Maximum Carnage
Spider-Man and Venom unite to stop Carnage's onslaught.
Maximum Carnage is a 1994 beat 'em up video game developed by Software Creations and published by Acclaim Entertainment and its subsidiary LJN for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis. Based on the comic book story arc of the same name, the game features numerous heroes, including Spider-Man, Venom, and their allies from the Marvel Comics fictional universe like 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 received mixed reviews upon its release, but in later years, reviews have been more positive and it is regarded as one of the better Spider-Man games in the 16-bit era.
Quick Facts
- Primary villain
- Carnage (Cletus Kasady)
- Allies
- Spider-Man, Venom (Eddie Brock)
- Setting
- New York City
Lore & Background
The game's plot begins with Venom already free. Carnage, already established before the game begins, is on a rampage through New York City. Spider-Man and Venom, despite their rivalry, are forced to team up to stop Carnage. Carnage gathers a group of villains including Shriek, Demogoblin, Doppelganger, and Carrion to attack the city. Spider-Man and Venom assemble a resistance of heroes and confront Carnage's team. After an epic battle, Carnage is defeated and retreats into the sewers. Venom leaves without dialogue, while the Carnage symbiote escapes.
Reader's Guide
In this single-player side-scrolling beat 'em up (with a format similar to Double Dragon and Final Fight), 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. The locations of the power-ups necessary to summon aid are set. 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. The game's soundtrack was written and produced by American rock group Green Jellÿ. The title screen theme song appears as the first track on the band's 1994 album 333 as "Carnage Rules". Due to the limited storage capacity of SNES and Genesis cartridges, the soundtrack was not recorded music, but a computerized rendition of the songs. Additionally, an uncredited version of Black Sabbath's "The Mob Rules" appears in the soundtrack, during the boss battles against the supervillains.
Did You Know?
- The game is notable for its red-colored cartridge on both the SNES and Sega Genesis, though it is not the only official Sega Genesis game with a non-black cartridge.
- The game's boss battle music is not an original composition by Green Jellÿ; it is a cover/adaptation of Black Sabbath's 'The Mob Rules'.
- Both versions of the game were re-released on the compilation Marvel MaXimum Collection in 2026.
More in Key Story Arcs & Events
Elsewhere in Venom
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