The Punisher is one of the breakout stars of Marvel Comics. Since debuting as a Spider-Man foe, his tragic and rugged appeal has spawned a comic career all his own. He was originally a family man and war vet named Frank Castle, but a gangland shooting resulted in his wife and children's deaths. Now, he prowls the streets and wages a one-man war on crime, gunning down those he deems worthy of punishment. Not only is Castle's personal journey intriguing in its pathos, but it's cathartic to see karma come to crooks who believe themselves untouchable.

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The Punisher plows right through corruption by ignoring the justice system altogether. That sadly means he's not as marketable as the friendlier Marvel heroes. For that reason, he doesn't have nearly as many games under his belt. That said, the relatively few titles are mostly solid. They can be either passionate solo outings or irreverent crossovers. That's one advantage to the Punisher's cult status.

5 The Punisher (1990)

Top-Down Arcade Shooter

As the Punisher, people picture shooting bad guys. Well, the 1990 NES title, simply titled The Punisher, gives them just that. Nothing more, nothing less. Players pick a target and then go through an arcade-style shooting gallery to reach that target. It's simple, yet simple is no bad thing.

In this case, it's a reasonably fun scrolling shooter. Aiming is smooth and intuitive, and it just feels good to mow down anyone dumb enough to pop their head out.

Weapon and ammo pickups stave off any monotony, at least for a time. Unfortunately, Frank's large hitbox and slow movement sometimes lead to a frustrating amount of damage taken, but this issue isn't enough to dampen the experience. The game effectively emulates a proven formula without doing anything revolutionary. The final product is appropriately exciting, albeit in short bursts.

4 Marvel Ultimate Alliance

RPG Party With A Gallery Of Marvel Heroes & Villains

Marvel Ultimate Alliance gathers heroes from various parts of the Marvel Universe and pits them against Dr. Doom and his league of villains. The Punisher is one of many unlockable characters, yet he suits the gameplay more than most. Ultimate Alliance comes from the folks at Raven Software, who take their X-Men Legends formula and apply it to a larger roster. Players assemble a team of their choice from that roster and proceed through a gauntlet of enemies.

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They spice up the melee attacks with super moves, which they unlock and upgrade through light RPG elements. This depth of progression outweighs the repetitive gameplay loop. Fans can bask in the thrill of building and customizing their own superhero squads. Granted, it's weird for more airborne and mobile characters to limit themselves to close-quarters combat. Again, though, the Punisher thrives on these direct methods, so he plays more naturally in this format. Plus, unlike his solo titles, it lets him work with all the Marvel heavy hitters.

3 The Punisher (1993)

Arcade Beat 'Em-Up

Marvel has a good track record with arcade beat 'em-up titles, and 1993's The Punisher is one of them. In this Capcom coin-op, Frank Castle and Nick Fury fight an army of adversaries in their quest to take down the Kingpin. The ensuing game sports the same basic fun as the NES title.

The difference is that it has far more polish and variety. Players not only have a vast array of melee moves, but they can also acquire weapons scattered around the levels. These might be axes, bombs, swords, guns, or other tools. All of these offensive options organically flow from two buttons: jump and attack. It's a credit to the streamlined controls and smooth animations.

The latter brings a greater degree of detail to the levels, which have plenty of novelty themselves. The heroes go from dingy city streets to speeding trains to a jungle mansion. Here, they fight common thugs, hardened gangsters, martial artists, assassins, and even cyborgs. The massive myriad of elements means no two stages feel the same. That effect is tough to achieve in a side-scrolling beat 'em-up, yet The Punisher does so and never gets old.

2 The Punisher (2005)

Gory Third-Person Shooter

At first glance, this is a lazy movie-licensed title with stock third-person shooting. However, 2005's The Punisher only loosely follows the 2004 film, instead drawing from comic history to craft a seedy free-for-all within the Marvel Universe. Frank plows through that universe in typical Punisher fashion, which is where the success lies.

More than any entry before or since this game embraces the vigilante's brutality. It repeatedly throws Frank into scenarios where the goal is to kill everyone. The developers' violent imagination draws a surprising level of variety from that singular objective, from bar brawls to gangland ambushes to funeral massacres.

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Gunfights are akin to Max Payne; responsive and empowering without being utterly mindless. Part of the strategy stems from the bells and whistles. Not only can Frank acquire different weapons to suit the situation, but he can use his foes as human shields. In special circumstances, though, he can interrogate enemies in horrific torture scenes and execute them in hideous fashion. It's all so mean-spirited while also fitting in how it captures the character's methodology. Thus, fans can easily enjoy themselves despite feeling a little dirty inside.

1 Lego Marvel Super Heroes

155 Playable Marvel Characters In Lego Form

Considering what a dark character he is, how ironic that the Punisher's best game is a lighthearted Lego romp. Lego Marvel Super Heroes is another grand crossover title. This time, Loki leads the band of baddies, so various heroic teams must work in tandem to halt the spread of evil. Though not involved in that story, the Punisher is once again unlockable.

He's part of the addictive gameplay loop of exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving. Amid the massive Manhattan sandbox and lively levels, fans experience the classic superhero action they know and love. Beyond standard combat, the game finds consistently creative ways to use its roster's powers and tools for progression. These gifts aid in differentiating the characters and add ample incentive to unlock more.

None of it is particularly difficult, but it is satisfying. The game practically beckons players with its unfiltered escapism. That encouragement largely comes from an infectiously silly story: rife with loving jabs, goofy references, and slapstick humor. All in all, Lego Marvel Super Heroes is the last place one would expect to find the Punisher, but that doesn't change what a good time it is.

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