Pulse power technology compresses low-power energy in the time domain to achieve high-power output in extremely short durations. In recent years, the trend in pulse power technology has been replacing traditional gas or vacuum switches with a new generation of semiconductor switches. To promote the technical development in the field of pulse power semiconductor devices, this article briefly introduces the development history of voltage-controlled pulse power semiconductor devices and the structure of MOS-controlled thyristors (MCTs). By comparing the pulse performance of MCT with that of commercial IGBT, it illustrates the advantages of high pulse current peak and high di/dt pulse of MCT under the same conditions. However, the conventional MCT cannot be turned off at zero gate voltage, and the carrier injection efficiency and conduction speed need to be further improved. To solve the shortcomings of conventional MCT that can not be turned off under zero voltage, this article then summarizes the research progress in device design, technology, and reliability of MCT. It also demonstrates the advantages of MCT devices in typical application scenarios and provides a brief analysis of the development trends of voltage-controlled pulse power semiconductor devices.