Spider-Manis arguably the face ofMarvel Comicsand one of the most recognizable superheroes in Pop Culture. After his initial debut in 1962, he has appeared in a plethora of different media, ranging from comics, TV shows, movies, toys, and beyond. But, the medium where the character has seen some incredible success is video games. There have been Spider-Man games almost for as long as there have been games in general.
10 Best Video Games Based On Comics
The video game industry has given us several amazing titles based on comics, but these are surely some of the best ones.
While not all these endeavors to translate the web-slinger into games have succeeded, the virtual wall-crawler has offered consistently fun and engaging experiences. Developers have struggled for years looking for the perfect representation of the various aspects of the character — the web swinging, his agile combat, and of course his endearing yet heroic personality. Spider-Man is an icon, so for any casual or hardcore fan, here are some of the best Spider-Man video game adventures you can find.
10Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe
Fresh from the culmination of the Sam Raimi Trilogy, Friend or Foe offered a fun co-op experience for younger audiences that was still enjoyable for any fan. The game tells an original story, but it uses the beloved designs from the Raimi trilogy for the characters.
Players can use several recognizable faces from Spidey’s Rogues' Gallery — not just characters from the movies but also some more refreshing ones like Black Cat and Prowler, the latter of which has been put in the spotlight thanks to theSpider-Versefilms. While the gameplay is pretty basic by modern standards, it’s fun to play with the variety of characters the game offers.
9The Amazing Spider-Man
As was the custom in the early to mid-2000s, most major blockbuster movies got tie-in games, and Spider-Man’s second major live-action adaptation starring Andrew Garfield was no exception. However, the game does not feature the actor in either resemblance or voice work. Instead, the game tells a story set in the same universe with the same characters, but rather it’s disconnected from the films.
Players will find a Spider-Man experience that evolves from what has been done with the character in the medium before, and many of these mechanics would later be implemented more effectively in more successful games.
8Spider-Man (2000)
Back in the year 2000, Neversoft released their Spider-Man game built on the Tony Hawk engine. The game was massively important, as it was the first ever Spider-Man in 3D, featuringweb-swinging across bigger areasand a much more immersive experience. The game also featured aplethora of Marvel charactersaccompanying Spidey in his adventure.
10 Best Spider-Man Villains, Ranked
Spider-Man attracts the attention of a lot of villains. Here are his absolute best foes, ranked!
Many of the ideas seen in this game would shape the future of the character in the medium. While its gameplay and graphics are certainly a product of its time and hardware, it’s avery important milestonein the history of Spider-Man.
7Spider-Man And Venom: Maximum Carnage
The Nineties were a rollercoaster for Marvel Comics, and not in the best way. And yet, some of the most cherished pieces of Marvel media were created in that time, and that of course includes Maximum Carnage. Adapting a dark and iconic storyline from the comics, Spider-Man must ally himself with his deadliest enemy, Venom, to take down the monstrous Carnage, a symbiote offspring of Venom attached to a dangerous serial killer.
A classic Co-Op game where players control Spidey and Venom at the same time as they fight through thestreets of New Yorkall the way to the terrifying and powerful Carnage, thisside-scrolling beat em' upis still, to this day, a blast to play with a friend.
6Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows
Web of Shadowswas the first Spider-Man game released for the PlayStation 3 in 2008. As many games going into the transition between the PS2 and PS3, there were several different versions made for each console, most notably the PS2, PSP, and Nintendo DS. The game’s main feature was the complete and seamless implementation of Spider-Man’s black symbiote suit, playing a major part in both gameplay and story.
The player could switch between either suit at any time. This would shape the outcome of the story through the Reputation Bar, which measured how heroic or antagonistic Peter acts throughout the game.
5Spider-Man 2
The movie tie-in game for the smash hit second entry in Sam Raimi’s Trilogy also revolutionized one key aspect of the character when it comes to his gaming endeavors: web swinging. The web swinging mechanic was revolutionary in this title, so much so that many players still look back to this game as the one that perfected web-swinging in Spider-Man games.
10 Best Superhero Games, Ranked
Over the years, the video game industry has given us several amazing superhero titles, and here are some of the best we’ve seen so far.
The game loosely retells the events of the film while incorporating a lot of plot points and characters that add much more content. Just like the film, its game counterpart remains a bonafide classic
4Ultimate Spider-Man
The Ultimate Marvel Comics were aseparate universethat has since been discontinued, but its iteration of Spider-Man was very well received, and it is there where the character of Miles Morales was first introduced. The early stages of it were adapted into a videogame that gives the player the chance to play as both Peter and Eddie Brock/Venom.
Venom’s gameplay is completely different from Peter’s, giving the player a fresh experience every time they switch between the two. Just like many other games, it also features many other Marvel characters, telling an engrossing story centered around Peter and Eddie.
3Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
TheSpider-Verse filmshave been universally praised and have become an integral part of Spider-Man’s media presence. So it’s interesting to see that the idea of a Spider Multiverse was first introduced in a video game. Shattered Dimensions lets fans play with four different Spider-men: 616 Peter Parker, Ultimate Spider-Man with the Symbiote Black Suit,2099’s Miguel O’Hara, and Spider-Man Noir.
Two of these incarnations would later become beloved characters in the Spider-Verse films. The four Spiders feel distinct in their fighting style and even their level of design and aesthetic. This is a must-play for every fan.
2Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Thanks to several pieces of media, especially the Spider-Verse films, Miles Morales has become massively popular. After his first appearance in the PS4 Spider-Man game, Miles received his own stand-alone game in the same series. Simply evolving from the previous game was not enough, as Miles has several key differences from Peter, andInsomniac Gamesimplemented them perfectly.
Just like the previous game with Peter, this one tells a very personal story for the titular character, and the game’s aesthetic is tailored for him. This game is an incredible experience, but there’s one that has yet to be surpassed.
1Marvel’s Spider-Man
Spider-Man has seen so many ventures into gaming, some better than others, but it was in 2018 that Insomniac Games, the studio behindSpyro the DragonandRatchet and Clank, perfected the Spider-Man experience. Spidey’s fighting style, web swinging, science genius, playful personality, and great heart areall polished to perfection.
This is the quintessential web-slinging experience — not just for fans of the character, but also any gamer. Gorgeous graphical fidelity, responsive and smooth gameplay, and terrific storytelling worthy of the best Spider-Man films, Marve’s Spider-Man is one amazing experience. Excelsior!
