in theaters, you can imagine that we are working hard on Sega's "Iron Man 2" game in improving on the original and throwing a few surprises your way. We’ve also been preparing on a few other Marvel games that I cannot divulge due that pesky confidentiality agreement I had sign. But definitely keep following MarvelBlip on Twitter and the Marvel games website, as 2010 will see some awesome announcements that will no doubt please fans and gamers alike.
I have also been working on MarvelKids.com, helping conceive and test the various Flash games we have on the site. If you haven’t checked these games out, they are definitely worth a look. I keep telling everyone that there are actual “real” games on the website to quench your super hero needs.
The games vary from the typical puzzle game to brawlers such as "Wolverine Search & Destroy" or the flight-shooter "Iron Man Flight Test 2.0," which was put under numerous testing phases before release. At one point, the game rivaled the twin-stick shooter "Ikaruga" in its difficulty. Definitely keep your eyes peeled on the site as we have some really great new and exciting titles scheduled for next year. This isn’t just a games intern shilling here -- I am actually excited to see these games go public.
But probably even more exciting than playing these Marvel games is actually rummaging through the Marvel archives researching for future titles. Often, I will spend hours going through old comics attempting to find a character’s first appearance, specific story arcs, or looking for cool images and art that can be used as reference for future Marvel games. It’s also a nice trip down memory lane looking at comics I owned back in the day, and it’s always a kick to see the old advertisements for Genesis and Super Nintendo games, Clive Barker movies I never knew existed, and the numerous Marvel contests that escaped me as a child. Who did end up winning that Captain Universe contest, anyways?
Of course, working with Marvel also has its unexpected perks. You may have noticed that over the past summer I was able to visit the set of "Iron Man 2" for Marvel.com’s coverage of the film. This opportunity completely came out of left field, as E3 was currently in full effect and the office needed someone in a pinch to attend the online press event.
To say the least, seeing live filming on set with star Robert Downey Jr. and director Jon Favreau did not disappoint. I even got a nice souvenir token from Favreau while one set! A military challenge coin, which is depicted in the image below (image couresy of Collider.com -- they got one too). Also unexpected was Favreau being able to sneak us into the other side of the studio lot to meet Scarlett Johansson in full Black Widow attire between filming an action sequence. It was...cool.
Before I leave you, let me give you a few points of advice if you ever get the chance to intern for Marvel's game division.
-You will be told that Todd Jefferson would be walking around the office wearing Thor’s helmet. This has yet to be seen by me and needs to be rectified.
-Never open an e-mail from Eric Adams when there is a video link attached. No good can come out of it.
-For every hundred Marvel comics in the Marvel games comic collection, there is an issue of a Vertigo comic somewhere in the batch. Get it out!
-Any time Chris Baker asks if you want to do a special project for him: It’s a trap!
-There’s always room for one more on the wall of old Marvel games on Chris Baker’s cubicle. (Added just the other day: Acclaim's "Fantastic Four" for PS1. He has threatened my last act as intern be to play it.)
-Never steal the “Easy” button that Todd Jefferson has on his office desk or he will Hulk out until he finds it.
-If you ever need to get rid of Eric Adams, randomly say something positive about Super Hero Squad or MarvelKids.com so he’ll be satisfied and leave you alone.
-There are about 10 games in our Marvel games collection that are trapped in the Negative Zone and shall never be found. (Chris insists that playing his new "Fantastic Four" game will grant us access because of Reed Richards and all. I don't buy it.)
-There are never any batteries around for a Wii-mote when you need them.
-Despite the flyers all over our office location here at Raleigh Studios that say that high school prom is around the corner, don’t freak out. That is just set dressing for "Beverly Hills 90210."
I ended up staying with the Marvel games team for an extra semester, bringing my time here to over half a year. It is clear I have deprived another intern for too long to take part in the shenanigans and personalities that make up being part of the Marvel games team. This was the best internship experience I have had out of the numerous other internships and jobs I’ve worked in the past -- and believe me, I have had many positions before this. My leaving is without question a bittersweet experience, but all things must come to an end.
As I exit the Marvel offices -- hopefully not for the final time -- I bid you with a farewell, goodbye...and Excelsior!
The following exchange took place between Marvel games intern Randy Ma and myself. Or at least something like it. Or, possibly, absolutely nothing like it at all. You decide...
Randy: I love all of your Blip blog posts! They're the greatest things ever, and I want to do some of my very own!
Chris: Really? You think so? I enjoy writing 'em and all, but--
Randy: I mean, they're, like, the greatest things EVER!!! I don't know how you do it, but I'd love to try!
Chris: I'd be ha--
Randy: "Happy to give me a chance?!" Wow, thanks, C-Bake! You're the greatest! You know...despite the daily whippings.
So, long story short, Randy wanted to do his own celebration of Cable being in "MUA2" and I went ahead and let him. Here's what Mr. Graduate School Gamer came up with...
Cable hasn’t made many appearances as a playable character in past Marvel games. So, in celebration of his being on the roster for playable characters in “Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2”’s downloadable content, I thought it would be nice to see what other Marvel games could also use the addition of this time-traveling tough guy.
Chris spoke a little last week about the strange premise behind this first-person shooter, where you play as a nameless cyborg created by Magneto to fight clones of the X-Men created by Apocalypse (let’s just call him Nameless Cyborg Man). In retrospect, I could totally have seen a “Days of the Future Past”/“Age of Apocalypse”-type storyline with Cable traveling through levels to fight Apocalypse in this game. A first-person shooter with Cable as the protagonist is just a match made in geek heaven. ...Plus, there's no question that Cable can destroy Nameless Cyborg Man any day of the week.
This was actually a pretty great game in its heyday, and I implore anyone reading this to try to play this 16-bit gem as soon as possible. The plot involves Apocalypse enslaving the mutant population of Genosha -- I would love to have seen Cable among the X-Men chosen for the job. Cable could have added a “Contra”-like element that would have given a whole new dimension apart from the game’s core brawling mechanics.
X-Men 2: Clone Wars (Genesis) 1994
Another revered action game from the 16-bit era, this sequel surrounds the crisis where the techno-organic race known as the Phalanx make their way to Earth with the intent on assimilating all its inhabitants. This would have been the perfect opportunity to introduce the techno-organic virus, which loosely followed the “Phalanx Covenant” arc from the comic series. And with a plot involving the techno-virus, I see no reason not to call in Cable to help out the X-Men. Okay, it’s not actually necessary for him to be in the game because this title is already pretty great. But can’t you tell by now that I really just want a side-scrolling "Contra" game with Cable?
And I can’t talk about Cable in videogames without talking about…
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (Capcom, 2000 -- Arcade, Dreamcast, Xbox, PS2, PSN, XBLA)
All right, so Cable famously appears in this game. You obviously are well aware of this. But there is no way there was going to be a post about Cable and Marvel games without this title making an appearance. Fans of "MvC2" often refer to him as one of the cheapest characters to play with in this classic, with various combos that take advantage of his Hyper Viper Beam finish. But that doesn’t mean the game couldn’t use more Cable.
When one of Cable's victory poses features his cybernetic arm becoming grossly mutated, we get "MvC2"'s only hint of the techno-organic virus. Wouldn't it be cool to integrate the virus into combat? Just imagine Cable finally being able to get some mid-range attacks and blocks utilizing that left arm. This would make the character an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. Well... Not that he isn't already...
Last week, when Activision announced Cable as a downloadable character for "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2," we asked you via Twitter to tell us your favorite moments involving Cable in video games. There aren't many. And I suppose it comes as no surprise that one particular game sticks out from the rest -- unanimously!
Here are your comments about said awesome previous Cable appearance in no particular order...
@tweeterrance is apparently a big fan of father/son bonding.
And then there are @b11a2 and @HeavyArms, who love them some futuristic weaponry.
Finally, I think this is my favorite. It's not what is said, it's who's saying it...
Yep. That's right. It appears that super evil dude who goes by another more familiar name not only tweets and uses a S.H.I.E.L.D. logo as his icon...but he's also a big fan of playing games as his greatest enemy.
So, yeah, Cable was great in "Marvel vs. Capcom 2." But seriously, folks -- what about "X-Men: GamesMaster's Legacy" for Sega Game Gear? Where's the love?...
(OK...maybe I just found out about that myself via Wikipedia like you did.)
Last week, I celebrated the announcement of downloadable Carnage for "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" with a retrospective on all his game appearances. Well, you may have heard that Psylocke has been announced as a second downloadable character since then (once again, per audience demand), and I wanted to do the same kind of thing for her. But I won't. She's just been in too many games, and there's not much I can tell you that Wikipedia can't already.
Psylocke's appearance in the first "MUA" was quite different than what you'll see as "MUA2" DLC. As you might recall, you're cruising along toward the end of the game when all of a sudden Doctor Doom uses his newly acquired god-like powers to turn a bunch of defeated heroes into "Dark" versions of themselves to fight your team. With no real build-up to her, Dark Psylocke appears with Dark Cyclops (who had been established in an amazing cutscene), inspiring a bit of a "What the--?!" from the gamer, as you prepare to pound her to a pulp. And if that doesn't do it, her face will. I think Ash said it best in "Army of Darkness": "Honey, you got real ugly."
Marvel fans who walk around screaming "shoryuken!" know very well that Psylocke is crazy-lethal in fighting games from Capcom and Activision -- except one. Well after her fighting-game debut in "X-Men: Children of the Atom" (side note: also the first Marvel fighting game ever), she was snubbed from the playable roster of this debut Marvel vs. Capcom showdown.
Psylocke does, however, show up out of nowhere if you beat the game as Cammy (the Capcom cutie who sees even less use in actual pants than Betsy). For no apparent reason, Cammy has lost her memory after the last fight, and the Hand just happens to be hanging around to pick her up (thinking Lady Mandarin II, perhaps?). Cue flash of purple light and "Someone appears out of nowhere!" It's Psylocke. Ninjas beaten. Day saved. Cue the two screens you see above... Somewhat head-scratching cameo complete.
The first time we ever saw the modern interpretation of Psylocke in a game (and, on a personal note, the first time I ever saw the character, period) was perhaps her most forced appearance into a game. For whatever reason, she's the holder of a device that can summon Havok to heal Wolverine. Why does Psylocke have this? Why is she hanging out in a hidden room amidst teems of evil whatchamacallits? Why can't Havok give the device to Wolverine himself? Why didn't Wolvie just grab it from the mansion so that nothing's trying to kill him? And can't he heal himself already or something? We may never know the answers to these burning questions...
If you know anything about "The Ravages of Apocalypse," it's not so much Psylocke's appearance in this FPS "total conversion" of the original 'Quake' that makes you say "What the--?!" so much as the premise of the game itself. As an unnamed cyborg created to serve Magneto (of course!), it's up to you to take on cloned X-Men characters created by Apocalypse. Cyborg Psylocke is among them. And if you've ever wanted to see Betsy bleed, this first-ever M-rated Marvel title will likely be the only chance you'll ever get.
"Ravages" would rank No. 1 on the list if it actually included Ms. Braddock herself. But since it doesn't, that honor goes to...
Psylocke's first-ever game appearance wasn't so "What the--?!" in its day -- we weren't so discriminating as gamers in the days of DOS -- but looking at it now, such a reaction is almost inevitable. Without getting into too much detail (check out her bio for that), until about 20 years ago, the character looked incredibly different, to say the least -- just check out that image from the box art. (I also love that the birds-eye shots of her are basically just a blob of purple hair.)
But Psylocke's look in the game isn't all that's kind of peculiar about her gaming debut: "X-Men II" takes Betsy in her early X-days and makes her go one-on-one with...well...let's just say I think this screenshot alone gives "X-Men II" the No. 1 slot here...
So, what do you think of this list? Agree? Disagree? Did I leave off anything you can think of? And while I'm at it, what are your favorite Psylocke gaming appearances? Please...comment away, True Believers!
Excelsioryuken!
C-Bake
[Post your comments below or Tweet them directly to @cbake76 on Twitter! And be sure to follow @MarvelBlip on Twitter for all your Marvel video game news.]
We're just days away from the Oct. 20 release of "Marvel Super Hero Squad" from THQ, coming for your Wii, PS2, PSP and Nintendo DS. If you've been watching the cartoon, you've probably found yourself wanting to yell out "HERO UP!" and fight the forces of Doom. (Of course you have! Admit it!) And, as our Games Intern and special guest blogger Randy Ma explains (you might remember him as the lucky punk who got to go on the set of "Iron Man 2" -- beats getting coffee), if you like the animated series, there's no better way to live out what you see on Saturday mornings than by playing this game.
We all know by now that "The Super Hero Squad Show" is a riot, as it plays the personalities of our favorite Marvel heroes against each other for slapstick shenanigans. Likewise, THQ's "Marvel Super Hero Squad" game maintains the same manic humor of the show along with a Marvel-flavored story to go with it. I love that all of the cartoon's chief voice actors recorded extensive voiceover for this game, and as you might expect from such talented bunch, it results in some hilarious in-game banter and cutscenes.
It's also great to see some running jokes and references from the show. Just like in the show, you'll see the Squaddies try to undermine Ms. Marvel whenever they can (check out the clip above for an example). And the helicarrier? It still gets wrecked at every opportunity. You'll even see cameos like the pompous Gray Hulk (and you thought you saw the last of him in last week's episode!).
Aside from its sense of humor, "Marvel Super Hero Squad" also lets you experience your favorite super heroes like you never will in the show. For example, Wolverine never uses his claws against enemies in the show unless he’s slicing objects or robots -- but in the game, he can dig his claws deep into any enemies in his way. I wouldn’t call the game brutal -- far from it -- but it is definitely awesome to pull off finishing moves for characters as they lay the smack down on an opponent.
If coming up with what-if scenarios and pitting heroes and villains against each other is your thing, then "Marvel Super Hero Squad" will not disappoint. The game even contains a bunch of characters who have yet to make an appearance on the show -- a certain webbed wonder you'll unlock by collecting enough secret tokens springs to mind.
Basically, if you like the show, you'll like the game. So...
In case you haven't heard, the rollout of downloadable content characters for "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" has begun -- and the first of five characters to be announced is one of the Marvel Universe's most delightfully psychotic super villains: Carnage.
Does it seem odd to have a serial killer teaming with the likes of Iron Man and (well, in this case, or) Captain America might seem a little odd at first -- and, let's face it, it is -- but when Activision polled gamers at New York Comic-Con this year about who they'd like to see in the game, Mr. Kasady topped the list.
With a gaming pedigree like that of Carnage, it's easy to see why you guys like him in your games so much. The "MUA2" DLC marks the Venom-spawn's eighth videogame appearance -- and his first playable outing. What were those other seven appearances all about, you ask? Well, let's check 'em out in chronological order...
Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge (Flying Edge, 1992 -- Super NES/Genesis version described; also on Game Boy)
Carnage's first game appearance in color was...kinda weird, actually. Not only was he working for Arcade (very possibly the oddest choice of an ultimate super villain in Marvel games history), he was also teamed up with Rhino. 'Cause...that always happens, right? While Rhino charged, Carnage "[turned] his skin into solid darts" (so says the manual) that he threw your way until you pound him into submission and -- this is where it gets really weird -- you see a buck-naked Cletus Kasady lying on the ground, fading into life power-ups.
Spider-Man 2 (LJN, 1992 -- Game Boy)
Considering that Carnage's first costumed appearance was in March 1992, it's pretty amazing that he not only made two game appearances that year, but also actually made the cover of this Game Boy exclusive. I didn't play the game, but rumor has it (hooray for back-of-box captions!) you rode some sort of "deadly Skull-Coaster" in order to get to him.
Spider-Man/Venom: Maximum Carnage (Acclaim, 1994 -- Super NES, Genesis)
If you ask me, this game is the main reason why so many of you voted to have Carnage included in "MUA2." Based on a huge comics event of the same name (it even followed the story beat for beat), "Maximum Carnage" absolutely punished you as a player -- as either Spidey or Venom, no less -- but was so much fun at the time, you didn't care. It was one of the best beat-em-ups of its day, and Carnage was nothing less than ruthless throughout. Acclaim even made the cartridges red instead of the typical black or gray in honor of the guy's thirst for blood. It's still fun to play today -- just don't count on ever beating it without the skills to match your serious time investment.
Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety (Acclaim, 1995 -- Super NES, Genesis, PC)
You know you're at the height of symbiote popularity when Venom's name comes before Spidey's in this follow-up to "Maximum Carnage." This one was much more beatable, though, as you took on Venom's symbiotic "children" with Carnage waiting for you there at the end.
Spider-Man (Activision, 2000 -- PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, PC, Mac, Game Boy Color)
As if "Maximum Carnage" wasn't great enough to popularize Carnage in the gaming space, his role in the first truly awesome 3D super hero game of all time was nothing to scoff at either. Late in the game, Spidey fights him and subdues Cletus...but that's not it for the Carnage suit, which plays a major role in the game's climactic escape sequence. If you have played and beaten this game, you know just how sweet what becomes of the suit actually is. And if you haven't? Well, go play the thing and see for yourself! It's totally worth it.
Ultimate Spider-Man (Activision, 2005 -- Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PC, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance)
What is it with Carnage and showing up in so many great Spidey games? Well, his appearance in this "sequel" to the original Venom story arc in the ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN comics was probably his weirdest to date. The game came out sometime between Ultimate Carnage's first and second appearances and fit beautifully into comics continuity -- at the time, anyway (not so much anymore). The twist here? The Carnage suit actually takes hold of Peter Parker as you pound him to a pulp playing as Venom. Good times.
Marvel Trading Card Game (Konami, 2007 -- PC, Nintendo DS, PSP)
I'll admit, I haven't played this one. But I have it on good authority that there is a Carnage card in the deck, and it probably looks something like what you see to the right. Actually, come to think of it...would this be his first playable appearance? (Whatever the case, he's definitely more exciting in "MUA2"...)
So, what are your memories of Carnage in Marvel games? Did I leave anything out? Show me some love in the comments, and I'll continue to do entries like these for the remaining four DLC characters as they are announced.
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Finding the original concept art for Spider-Man Noir: All over the place at the convention, you'll find original comic book art for sale. It's really exciting to find pages or covers that you have some sort of sentimental attachment to -- at least until you see the price tag attached. What you see above is the first pencil work by 
Here are all the games you can play at SDCC in chronological order by release:
Capcom 2010 and Beyond!
Super Hero Squad Online
Despite my wild imaginations, an internship based around Marvel games has definitely reached the expectations of a dream job. My actual duties vary from game testing, looking at various art and design documents for upcoming games, doing research for Marvel properties, and entertaining the Marvel games team -- often, you will see me walking around the office with the "Resident Evil 4" Gamecube Chainsaw controller as a hall pass.
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The following exchange took place between Marvel games intern Randy Ma and myself. Or at least something like it. Or, possibly, absolutely nothing like it at all. You decide...
All right, so Cable famously appears in this game. 
Psylocke's first-ever game appearance wasn't so "What the--?!" in its day -- we weren't so discriminating as gamers in the days of DOS -- but looking at it now, such a reaction is almost inevitable. Without getting into too much detail (check out 
Aside from its sense of humor, "Marvel Super Hero Squad" also lets you experience your favorite super heroes like you never will in the show. For example, Wolverine never uses his claws against enemies in the show unless he’s slicing objects or robots -- but in the game, he can dig his claws deep into any enemies in his way. I wouldn’t call the game brutal -- far from it -- but it is definitely awesome to pull off finishing moves for characters as they lay the smack down on an opponent. 
Spider-Man 2
Marvel Trading Card Game