Developer: Software Creations Publisher: LJN Released: 1992 Genre: Action
I remember really looking forward to Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge. That may sound strange but hear me out. I was a huge fan of Spider and his Amazing Friends when it aired. The episode where he teams up with the X-Men to fight Juggernaut was a particular highlight; super hero team-ups were always the coolest thing in the world. Now in hindsight it wasn’t a very good cartoon, let alone episode. But that didn’t matter to 6-year old me. A game starring the same cast should have been awesome but the first warning should have been the LJN logo. After being burned by the X-Men NES game a year prior I should have known better. But I had hope. Well that hope was dashed pretty quickly as this is among the worst licensed games of all time.
At least their hearts were in the right place when it comes to the story. Loosely based on Uncanny X-Men #123 Spider-Man is too late to stop Arcade’s men from kidnapping the X-men and taking the to his murderworld. Now he must free them and team up to stop the villain in the process. Arcade has always been one of the lamer X-Men villains but his inclusion here makes sense. It still doesn’t keep the game from being disappointing in the end though.
I’ll give the game credit for being ambitious. Arcade’s Revenge could just as easily have been a generic sidescroller like most licensed titles. Every character has had some wrinkle added to their individual levels to keep things interesting. After the initial stage with Spider-Man you are free to tackle the game in any order. Everyone has two stages (technically three) somewhat centered on their abilities. Wolverine is in a fun house with demented clowns and walls that can be cut. Gambit has his trademark playing cards that sadly can’t be charged up. Cyclops has his multi-directional optic blasts, similar to Children of the Atom although this came first.
Arcade’s Revenge is at its best when you can use your powers to simulate the comics. Spider-Man can stick to nearly any surface and web sling. Learning to arc your swings is fun and used in his later level. Wolverine uses melee attacks and can pop his claws for my power. Interestingly sheathing the claws allows you to slowly regenerate health. The only one who gets short shrift is Storm. Her stages bear a strange resemblance to Ecco the Dolphin and while functional isn’t interesting. When she later is on foot her animation is incredibly goofy.
To enjoy any of the game’s good points you’ll have to deal with a lot of jank. Ambition means nothing without solid execution and that is where the Arcade’s Revenge fails. Outrunning a giant spiked ball as Gambit should be nerve wracking. It is but for the wrong reasons. The level is badly designed, full of misplaced platforms and enemies that drain health. Worst of all you can run out of cards, leaving you helpless, even against his final boss. There are so many blind leaps in Cyclop’s stages that I question whether anyone play tested this. And I defy anyone to say they can consistently beat Juggernaut. I did it and I’m still not sure how.
The myriad issues with Arcade’s Revenge leave it as one of the most difficult games of all time. Every single character suffers from terrible level design. Between the cheap hits, numerous bottomless pits, and scarce hearts death comes quickly. Some levels like the Juggernaut chase and Gambit’s ascent are flat out bad, with instant death everywhere. The only character that seems to get off easy is Spider-Man. But even his second level has far too many blind leaps of faith and no direction. What should have been thrilling (web slinging across the city) is instead frustrating. And to add insult to injury there are no continues or passwords. It’s like the last big fuck you on top of the rest of this shit show.
If there is one area that I have to give the game credit it is the music. The soundtrack in Arcade’s Revenge is absolutely incredible and unlike anything else on the SNES. The electronic/grunge rock soundtrack uses different samples than in other Super Nintendo games blended together to create a rich and atmospheric sound that is truly remarkable. I especially love how they even incorporated a little bit of the Fox Spider-Man cartoon theme in his level. The Folin brothers have always done exceptional work but this one is truly remarkable. I’m also specifically talking about the SNES edition; I don’t know what the hell happened with the Genesis version but it sounds terrible.
In Closing
Alas a great soundtrack is not enough to save the game. Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge is one of the most frustrating games ever for the wrong reasons. The game is literally broken in nearly every area and desperately needs polish. Stay the hell away from this game.
