I grew up as not only a huge gaming fan, but a huge comic book fan too. As you would expect, those two worlds would collide in video game form numerous times over the years, and upon seeing the titles included in the Marvel MaXimum Collection, I was about as sold as you could be.
I had played most of these games growing up, but nostalgia can sometimes sugarcoat an experience through rose-coloured glasses. Realistically, Marvel MaXimum Collection should be judged on its presentation and polish, which it honestly does quite well.
If you’ve played these games before, it’s worth coming back. But if you’ve never played them, there’s arguably never been a better time.
Bring in the Classics
Marvel MaXimum Collection packs in six classic titles from generations past, although multiple titles include numerous versions across various platforms. So let’s run through the list, as I briefly break down each title.
X-Men – 1992 (Arcade)
This feels like the main contender here, and for good reason; this game holds up beautifully. While I have very sparse memories of playing this at my local Intencity arcade (yes, I’m old), this is slapping as hard as it did back in 1992.
While this did get a 2010 remaster, it’s worth noting this is a port of that original game, and it’s honestly one of the best beat em’ ups of that era that you can now play today. I’m just glad it’s back. And yes, that awesome “Welcome to Die!” line is here too.
In addition to local cooperative play with up to 6 players, there is the option to play online, although this is the only title with this latter feature.
Captain America and The Avengers – 1991 (Arcade, NES, Genesis/Mega Drive)
The arcade version also reigns supreme here for its cleaner visuals and more resonant gameplay, but aside from the colourful cast of characters, including Vision, Captain America, Iron Man and Hawkeye, there’s not as much to this as X-Men.
To be fair, though, it’s a decent 8-bit port on the NES, which would have been considered impressive at the time of release.
Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage – 1994 (SNES, Genesis/Mega Drive)
This is the game, along with Separation Anxiety, that I grew up playing personally on my cousin’s SNES, so I’ve really got a soft spot for Spidey’s offerings here.
Maximum Carnage feels great, and thanks to the deeper controls, it gives you much more freedom to do everything a Spider-Man can. Swinging across the screen, wrapping enemies up in a knot, shooting them from afar and throwing them at one another never really gets old, and the nostalgia is certainly strong.
Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety – 1995 (SNES, Genesis/Mega Drive)
I thought Maximum Carange was great, and it is, but Separation Anxiety is truly firing on all cylinders. It looks incredible on both platforms, and I honestly cannot express how good this has held up here.
It’s vibrant, colourful and incredibly smooth to play, making it a better version of Maximum Carnage, with Venom as a playable character to boot.
Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge – 1992 (SNES, Genesis/Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Gear)
This feels great on the SNES and Genesis/Mega Drive, but is also a much more traditional side-scrolling beat em’ up that lacks the pace and is bogged down by awkward platforming.
It’s definitely fun in parts and looks great on the SNES, but I would avoid the Game Boy version at all costs. It’s that confusing, I couldn’t even get past the first screen.
Silver Surfer – 1990 (NES)
Aside from its infamous Angry Video Game Nerd review, I had very little knowledge of Silver Surfer on the NES, nor had I ever played it. This side-scrolling shoot em’ up is rather charming by NES standards, but I can’t deny just how hard it is.
If you had played this game on the NES, I now feel your pain. It’s definitely the weakest game on the list overall, and a huge step down from something like the arcade X-Men game, but I can appreciate its inclusion, as you really can’t play this anywhere else.
The Broader Package
The menus themselves are easy to navigate, and it’s easy enough to switch between various console and arcade versions of certain titles, but the broader menus, particularly when navigating the collection’s additional content via the Archives, like concept art, box art, and development notes, are quite bland.
The Music Player is also very much the same, as you shift left and right between games, and up and down between various tracks.
That being said, there is a fair amount of content here. But given the lack of any clean or interesting presentation, it’s sort of just there. I had mentioned development notes being included in the Archive, but this is sadly only for Maximum Carnage. I just wish we had more of this stuff to cover other titles in the collection. It’s fun to go through, but it’s sort of just there.
Before entering each title, there’s also a surprising amount of customizable options on offer. Be it the US or EU version of the game, difficulty settings, or the ability to turn the credits system on or off, you really can play it your way. I can’t really tell how the difficulty settings affect the original game, as you’re not selecting the difficulty within the game menu itself.
Cheats are also available before starting each game, which include options like unlimited health or unlimited lives, which can come in handy for certain arcade titles that rely on additional lives for progression. As expected, you’ll have the ability to save at any point, and even utilise a rewind feature to help with specific sections of certain titles instead of starting the level again. Trust me, this feature is essential for Silver Surfer on the NES.
Interchangeable aspect ratios will change between titles, but you can also access various overlays with the touch of a button, in addition to a CRT filter, which is just chef’s kiss as far as the nostalgia is concerned.
Final Thoughts
The majority of the titles selected for this Marvel MaXimum Collection are fantastic and worth playing today. They also run incredibly well, and thanks to the addition of cheats, save points, and the rewind feature, they feel more accessible than ever.
While the additional content and bland menu design drop the ball on occasion, it’s still worth checking out in the short term, even if you’re inevitably going to return for the awesome titles themselves. Just maybe not Silver Surfer. That stuff is brutal.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Fantastic selection of games that still hold up; Plenty of additional artwork and music to unpack; Online play works well enough
Lowlights: Some games in this collection are drastically better than others; some additional content feels bland and sparse, thanks to the bland menu design and presentation
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Limited Run Games
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC
Available: Now digitally, with a physical release to follow at a later date
Review conducted on PlayStation 5 with a code provided by the publisher.
Featured header image also provided by the publisher.
