<s>
is	O
a	O
1993	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
arcade	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
released	O
by	O
Capcom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
stars	O
the	O
Marvel	O
Comics	O
 '	O
antihero	B-Application
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
(	O
Frank	O
Castle	O
)	O
and	O
co-stars	O
S.H.I.E.L.D.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
following	O
the	O
same	O
general	O
formula	O
as	O
Capcom	O
's	O
previous	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
ups	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
a	O
range	O
of	O
usable	O
weapons	O
and	O
a	O
comics-style	O
presentation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
gained	O
significant	O
popularity	O
in	O
arcades	O
and	O
is	O
widely	O
regarded	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
titles	O
in	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
genre	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
video	O
game	O
adaptations	O
of	O
comic	O
books	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive/Genesis	I-Operating_System
port	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Sculptured	O
Software	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Capcom	O
to	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
and	O
commercial	O
failure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
follows	O
the	O
same	O
side-scrolling	O
beat'em	B-Application
up	I-Application
formula	O
Capcom	O
established	O
in	O
Final	B-Application
Fight	I-Application
(	O
1989	O
)	O
and	O
Captain	B-Application
Commando	I-Application
(	O
1991	O
)	O
as	O
the	O
protagonists	O
engage	O
ordinary	O
foes	O
and	O
stage	O
bosses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
in	O
most	O
beat'em	B-Application
up	I-Application
games	O
of	O
this	O
kind	O
,	O
progression	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
achieved	O
by	O
systematically	O
dispatching	O
all	O
varieties	O
of	O
henchmen	O
to	O
proceed	O
onward	O
to	O
either	O
right	O
or	O
left	O
,	O
and	O
defeating	O
the	O
ringleaders	O
whom	O
the	O
player(s )	O
encounter	O
at	O
the	O
boss	O
stage	O
of	O
each	O
level	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Much	O
like	O
the	O
limited	O
roster	O
of	O
playable	O
characters	O
in	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
(	O
1987	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
size	O
,	O
abilities	O
and	O
tactics	O
of	O
both	O
player	O
characters	O
(	O
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
and	O
Nick	O
Fury	O
)	O
are	O
essentially	O
interchangeable	O
;	O
they	O
both	O
use	O
the	O
same	O
basic	O
moves	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
punches	O
,	O
kicks	O
and	O
throws	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
chained	O
into	O
combos	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
similar	O
special	O
attacks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
avenge	O
them	O
and	O
all	O
others	O
like	O
them	O
Frank	O
becomes	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
begins	O
in	O
an	O
illegal	O
casino	O
and	O
the	O
streets	O
of	O
the	O
New	O
York	O
City	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
merciless	O
vigilante	O
Frank	O
"	O
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
"	O
Castle	O
(	O
optionally	O
partnered	O
with	O
S.H.I.E.L.D.	O
</s>
<s>
Still	O
on	O
track	O
of	O
Bruno	O
,	O
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
infiltrates	O
the	O
mob	O
's	O
Pantaberde	O
resort	O
in	O
Florida	O
via	O
a	O
water	O
duct	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
breaks	O
into	O
a	O
hotel	O
and	O
corners	O
Bruno	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
suddenly	O
killed	O
by	O
a	O
robot	O
called	O
Guardroid	O
,	O
who	O
tells	O
Frank	O
the	O
Kingpin	O
has	O
programmed	O
him	O
to	O
terminate	O
him	O
,	O
which	O
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
must	O
then	O
take	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
then	O
raids	O
a	O
major	O
drug-smuggling	O
ring	O
at	O
the	O
local	O
harbor	O
,	O
which	O
ends	O
with	O
him	O
confronting	O
Bonebreaker	O
in	O
a	O
waterfront	O
warehouse	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
that	O
,	O
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
attacks	O
the	O
Kingpin	O
's	O
poppy	O
field	O
at	O
a	O
cave	O
in	O
Arizona	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
boards	O
and	O
destroys	O
a	O
freight	O
train	O
which	O
is	O
commanded	O
by	O
Bushwhacker	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
that	O
point	O
,	O
the	O
Kingpin	O
decides	O
that	O
he	O
has	O
lost	O
enough	O
henchmen	O
and	O
money	O
to	O
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
's	O
actions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
defeating	O
another	O
Guardroid	O
,	O
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
in	O
turn	O
assaults	O
the	O
King	O
Building	O
skyscraper	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
for	O
the	O
arcades	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
April	O
1993	O
,	O
marking	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
partnership	O
between	O
Marvel	O
Comics	O
and	O
Capcom	O
,	O
which	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
Marvel	B-Application
vs.	I-Application
Capcom	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Artworks	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
were	O
featured	O
in	O
the	O
2012	O
art	O
book	O
Marvel	B-Application
vs.	I-Application
Capcom	I-Application
:	O
Official	O
Complete	O
Works	O
by	O
Udon	O
Entertainment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
console	O
port	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
in	O
North	O
America	O
in	O
1994	O
and	O
for	O
the	O
PAL	B-Language
region	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
in	O
April	O
1995	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
worse	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
,	O
lesser	O
variety	O
of	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
smaller	O
number	O
of	O
objects	O
on	O
screen	O
than	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
,	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
previously	O
breakable	O
background	O
objects	O
were	O
rendered	O
unbreakable	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
limitations	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
 '	O
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
was	O
reported	O
in	O
works	O
by	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
never	O
completed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
Play	O
Meter	O
listed	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
arcade	O
games	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePower	O
gave	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
a	O
perfect	O
partial	O
score	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
"	O
fun	O
factor	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
action	O
was	O
praised	O
by	O
GamePro	O
,	O
who	O
remarked	O
that	O
"	O
this	O
game	O
's	O
outstanding	O
feature	O
is	O
its	O
gorgeous	O
graphics	O
,	O
which	O
capture	O
the	O
dark	O
,	O
somber	O
mood	O
of	O
the	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
comic	O
books	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameFan	O
reviewer	O
wrote	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
"	O
proved	O
to	O
be	O
everything	O
I	O
dreamed	O
of	O
in	O
a	O
traditional	O
Final	O
Fight-style	O
game	O
"	O
,	O
having	O
previously	O
described	O
it	O
as	O
"	O
definitely	O
the	O
greatest	O
side	O
scrolling	B-Application
fighting	I-Application
game	I-Application
ever	O
"	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
"	O
the	O
bloodiest	O
,	O
goriest	O
fighting	O
game	O
since	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
"	O
in	O
his	O
preview	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewing	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
conversion	O
,	O
VideoGames	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
a	O
decent	O
exercise	O
in	O
vigilante	O
mayhem	O
"	O
that	O
is	O
"	O
surprisingly	O
fun	O
,	O
yet	O
fairly	O
standard	O
game	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePro	O
outright	O
panned	O
the	O
port	O
,	O
commenting	O
that	O
the	O
special	O
moves	O
are	O
too	O
difficult	O
to	O
pull	O
off	O
,	O
the	O
sound	O
effects	O
are	O
weak	O
,	O
the	O
gameplay	O
is	O
generic	O
and	O
unimaginative	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
fare	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
the	O
graphics	O
never	O
come	O
close	O
to	O
the	O
coin-op	O
game	O
that	O
this	O
cart	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
lambasted	O
by	O
Next	O
Generation	O
,	O
who	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
not	O
much	O
good	O
can	O
be	O
found	O
"	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
"	O
the	O
person	O
responsible	O
for	O
putting	O
out	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
deserves	O
a	O
good	O
spanking	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hyper	O
even	O
had	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
as	O
the	O
worst	O
rated	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
month	O
,	O
describing	O
it	O
as	O
"	O
almost	O
like	O
an	O
8	O
bit	O
game	O
:	O
scrappy	O
graphics	O
,	O
stilted	O
animation	O
,	O
sloooowww	O
scrolling	O
and	O
only	O
two	O
(	O
yes	O
,	O
two	O
)	O
buttons	O
on	O
the	O
controller	O
used	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
sold	O
poorly	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
it	O
becoming	O
one	O
the	O
rarest	O
PAL	B-Language
region	O
titles	O
for	O
the	O
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
Magazine	O
and	O
Official	O
U.S.	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Magazine	O
both	O
wished	O
for	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
to	O
be	O
included	O
in	O
Capcom	O
's	O
arcade	O
compilation	O
releases	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
and	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
,	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
GamesTM	O
in	O
2005	O
,	O
"	O
Capcom	O
's	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
was	O
a	O
brutally	O
violent	O
fighter	O
that	O
perfectly	O
captured	O
the	O
antihero	B-Application
it	O
was	O
based	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
magazine	O
too	O
expressed	O
a	O
wish	O
for	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
included	O
in	O
a	O
compilation	O
re-release	O
for	O
a	O
more	O
modern	O
gaming	O
system	O
,	O
in	O
this	O
case	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
,	O
but	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
chances	O
of	O
this	O
are	O
slim	O
due	O
to	O
a	O
long-expired	O
license	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retro	O
Gamer	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
a	O
forgotten	O
gem	O
in	O
Capcom	O
's	O
back	O
catalogue	O
"	O
that	O
"	O
is	O
bursting	O
with	O
character	O
and	O
is	O
extremely	O
enjoyable	O
"	O
,	O
surmising	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
sell	O
well	O
because	O
the	O
market	O
was	O
already	O
flooded	O
with	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
media	O
outlets	O
also	O
singled	O
out	O
for	O
a	O
special	O
praise	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
particular	O
elements	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
with	O
Complex	O
regarding	O
its	O
arcade	O
cabinet	O
and	O
Cracked.com	O
regarding	O
its	O
game	B-Application
over	I-Application
sequence	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Crunchyroll	O
's	O
Patrick	O
Macias	O
wrote	O
:	O
"	O
I	O
'll	O
confess	O
my	O
heart	O
skipped	O
a	O
beat	O
when	O
I	O
read	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
arcade	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
legacy	O
of	O
a	O
misspent	O
youth	O
and	O
countless	O
tokens	O
whittled	O
away	O
at	O
Chuck	O
E	O
.	O
Cheese	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
critics	O
regard	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
as	O
among	O
the	O
best	O
of	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
genre	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
among	O
the	O
best	O
video	O
game	O
adaptations	O
of	O
comic	O
books	O
,	O
especially	O
of	O
Marvel	O
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nerdist	O
Industries	O
included	O
it	O
among	O
the	O
top	O
ten	O
most	O
iconic	O
Marvel	O
video	O
games	O
in	O
2013	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
few	O
games	O
that	O
benefits	O
from	O
its	O
cheesiness	O
"	O
and	O
stating	O
that	O
in	O
1993	O
the	O
two-player	O
experience	O
"	O
was	O
pretty	O
much	O
what	O
Army	B-Application
of	I-Application
Two	I-Application
wishes	O
it	O
was	O
today	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
same	O
year	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
also	O
listed	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
top	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
games	I-Application
of	O
all	O
time	O
by	O
com	O
's	O
Elton	O
Jones	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
being	O
included	O
amongst	O
the	O
best	O
looking	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
games	I-Application
from	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Device
era	O
by	O
Kotaku	O
Australia	O
's	O
Gergo	O
Vas	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
declared	O
it	O
number	O
one	O
best	O
comics-based	O
arcade	O
game	O
in	O
a	O
2011	O
ranking	O
,	O
being	O
"	O
above	O
and	O
beyond	O
all	O
other	O
arcade	O
adaptations	O
of	O
comic	O
books	O
and	O
their	O
heroes	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
Jon	O
Ledford	O
of	O
Arcade	O
Sushi	O
opined	O
that	O
"	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
pure	O
enjoyment	O
,	O
ingenuity	O
,	O
control	O
,	O
and	O
graphics	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Punisher	I-Application
is	O
the	O
Best	O
Retro	O
Beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
Em	I-Application
Up	I-Application
of	O
all	O
time	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
magazine	O
Go	O
Play	O
reviewed	O
the	O
game	O
alongside	O
Willow	B-Application
and	O
Cadillacs	B-Application
and	I-Application
Dinosaurs	I-Application
calling	O
them	O
"	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
CPS1	O
games	O
you	O
're	O
unlikely	O
to	O
ever	O
play	O
on	O
a	O
Capcom	O
compilation	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
