With Spider-Man swinging back into theaters this summer, it’s a good time to look into his video game history and see the ups and downs of the web slinger’s offerings to the world of digital entertainment. Few superheroes have had as many video games made for them as Spider-Man has so it’s a decent sized list but that won’t stop us from digging into it. As we did with The Avengers, we will focus on the Spider-Man centric games which means we will skip the various fighting, pinball and mash-up entries like Ultimate Alliance. Spider-Man is the star of the games on this list so if you’re ready, strap on your embarrassingly tight jumpsuit and let’s swing into action!
Spider-Man (1982) – Spider-Man’s first video game is also one of the earliest super hero games period. According to the game’s box, which you can see above, claims that the game could have been enjoyed on either the Atari 2600 or a Sears video game system. I’m not altogether sure what a Sears video game system is but if they make video game systems as well as they install tires, then sign me up! As far as gameplay goes, it’s pretty simple: You move Spider-Man up the side of a building by way of shooting webs while diffusing bombs and avoiding enemies. If you get touched by an enemy you will fall unless you can shoot another web in time to catch yourself. Once you reach the top you must avoid the Green Goblin in time to diffuse the “super-bomb”. If you do this you get the pleasure of playing near identical levels with the same exact gameplay. Pretty standard for the Atari 2600 but the graphics were not terrible for the system.
Questprobe: Spider-Man (1984) – Like The Hulk and The Fantastic 4, Spider-Man got his own Questprobe game. Developed by Adventure International, the Questprobe series was a collection of text based adventure games that appeared on the Atari 800, Apple II, and the Commodore 64. The original idea was to make these text based adventure games (remember those?) a twelve game series but after the third one, Adventure International went bankrupt and as a result, the rest of the series was scrapped. If you’re interested in trying these interesting tiles out, considering you have the hardware to run it, you can find some pretty cheap copies on Amazon… or you could just watch this guy play through it on YouTube.
Spider-Man and Captain America in Doctor Doom’s Revenge (1989) – We covered this one in our Avengers chronology but we’ll take a look at it again. This game was a side scrolling action game in which the player would alternate between playing as Spidey and Cap. The game featured an array of villains from the rouge’s gallery of both heroes and even one villain, Rattan, who was created specifically for the game. The gameplay was criticized for being repetitive and unresponsive while the graphics were praised for being bright and colorful. One of the most interesting aspects of the game, however, was the inclusion of a specially made comic book that came inside the game case. The comic told the story that led up to the game and was only available in the game.
The Amazing Spider-Man (1990) – Another side-scrolling platformer for the Amiga, this entry had Spider-Man searching for his wife, Mary Jane. Apparently the two tied the knot at some point. At any rate, Spider-Man’s nemesis, Mysterio, has kidnapped her and you must navigate Spidey through several different levels all inspired by different film genres, illustration Mysterio’s interest in movies. The game itself included sluggish controls and stilted animations with very little variety in gameplay. The Amazing Spider-Man was developed for the Amiga but was eventually ported over to PC:MS-DOS, Commodore 64, and Atari ST.
The Amazing Spider-Man (1990) – Releasing in the same year and under the same name, this version of The Amazing Spider-Man was developed specifically for Nintendo’s Game Boy handheld system. Once again, Peter parker’s wife, Mary Jane, has been kidnapped and Spider-Man must fight his way through an assortment of locales and villains to get her back. Each level would see spider-Man web slinging through the city and fighting off a variety of low level thugs before battling a boss at the end of each stage. Spidr-Man would tangle with fan-favorites, Mysterio, Scorpion, Doctor Octopus, and Venom, among others. The game found generally favorable reviews due to its (at the time) impressive graphics and tight control scheme. The game even did well enough to spawn two sequels.
The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin (1990) – 1990 was a good year for Spider-Man as it saw the release of three separate video game titles for him. The third and final game of the year was the Genesis Master System /Sega CD/Game Gear/Anything else that you could play a game on title, The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin. This game is, again, a side scrolling action game in which you must, again, find Peter Parker’s wife who has been kidnapped by Venom. In addition to this, however, Spider-Man has also been framed for the theft of a nuclear bomb. The Kingpin is planning on detonating the bomb in 24 hours and you must guide Spider-Man through a series of side-scrolling platforming and various boss battles to locate different keys to disarm the bomb. The game was ported onto several different systems and each port offered a variety of differences in not only gameplay, but new levels, boss battles, and alternate endings. The game ended up selling so well that it convinced Marvel to renew their licensing agreement with Sega, which they were planning on terminating.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (1992) – The Amazing Spider-Man 2 for Nintendo’s Game Boy is a direct sequel to 1990’s The Amazing Spider-Man but included several differences. The story this time revolves around Spider-Man being framed for bank robbery by a host of villains. Now, I’m no super villain expert but it seems to me that there are more sinister ways of dispatching of your foes than to frame them for crimes. I suppose that’s just me though. Anyway, as Spider-Man the player must traverse different levels and fight various boss battles to clear your good name. A new addition to the Game Boy series is the inclusion of puzzle solving. While working your way through the game you must locate different objects to aide you in solving various puzzles. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was not as nearly well received as its predecessor with most critics berating the game’s poor control scheme, uneven difficulty, and lack of an in-game save feature.
Spider-Man: Return of The Sinister Six (1992) – This game marks the web slinger’s first appearance on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Players must guide Spidey through (Gasp!) six different levels, each ending in a boss battle with a member of The Sinister Six which consists of Electro, Mysterio, Sandman, Doctor Octopus, Hobgoblin, and Vulture. Basic punch and kick mechanics were about all the player had for combat unless they picked up a web pack that allowed them to shoot a limited number of web projectiles. A frustrating addition to this side-scroller is that Spider-Man has only one life and one continue. This problem is compounded by the fact that there are no health packs to pick up. Web swinging is also noticeably absent but that seemed to be the norm back in the 80’s and 90’s for spider-Man video games. By the time of the game’s release the NES was on the way out and few paid attention to the game but of those that did, most criticized the game for its poor graphics, generic design, and punishing difficulty. The game was also ported onto the Sega Master System and Game Gear.
Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade’s Revenge (1992) – In another year that saw three different spider-Man releases, 1992 gives us Spider-Man’s entrance into the 16-bit era and he brought along some friends. The game starts off normal enough with the player controlling Spider-Man as you diffuse bombs around the city but you soon find out that super villain, Arcade, has kidnapped the X-Men (Storm, Wolverine, Gambit, and Cyclops to be exact). You then get to control each of the four X-Men in their own unique level as you battle your way out of captivity. The game culminates with the player taking control of Spider-Man again as you face Arcade in the final boss battle. The game released originally on the Super Nintendo but the Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and Game Boy all got a port. The game received generally favorable reviews which were most likely due to the fact that with the SNES’s increased capabilities, developers were finally finding it possible to let players use some of Spider-Man’s more unique abilities that earlier hardware just couldn’t handle.
The Amazing spider-Man 3: Invasion of the Spider Slayers (1993) – With a name that sounds more like a cheap sci-fi movie, Invasion of the Spider Slayers brings us the final part of the trilogy of Spider-Man’s Game Boy adventures. The game released at the same time as the Spider Slayer storyline was taking place in the comics and much of the story in the game reflected the events of the comic storyline. Unfortunately, as is always the case, good storylines aren’t enough to make a good game as nobody really enjoyed Spider-Man’s Game Boy swan song. Most people criticized its terrible graphics but this was probably more of a reflection of the Game Boy’s aging hardware than a fault of the developers. Gameplay was also largely panned as it followed the same model of its predecessor with a lack of save options and frustrating difficulty levels.
The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes (1994) – This strange title was released for the Super Famicon and was exclusive to Japan so chances are, you’ve never played it. Most Spidey fans probably would have wanted to back in the day though because it was the first Spider-Man video game to incorporate some sort of real web swinging mechanics which were controlled with the left and right bumpers. Nowhere near as intuitive as nowadays but it was a step in the right direction. The gameplay mechanic that sticks out on this title is its inclusion of timed checkpoints which made the game feel like a long chase sequence and prohibited any sort of exploration. Besides basic side scrolling mechanics, this game included plenty of Japanese kookiness. Those guys like weird stuff. Ever watch anime? Yeah, weird.
Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (1994) – This title holds the distinct honor of being the first Spider-Man video game of which I was cognizant of upon release. The story for Maximum Carnage followed very closely to the Maximum Carnage storyline that was being published during the time of the game’s release. Some of the games comic style cut-scenes were even digital transfers of actual panels from the comic book. As far as gameplay goes, players would control either Spider-Man or Venom in a side scrolling beat-em-up reminiscent of Double Dragon games as you try to defeat super villain, Carnage, and his ever growing team of baddies. Of special note, players could also collect power-ups that would allow the player access to other Marvel heroes like Black Cat, Iron Fist, and Captain America and utilize their special abilities in combat. The theme music was credited to the band, Green Jelly. Remember them? No? That’s because they sucked. The game was received well by consumers but received mixed review from the critics. It did sell well enough to spawn a sequel though. More on that later…
Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety (1995) – Oh look, it’s later! Separation Anxiety was the direct sequel to the previous year’s Maximum Carnage and like its predecessor, was a side scrolling beat-em-up. Once again, one or two players could play as Spider-Man or Venom on a quest to stop the evil villain, Carnage. The name of the game is identical to a comic storyline arc that had ran around the same time but the story in the game didn’t follow the comic story all that closely, actually resembling Venom’s Lethal Protector comic arc more than anything. As with the first game you were allowed access to the aide of various Marvel heroes, consisting this time of Captain America, Hawkeye, Ghost Rider, and Daredevil. The game was not as well received as its predecessor due to, among other things, a misleading title and no advancement in the gameplay mechanics.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1995) – Remember the Spider-Man: The Animated Series television show? I do. Probably because I watched it on Netflix last night. The show was super popular back in the mid 90’s and as with any entertainment property that is doing well, there will inevitably be a video game for it. The art style was patterned very closely to the style of the cartoon show but gameplay was pretty much the same as most of Spidey’s previous offerings. Players could control Spider-Man through six different levels of side-scrolling action, fighting various bad guys along the way. For a game with only six levels, it boasts an impressive number of boss battles, clocking in at over twenty! The boss battles consisted mainly of the typical spider-man villains but you were also treated with a cameo appearance by The Fantastic 4! The game appeared on the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis.
Spider-Man: Web of Fire (1996) – The Sega 32X system never got a lot of love but it did get a Spider-Man game. In fact, Spider-Man: Web of Fire was the last title to appear on the system in North America. What sounds like a Spider-Man/Johnny Cash crossover is actually just another side-scrolling platformer that spans across six different levels. I’m not entirely sure but I have a suspicion that Marvel had a clause in their video game agreements that forced developers to make all Spider-Man games include six levels. In this game Spider-Man was up against Captain America’s old foes, H.Y.D.R.A. and the New Enforcers. The boss battles included some strange enemies this time around, including everyone’s favorite, Super-Adaptoid! That’s a game seller right there! You could also pick up special “DD” token to employ the help of Daredevil. The game didn’t sell very well but it has since attained cult status and sells for a hefty sum on places like eBay and Amazon.
Spider-Man (2000) – Spider-Man disappeared from the video game scene for a few years before swinging back onto the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. The game took advantage of the new 3D abilities and players were finally able to swing through the city. Unfortunately the hardware of the N64 and PS1 were still not the greatest so players were still hampered by neutered gameplay and the ever present “fog” permeating anything more than ten feet in front of you. The story here is nothing fantastic as Spider-Man is forced to clear his name after an imposter crashes a science expo and steals valuable equipment. Throughout the game the player swings around foggy New York beating up randomly placed thugs and finding help from various Marvel heroes like Daredevil and Black Cat. You would also come across the typical rogue’s gallery of villains like Rhino, Venom and Carnage. Several of the voice actors from the Spider-man cartoon lent their voices to the game as well as Spider-Man creator, Stan Lee, who acts as narrator through part of the game. Alternate costumes and even a “What if” mode were all unlockable. The game was eventually ported over to Dreamcast, PC and Game Boy Color.
Spider-Man 2: The Sinister Six (2001) – This game was a direct sequel to the Game Boy Color version of the Spider-Man game which released on N64 and PS1. Confused? Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter. In this game, Dr. Octopus has kidnapped Aunt May and re-assembled the Sinister Six to kill Spider-Man. Players once again guide Spider-Man through six (AAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!) levels, each one ending in a boss battle with a familiar foe before finally reaching Dr. Octopus and saving Aunt May. Gameplay was pretty basic which included the ability to punch and kick and swing from various web lines. Spider-Man could also climb up the side of certain buildings, but not all of them. A mini game could also be unlocked that anyone who had played the Game and Watch Gallery game, Fire, would be familiar with. In it, you controlled Spider-man and Dr. Octopus as you both carry a stretcher and move left and right to catch teddy bears who are leaping out of a burning building. Weird.
Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro (2001) – Enter Electro was a sequel to 2000’s Spider-Man but this game only appeared on Sony’s PlayStation. This time around, Spider-Man must stop his nemesis, Electro, who is trying to obtain a power source device known as the Bio-Nexus Device. Along the way, the player would encounter various boss battles consisting of fights with Hammerhead, Sandman, Lizard and Shocker. Instead of the typical cameos from the likes of Captain America and Daredevil, this time Spidey was aided by members of the X-Men such as Prof. X, Beast and Rogue. Players were also given a more robust web swinging mechanic as well as the ability to complete some missions on the ground. An interesting bit of trivia surrounding this game is that the original version of the game featured a final boss battle atop the twin towers. Soon after the release however, the 9-11 tragedy took place and copies of the game were pulled and the end was re-tooled to cut all twin tower scenes. A cameo including Thor also had to be cut due to his inclusion in the twin towers scene.
Spider-Man: Mysterio’s Menace (2001) – Mysterio’s Menace was Spider-man’s first appearance on the Game Boy Advance as well as it being one of the first Game Boy Advance games at all. Activision really upped the ante this time around by adding in an extra level and moving the count up to seven! Yay! It’s all pretty standard gameplay here with the player controlling Spider-Man through side-scrolling beat-em-up action and various boss battles including the likes of Rhino, Hammerhead and Big Wheel. Players could obtain weapon upgrades as well as suit upgrades which would eventually allow you to obtain the symbiote suit which would constantly replenish your health. The game was pretty well received and was praised by most for its colorful graphics and smooth animations.
Spider-Man (2002) – This was the first Spider-Man game released after the big budget blockbuster film of the same name. The storyline followed that of the movie with the addition of new enemies and story scenarios. The game consisted of outdoor and indoor levels. Players were allowed to swing through the city skyline but would die if they got too close to the ground. The indoor sections were not as well received though. The game sold extremely well and received generally favorable scores across all the platforms it appeared on including GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Plenty of unlockables were available to the player including alternate costumes and even an option to replay the entire game as Harry Osborn in the Green Goblin’s costume and access to all his weapons. The best part of the game, however, was that it was narrated by the great Bruce Campbell. Add that man to anything and… BOOM! Automatically better.
Spider-Man 2 (2004) – Spider-Man took a couple of years off of the video game scene but came back with a bang to coincide with his movie of the same name. Gameplay took a huge step forward in this game as New York City was finally opened up to allow the player freedom to swing around the city at their leisure. Open world gameplay was a new addition to the Spider-Man video game world and Spider-Man 2 did not disappoint. Players were allowed to follow the story line, which was based on the film, or explore the city and its many side quests and hidden secrets. The game was released on just about every piece of hardware that was capable of playing a game and received generally favorable scores across all platforms. The exceptions were the PSP version which was criticized for its poor graphics and bad camera angles, and the PC version which didn’t follow the story of the other entries and wasn’t liked by much of anybody.
Ultimate Spider-Man (2005) – Ultimate Spider-Man was based on the comic of the same name. Gameplay was similar to that of Spider-Man 2 but Ultimate Spider-Man included a stylized art style to make it look more like an issue from the Ultimate comics universe. Players could not only play as Spider-Man but also as Venom; each with their own unique play style and abilities. Enemies consisted of a who’s who of Spider-Man villains and even some heroes like Wolverine. Gameplay was split up between story based missions within the open world Manhattan or random side quests including saving civilians or taking place in overly long and frustrating racing missions against the likes of Shocker and the Human Torch. The game received favorable reviews across all platforms including the Game Boy Advance, DS and mobile versions which all three included different gameplay and story arcs.
Spider-Man: Battle for New York (2006) – Releasing on both the Game Boy Advance and the DS, Battle for New York was another game to utilize the stylized graphics from the Ultimate’s comic universe. The story revolves around the Green Goblin trying to replicate the effects of the radioactive spider bite that transformed Peter parker, but inadvertently transform hundreds of citizens into angry monsters. The player is tasked with traversing multiple side scrolling levels while controlling Spider-Man and Green Goblin. The DS version also included the typical touch screen options to complete certain tasks. Bosses included the typical character rotation that had come to be expected from Spider-Man’s video games along with some new faces like Simian, Corona and Silver Sable.
Spider-Man 3 (2007) – Another Spider-Man movie, another movie tie-in video game. Just like the film of the same name, Spider-Man 3 the video game did not fare as well critically as did it predecessors. Releasing on every system known to man, the gameplay was largely a holdover from Spider-Man 2’s open world concept with an even larger Manhattan to explore. The normal Spider-Man moves were available but with the black symbiote suit, even more powers were available to the player. Player fatigue may have factored into the lower scores the game receive as the gameplay mechanics all worked as well as before but a lack of variety from one game to the next bored players who had played Spider-Man’s previous offerings.
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe(2007) – This game was an odd direction for Spider-Man. The game included a host of Spider-Man villains that, after defeating, would become sidekicks for Spidey as he continued through the game. Friend or Foe employed a stylized, cartoony art style to help fit with the overly humorous and childish antics. Several moments from Spider-Man’s recent movie were reenacted and players were allowed to play alternate versions of them to humorous results. Again, the game released on every conceivable piece of hardware available and was under several different developers depending on the platform. Reception for the game was not overly high as many criticized the games graphics, poor handling and silly storyline.
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (2008) – Web of Shadows moves away from the movies and tells an original story involving the black, alien symbiote that begins to infect all of New York City and it’s up to Spider-Man to stop it. Venom serves as the games main antagonist but players also tangle with villains like Rhino, Electro, Kingpin and others. You even fight Wolverine in a scene where he suspects you of being a villain but joins you in the fight after you can convince him otherwise by answering various Marvel trivia questions. Versions were also released for the PSP, DS and PS2 but they included different graphics and gameplay mechanics. Reception was decidedly lukewarm for the title with most people decrying the lack of polish and spotty controlling issues.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (2010) – Shattered Dimensions was developer Beenox’s best Spider-Man effort to date and has pretty much solidified them as the premier Spider-Man developers. Shattered Dimensions tells the story of the Tablet of Order and Chaos which is accidentally destroyed and results in a ripple affect which reaches into several different Marvel universes. Throughout the game, players will control not one, but four different versions of Spider-Man across different times and dimensions. Amazing Spider-Man, Noir Spider-Man (a 1930’s version), Spider-Man 2099 and Ultimate Spider-Man were all playable and each included their own enemies and play styles. Each Spider-Man even had his own different voice actor. The game garnered largely positive reviews and many consider it to still be the best Spider-man game ever created. There were some aspects that were criticized but they were relatively minor gripes.
Spider-Man: Edge of Time (2011) – Beenox’s second attempt at a big Spider-Man game didn’t fare quite as well as their previous effort. The gameplay was very similar to Shattered Dimensions but had a completely different story and an interesting gameplay mechanic. Players would control two different Spider-Men; Amazing Spider-Man in present time and Spider-Man 2099. Working together through a rift in time that allows both heroes to communicate with each other, Spider-Man’s actions carried a “cause and affect” scenario. If present day Spider-Man would destroy a door, it would become destroyed in 2099. That kind of thing. While it did sell well, many criticized the lack of polish and the repetitive nature of the game along with the exclusion of the open world web slinging. Many, however, did enjoy the original, imaginative story.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) – Touted as a sort of sequel to the new film reboot, the jury is still out on this one. It only released a few days before this writing but it currently carries a 76% approval rating on Metacritic. The game returns Spider-Man back to the open world gameplay style that fans have come to love in their Spider-Man games. None of the original voice actors from the film reprise their roles but it takes place mere months after the movie ends and includes battles with villains like Rhino, Scorpion and the Lizard. How the game ends up being judged is yet to be seen but it’s a Spider-Man game so if nothing else, it will most likely sell well and put more money in Activision’s pockets. They do need it, after all.
Well, there you have it! A rather long but not exactly an exhaustive list. Spider-Man has been in an awful lot of games and this list doesn’t even include all the pinball, fighting and mash-up games he’s been a part of. As long as we keep getting Spider-Man comics and movies, we will continue to get these games. Whether or not that’s a god thing is completely dependent on whether or not you like the character. You know you’re going to go see the new movie, so why not pick up one of these titles while you’re out and see if you agree with anything I said? Thanks for reading!
