Silver Surfer is a 1990 scrolling shoot 'em up video game developed by Software Creations and published by Arcadia Systems. The game was released in November 1990 in the United States exclusively for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Silver Surfer is based on the Marvel Comics character Silver Surfer, and is primarily known for its high difficulty and highly praised music. The game was re-released as part of the Marvel MaXimum Collection compilation in 2026.
Contents
Gameplay and synopsis
In Silver Surfer, the player controls the character Silver Surfer through various levels that alternate between a side-scrolling and an overhead perspective.
Each stage is divided into sections. At the end of each section, a mini-boss appears, and the Silver Surfer must shoot the main enemy while many other enemies attack as well. These are the only times where the screen stops scrolling forward. The third and final section contains a super-villain from the comic book series who will take more hits to defeat. The villains featured in the game are Reptyl, Mephisto, Possessor, Fire Lord, and Kylor, the self-proclaimed emperor of the Skrull.
After the first set of levels is complete, Galactus appears and sends Silver Surfer on a final mission into the Magik Domain to collect a "Cosmic Device" from a villain whose identity is less than clear. Despite previous claims, the final boss is actually a giant purple being with a handgun that does not appear to have been in the comics, although the image near the boss's health bar suggests that the main antagonist is X-Men villain Mister Sinister. Once Silver Surfer defeats him, the rest of the Cosmic Device is his; he tells Galactus that no one must have access to it and hides it for safe keeping so it may not fall into the wrong hands.