Interview with Katsunari Kitajima on Marvel Super Heroes in War of the Gems: “Everything Was Coated in That LA Rock Sound”
"The constraint becomes the excitement."
I've always loved game adaptations of Marvel characters, ever since I played Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin on my Sega Mega Drive in 1995. But having grown up with a Sega console, followed by a Sony PlayStation in 1997, I missed all of the Marvel games on the Super Nintendo. I've been playing a bunch in recent years to rectify this, which includes 1996's Marvel Super Heroes in War of the Gems.
Developed by Capcom, this side-scrolling beat 'em up lets you control one of five superheroes - Captain America, Spider-Man, The Hulk, Wolverine, and Iron Man. You can pick and choose the levels up until you face Thanos, where you face a bunch of enemies, and some of them are doppelgängers of Marvel heroes. You can punch, kick, jump, and perform a special attack, as well as use one of the Infinity Gems you collect to boost your attacks or your health.
It's a fun time, despite some frustrating moments. For example, you can't block attacks, and having to restart a level once your hero is knocked out can wear you down after a while. But what stood out for me was its music. You'll find yourself tapping your foot to the many tracks in the game. It's why I struck up a chat with Katsunari Kitajima, the main composer of War of the Gems, who also worked with Takane Ōkubo here, to find out how he approached the tracks in the game, and what he's up to now.
