I’ve been working with Marvel games for more than a year and half now, which is almost as long as I’ve had the list I’m sharing with you here. What’s on this list, you ask (if, for some reason, you totally skipped out on reading the title)? Oh, only like EVERY SINGLE MARVEL GAME EVER MADE!!!

OK, maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement. Inevitably, a game or two has been neglected from this list, a release date is incorrect, I left off a platform, etc. But as near as I can tell, every Marvel-related game that has been released for arcades, consoles, computers, handheld systems or mobile phones is represented here, from "Spider-Man" on Atari 2600 (check out the awesome commercial!) to all the announced games of the future. (I’ll have to add the Flash games and some other anomalies later.)

A couple of things might strike you as a little odd regarding how things are organized in the embedded list below, though. But this is my list, and I’m gonna organize it any way I want! Bear with me as I explain my rationalizations here (or just skip to the list itself if you’re the antsy type…).

First of all, notice that there is only one date associated with each game. In many cases—especially with the older games in which something known as an “arcade version” led the charge—the first release of a game was in a different year than subsequent releases of the same game on different platforms. In cases such as these, I’m only listing the year the first version of the game debuted. For example, Frank Castle was teaming up with Nick Fury the Kingpin’s forces to shreds in arcades in 1993’s “The Punisher,” but the duo waited another year to do the exact same thing on Sega Genesis. For simplicity’s sake, “The Punisher” came out in 1993 all the way around. (If you’re just dying to know when a certain version of a game came out on another platform, check out sites like MobyGames, the All Game Guide or Wikipedia.)

The final thing you need to know is that my definition of “game” might actually be different than yours in the product sense. The way I see it, there are “titles” and there are “games”: “Titles” are the branding; the “games” are the content under the hood of the branding. So, while there may be five releases titled "Spider-Man: Web of Shadows," as this list sees it, there are actually two games with that name: The Nintendo DS version is an entirely different gaming experience that in no way resembles the game played on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PC. (There are even seven versions of three games if you group "Spider-Man: Web of Shadows—Amazing Allies Edition" for PSP/PS2 into the bunch.) Get my drift?

In a handful of cases, the same “game” was even available from as high-end as arcade to as low-end as a handheld system doing its best to adapt the game. For instance, though the arcade version of “Captain America and the Avengers” is decidedly the best version of the game, the same characters, general level designs and gameplay mechanics were adapted even to the original Game Boy—thus, as far as this list is concerned, they’re the same game.

Did somebody say something about a big huge megalist? Oh yeah, it’s right here. So…how many of these have YOU played?...

Want this as an Excel file with even more information? Even organized by the hero(es) starring in the game? Download my list here…

And, dare I ask, do you see any mistakes? If so, please report them in the comments below.

Excelsioryuken!
C-Bake

Another year, another E3. My tenth one was a great one, and if you were to ask me what my favorites at the show were, I know I’d leave something big off the list. Know what I wouldn’t forget, though? The Marvel games at the show.

Last time, I promised to show you how all of the Marvel games at this year’s E3 were presented, and I’m not one to ignore my promises. Just forget the fact that I thought I’d have this to you by last Friday, OK?

"Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" (Activision)

Activision had a huge booth showing off sure hits like “Modern Warfare 2” and “Guitar Hero 5.” Not to be outdone, however, was “Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.” There were several huge screens scattered about looping the trailer.

Production team members such as Dennis “@SavageAce” Bernardo and Doug “Twitter-Free” Heder were there to take attendees through a closed-door demo. And yes, that demo just happened to feature Deadpool.

As if all of this wasn’t enough, Stan Lee repeated his heroics of E3 2006, appearing to sign autographs for fans and do a few press interviews. [Photo via SAB0TEUR on Flickr.]

"Marvel Super Hero Squad" (THQ)

Also there was THQ, which had this fall’s “Marvel Super Hero Squad” playable on the show floor in Wii form. As you probably know, the game is based on the toy line and upcoming animated series sensation, and it proved to be a big hit with all who played it, women and men alike.

Here, we see THQ’s Greg Jones demoing the game’s superbly smash-o’-riffic Battle mode. 

"Marvel vs. Capcom 2" (Capcom)

Of course, this game needs no introduction—but I’ll say “Marvel vs. Capcom 2” anyway just so you can click on the link to the official website. You all know it’s coming for download soon to PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade, and it was cool to see people taking it for a ride on the show floor.

Also sweet: Seeing the huge screen in Capcom’s booth show off the game as part of the company’s looping E3 trailer. Even though the game is almost a decade old now, it still looks great!

Marvel MMOs (Gazillion)

Also in attendance was Gazillion. Though the company had nothing to show at this point, they will likely make a huge splash in E3s to come with upcoming massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) based on the Marvel Universe and Marvel Super Hero Squad.

Speaking of the Marvel Universe MMO, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this…but you’ve read this far, so you’ve earned it: On Wednesday, TQ, Eric, research guru Will Pilgrim and I all sat down to discuss the MMO with developer Gargantuan’s studio director, David Brevik (look him up—he made “Diablo”). They’ve got some pretty exciting plans—we’re all seriously getting super pumped for this thing. I can’t really tell you any specifics, but mark my words: Assuming we maintain the present course, there are several major factors that will make this unlike any other Super Hero MMO out there, and in very cool ways.

I’ll tell you what I mean by that in a few years...

Excelsior, etc.,

C-Bake

Hey, it’s Chris again…and I recently had a rather startling realization. 

If you’re a hardcore gamer, you know that the Electronic Entertainment Expo—its friends call it “E3”—lights up downtown Los Angeles all this week. As far as the gaming industry is concerned, this is the week for big announcements, big parties and, well, big…other things (usually most prominently displayed at Tecmo’s booth).

But here’s what I’m realizing: This is my tenth one of these shindigs. Ten. The number astounds me. 

Even though I’ve been to so many E3s at this point, I can honestly say that the magical feeling of the event has yet to wear off. Of course, the appearance of Marvel games there has always particularly excited me. So I figured, hey, why keep all those memories to myself? Here’s a year-by-year breakdown of all the cool Marvel stuff I’ve seen since ever since my first trip there, having just wrapped up my third of nearly 60 issues as an editor at Official U.S. Playstation Magazine. 

2000

In May 2000, we were but months away from what I still consider to be one of the most important comic book games of all time: “Spider-Man” by Neversoft. Its release was just a few months away at this point, and Activision pulled no punches with this sweet display.

Elsewhere in Activision’s booth, we see Spidey doing some good ol’ THWIPPIN’. It’s a safe assumption that he’s saving some helpless booth babe from the clutches of an overly grabby game store employee who hadn’t showered in three days. (BONUS: In the lower right is none other than Todd “TQ” Jefferson, who was then a producer on the game at Activision…and is now the director of games here at Marvel!) [Photo: Todd Patterson on Flickr.]

I don’t remember seeing Activision’s “X-Men: Mutant Academy” at E3, but I sure do remember seeing this blowup of a then-current magazine cover featuring the game on its cover. I hear the kid posing next to it wrote the 14-page feature story. You know, he looks an awful lot like me…only nine years younger and missing some pounds.

2001

E3 2001 was the last place I ever used a camera with film in it. Of course, it would have helped this blog entry a lot if I had ever bothered to get that film developed. Oops. But I can tell you that I distinctly remember being in absolute awe of seeing “next-gen” (i.e., PS2) Spidey in action—this was where the movie game based on the following summer’s debut web-slinging flick debuted.

Also there was “Spider-Man 2 – Enter: Electro” and some handheld games—even for that hot new system called the Game Boy Advance…but it was all definitely overshadowed by the great-looking game that was still a year away.  

2002

Booth babes! There to help celebrate the fall release of “X-Men: Next Dimension” were models depicting Jean Grey, Storm, Rogue and Psylocke.

“Blade II” had recently taken a bite out of the springtime box office, and the game was set to suck you in a few months later. Oh, vampire puns…

2003

More Marvel movie props—this time to help announce a game you may have played called “Spider-Man 2.” Needless to say, the idea of swinging through an entirely open NYC for the first time ever was something that completely blew me away.

Hey, look! It’s a company that isn’t Activision that had a cool Marvel-related display. Just a month or so away from the huge movie and game to support it, this was a life-sized Hulk who greeted you at the entrance to Universal Interactive’s booth…which was pretty much the entrance to the whole show floor as well. A pretty imposing sight, as you might imagine. And yeah...don't touch.

2004

THQ created one of the best Marvel-related E3 displays ever with this one for “The Punisher.” Not only was the moving animatronic cool to look at from about two stories below (with dialogue too, as I recall), it was also depicting a scene in the game. Not bad at all.

This E3 was about six weeks away from the release of “Spider-Man 2”—both the movie and the game. This time Activision was a little more timely with its movie props for Spidey, showing us some of Doc Ock’s goods (along with the awesome game that accompanied it, of course).

AHHHHH!!!! It’s a huge mega-Spidey climbing E3! Run for your lives!

2005

“Ultimate Spider-Man” had a great showing at my first E3 in PR (for LucasArts). I remember watching the trailer several times, loving how it looked and thinking how cool it’d be to play as Venom. [Photo: djwu on Flickr.]

“X-Men Legends II” also had me pumped. [Photo: Phu Son on Flickr.]

What better way to announce “Marvel: Ultimate Alliance” than with a Stan Lee appearance? [Photo: Activision.]

I think we can only assume that Hulk smashed most of their clothes. [Photo: AlbinoGrimby on Flickr.]

2006

Yikes! No pictures from this year, unfortunately—though I’m pretty sure “Ultimate Alliance” made yet another strong appearance.

2007/2008

As many of you know, the last two E3s were very scaled back and, as a result, not very exciting. They lacked the spectacle of years past. And I sure don’t have any pictures of Marvel games at them. But you know what?...

E3 is back to its classic form in 2009, baby! Check back soon (hopefully Friday) for a rundown on Marvel games shown at this year’s show. I’ll make sure to get plenty of great pics for you this time!

Excelsior, etc.

C-Bake

Don't forget to check us out on Twitter at @MarvelBlip!

Editor's Note: Unfortunately, some technical issues that not even Microchip can solve have affected the appearance of this blog entry. However, the same entry appears on the PlayStation Blog. Please check it out there if you haven't already -- and come back here to comment!

Excelsior, etc.,

C-Bake

…than to post one of the greatest pictures ever presented in anything ever published by Marvel?

Yep, that’s Stan Lee, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin cheering on some kid named Tim in a game of Atari 2600 “Spider-Man,” straight out of Blip #2 (March 1983). And there’s a lot more where that came from...

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

C-Bake