Story Breakdown: The Punisher (Arcade, Genesis, NES & Game Boy)

One of the best parts of a video game is the ending, but who has the time to go back and play through every game? Let me introduce you to Game Over: The Early Years, the weekly show where we dive into classic games and spoil both their stories and endings. From the biggest hits to obscure classics, we're taking a look at some of the best and most memorable conclusions in video game history.

This week brings the release of Marvel's brand-new big-budget superhero film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which means that it's time to feature it in a butt-kicking episode of Game Over. There's just one problem -- there are no Shang-Chi video games. So, with no way to honor the newest MCU hero, I've decided to focus my attention on the next best thing: The Punisher. Now look, I get it, you probably think that it's a multiverse-sized stretch to compare the martial arts fury of Shang-Chi with a dude who is really good at target practice. But what if we turned Frank Castle into a punchy street brawler? That's exactly what Capcom did when released their version of The Punisher in arcades back in 1993. With guns taking the backseat to beat 'em up action, this is a game that probably would have been better suited for a character like Shang-Chi. But let's not get too caught up in the casting, because the Kingpin is out there and somebody needs to stop is reign of terror. Turn back now if you don't want to know what happens next, because today we're going to spoil the story and ending for The Punisher. This is Game Over: The Early Years!


Still want more endings? Then I recommend you discover 23 Endings: The Early Years, the holiday series that ran during the 2017 holiday season. We cover Ninja Gaiden, Street Fighter II, Super Mario Bros. 2, Ghostbusters, Golden Axe, Metroid, Double Dragon, Flashback, Final Fight and many more!

And while you're just clicking on stuff at random, I suggest you head over to the Defunct Games YouTube page and subscribe to the channel. We're posting new episodes of Game Over: The Early Years every Monday, along with brand new game reviews throughout the week.