5 Worst Comic Book Video Games Ever Made

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For decades, video games based on comic book heroes have been made, but many aren’t very enjoyable. Despite developers working with licenses from major publishers like Marvel and DC to create great games, they often miss what makes the original comics special, leading to disappointing results that fans don’t connect with. There are definitely exceptions – the Arkham Batman games and Insomniac’s Spider-Man series are excellent examples. However, those games, along with a few others, are rare. Most comic book video games are simply not good, and we’ve highlighted five of the worst – presented here in no specific order.

1) The Amazing Spider-Man – Nintendo Game Boy

When the Game Boy launched in 1989, it revolutionized handheld gaming with a fantastic library of games – many of which are still enjoyable. However, The Amazing Spider-Man for Game Boy isn’t one of them. While it could have been good despite the system’s limitations, the game is unfortunately a poor adaptation. It’s a side-scrolling beat ’em up with clunky controls and strange combat. The jumping feels particularly awkward for a Spider-Man game, and it’s not a title players revisit for nostalgic reasons.

2) Silver Surfer – Nintendo Entertainment System

Most Marvel fans know the Silver Surfer is a hugely powerful character. However, the Nintendo Entertainment System game based on him is notoriously difficult – he dies constantly, so much so that it’s become a running joke. It’s one of the hardest NES games ever made, even beyond the system’s reputation for difficulty. The game is essentially an overwhelming barrage of attacks, and even a small hit instantly kills the Surfer, which feels unfair and makes the game frustrating rather than enjoyable.

3) X-Men: Madness in Murderworld – Commodore 64, MS-DOS, & Amiga

Released in 1989, X-Men: Madness in Murderworld suffered in comparison to other games of its time, despite the technical limitations of the hardware. Players found it frustratingly difficult, largely due to its unforgiving permadeath feature. If a key character died, you had to restart the entire game, which was a major drawback. Adding to the issues, the game’s story didn’t match the popular and well-regarded X-Men comics being written by Chris Claremont at the time, and its difficulty was notoriously steep.

4) The Uncanny X-Men – Nintendo Entertainment System

The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) had some enjoyable comic book-based games, and Batman – The Video Game really stood out. It cleverly used the character and his powers. However, The Uncanny X-Men was a completely different experience – and not in a good way. It’s one of many poorly made games released by LJN, a company known for taking popular licenses and ruining them on the NES. The character designs were awful and hard to tell apart, and the colors were harsh and monotonous. The fighting was badly programmed and too easy to win, making the game lack any real difficulty.

5) Superman 64 – Nintendo 64

We always said this wasn’t a ranking, but Superman 64 was inevitably going to be last. It’s famously frustrating to play, with dull, repetitive levels. The game starts with Superman flying through rings, but the controls feel like they’re designed to make it nearly impossible. Most players couldn’t even finish the first level, and those who did found the next one even worse. The levels are timed, which adds unnecessary stress every time you miss a ring. It’s simply too difficult for almost everyone.

Have you ever gotten so frustrated with a comic book game that you had to stop playing? Share your experiences in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-12-25 20:21