The Silver Surfer skin even appeared in Fortnite, the overall lack of story content and development for the character in games, coupled with lackluster adaptations of his power set, have left his playable (and non-playable) appearances feeling somewhat lackluster. The Silver Surfer may not be Marvel's most in-demand hero at the moment, but there was a time when he was among the publisher's most recognizable and beloved characters, and with a Fantastic Four reboot on the way, the character may be making a return to the big screen in the near future, which will likely generate interest in games featuring the character.
The Silver Surfer has a long history of video game appearances. While he was undeservedly left off Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3's roster, he was an unlockable character in the first Marvel Ultimate Alliance. In addition, he was also a playable character in Gazillion's now-defunct Marvel Heroes, before being removed from the game in July 2017 due to licensing issues (a full four months before the game itself shut down). However, his most memorable appearance was in the 1990 Silver Surfer game for the NES. The game was considered to be one of the most difficult games of all time and is still well known for its difficulty among many classic Nintendo fans. Sadly, apart from Fortnite, his last playable appearance was in 2015's Marvel Heroes, and since the game can no longer be played, the most recent game that Silver Surfer fans can play him in is LEGO Marvel Super Heroes from 2013.
While the Silver Surfer has been absent from console games for a few years, he has fared better in mobile titles. Like The Eternals in Marvel Strike Force, the Silver Surfer is one of the game's most powerful heroes and is often sought after by top players. The Silver Surfer is also playable in a handful of other mobile titles, such as Marvel Contest of Champions, Marvel Future Fight, and Marvel Puzzle Quest. While the Silver Surfer is fun to play in these games, their inherent Hero Collector design makes it hard for him to stand out, and there is a clear lack of interesting story content surrounding him. This could change if the Silver Surfer were to be introduced in a Fantastic Four video game in the near future.
A New Fantastic Four Game Could Deliver Silver Surfer's Potential
One of the best avenues to fully explore the Silver Surfer in video games would be in a Fantastic Four game. There have been theories that Skydance's secret Marvel game may be Fantastic Four, and if that turns out to be the case, it would provide the studio with the perfect opportunity to delve into what makes the Silver Surfer such an interesting character. Originally Norrin Radd, a young astronomer from the planet Zenn-La, the Silver Surfer pledged himself to Galactus, the world devourer, in order to save his planet. While the Silver Surfer spent many years helping Galactus eat other worlds, the Fantastic Four helped him rediscover his humanity, leading to him turning on Galactus and being banished to Earth. Since Marvel's first family were a vital part of the Silver Surfer's turn from Galactus, it would be interesting to introduce him first in a Fantastic Four game as a villain turned hero.
This could eventually lead the way to a Silver Surfer solo game, one that could make use of his ability as one of Marvel's flying characters. While the Silver Surfer has appeared in quite a few video games, none (save for the 1990 NES game) have focused on his ability to surf through the air on his board, which he is mentally linked to through the Power Cosmic. A modern Silver Surfer solo game could finally focus on his mobility, making players feel as though they were surfing the cosmos as the Silver Surfer himself.