Cult Video Game Essentials

Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (1994)

Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is a side-scrolling beat ’em up game for the Super NES and Sega Genesis and Mega Drive, developed by Software Creations and published by LJN (a subsidiary of Acclaim) in 1994.

The game, based on a sprawling comic book story arc of the same name, features numerous heroes, including Spider-Man, Venom, and their allies from the Marvel Universe like Captain America, Black Cat, Iron Fist, Cloak and Dagger, Deathlok, Morbius and Firestar, all teaming up to battle an onslaught of villains led by Carnage, including Shriek, Doppelganger, Demogoblin and Carrion.

The game was followed up by a sequel called Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety.

In this single-player side-scrolling beat ’em up, the player controls Spider-Man and Venom through various levels to stop the supervillain Carnage and his team, as well as hundreds of criminals they inspire in their wake, from taking over the city. The two 16-bit versions are virtually identical.

Other Marvel heroes can be summoned by collecting appropriate items hidden within certain levels. Their effects vary greatly, and some of them have different effects depending on who the player is.

Of note is the rarity and set locations of the power-ups necessary to summon aid, and that each character has a unique set of music to accompany their appearance. In order of appearance: Cloak, Black Cat, Dagger, Firestar, Spider-Man/Venom (depending on the player character), Morbius, Deathlok, Iron Fist and Captain America.

Depending on which character summoned them, the summoned heroes may help out in different ways, usually being more effective for whichever character (Spider-Man or Venom) they favor. For example, if Spider-Man were to summon Morbius, then Morbius would simply glide slowly over the battle, distracting the enemies. However, if summoned by Venom, Morbius would instead viciously attack every single enemy on the screen with an extremely high damage attack, usually killing any enemy that is not a boss instantly.

Walmart release 80’s throwback commercial for Venom’s Bluray release

One of Marvel's most enigmatic, complex and badass characters comes to the big screen, starring Academy Award® nominated actor Tom Hardy as the lethal protector Venom. To celebrate its release, Read more

Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer released

We missed you… so much. Sink your teeth into the new Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer. Only in theaters September 24th 2021... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ezfi6FQ8Ds

Venom: Circle of Four

Flash Thompson's secret identity is in the hands of the villainous Crime-Master, and the only way to take his life back is to go rogue but Captain America and the Read more

Venom will get his own movie in 2018

Sony Pictures has announced a Venom movie for October 5th 2018. Here is where it gets confusing though! Reports hit last year that a Venom movie was being planned that would probably not link Read more

Venom – The teaser trailer has arrived!

Sony Pictures has released their the first Venom trailer starring Tom Hardy:

Venom (2018)

Knock knock let the devil in. These are lyrics from the accompanying Eminem song for Venom. Unfortunately it seems Marvel took this literally when they signed over the Venom rights Read more

Two new Venom TV spots released

Sony Pictures has released two new TV spots from their upcoming Marvel film Venom... https://youtu.be/e9jQIL47SP0

The Venom trailer has arrived!

Sony Pictures have released the new Venom trailer... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzxFdtWmjto

The Revenge of Shinobi (1989)

The Revenge of Shinobi takes place three years after the first game, the criminal organization Zeed from the original game has since reformed and have renamed themselves "Neo Zeed". They Read more

The Amazing Spider-Man (1990)

The Amazing Spider-Man is an action / puzzle platformer video game. The game was developed by Oxford Digital Enterprises Ltd., and released in 1990 for the Amiga, and later ported Read more