Editorial | 9/10/2011 at 5:15 PM

Co-Op Classics Video Edition: Buster Bros/Pang and The Punisher

Videos of two classic co-op titles.

It's time once more for another video edition of our classics-focused feature.  We've got two games that are quite different from each other.  The first, Buster Bros., is a squeaky clean but rather generic arcade style title that can be very tricky to play.  The second, The Punisher, based on Marvel's tough guy vigilante, is a beat-'em-up from Capcom's glory days, and is quite violent and bloody, as befits the character.  

Buster Bros.

Also known as Pang, this interesting game is a bit of a mix between a puzzle game and a platformer.  Players take on the roles of two world travelers who fly all over the globe in order to hunt... giant balloon balls. These balls split in half, and in half again, Asteroids style.  It can be quite challenging to hit all the targets, which is bad since they are made from some toxic substance that kills you in one hit.  Overall, a quirky little title that is quite fun to play.  Expect a full Co-Op Classics article for this one soon!

The Punisher

Read the original Co-Op Classics article

I was never a huge fan of the Punisher in the comics, but there's no denying that this game is a good one.  Excellent character models, a huge variety of weapons, and some fun set pieces like a fight on a school bus make this one of Capcom's best brawlers, which is really saying something.  I found the interplay between the blood-crazed Punisher and his co-op partner Nick Fury quite hilarious; Fury constantly bemoaned his teammate's methods even as he killed dozens of bad guys himself.  Playing The Punisher is really no punishment at all!