Marvel’s most famous arachnid has had multiple incarnations in video games, practically since the beginning of the medium. Already in the eighties, with Spider-Man converted into a superheroic institution and with successful animated and live-action series behind him, 8-bit video games appeared devoted to his adventures. When his 1990s comics were selling millions of copies, interactive versions of them were released. And of course, from Sam Raimi’s films to today, we have been well stocked with video games of the hero.
So we have compiled all the video games starring Spider-Man and ordered them from worst to best. Of course, as usual, we remind you that this is nothing more than a subjective order and we invite you to discuss it in the comments: What rubbish would you send to the bottom of the list? What hidden gem do you want to recommend? For now, this is our ranking. All together: “Spiderman, Spiderman / Does whatever a spider can”
31. Spider-Man: The Sinister Six (PC, 1996)
A horrible, horrible PC game where the action is replaced by conversations and point-and-click adventures that by 1996 were already out of fashion. Interesting rotoscope animations, and a panoply of fairly crude mini-games and puzzles that make you want to skip the interactive parts so you can enjoy the animations.
30. Spider-Man: Return Of The Sinister Six (NES/Master System/Game Gear, 1992-93)
A horrible game originally programmed for the NES and which enjoyed some disastrous ports. The curse of Marvel games for the Nintendo console continues, of which very few are saved. This is not as atrocious as some of the X-Men of fateful memory, thanks above all to some nice big-headed graphics, but not knowing how to take advantage of the arachnid’s characteristics (zero swings!) and its ridiculous difficulty, which allows it to be killed in fifteen minutes, they send you to the queue of this list.
29. Spider-Man: Friend or Foe (Various Systems, 2007)
After the very powerful ‘Spider-Man Ultimate’ and before the excellent arachnid titles for PS3, the streak was interrupted by this very weak brawler that, despite its nice cartoon graphics and fun cinematics, is boring, slow, and unremarkable. The idea of Spider-Man allying himself with his classic enemies is powerful, but its very low difficulty and outdated effects for the consoles of the time (Wii, PS2, and 360) put it below 16-bit 2D fighting games.
28. The Amazing Spider-Man (Game Boy 1990-1993)
We include in a single position this trilogy of games started by Rare in a first installment that lacks the indisputable virtues of the company’s games for other platforms. All three are medium 2D action games (the second and third also include adventure and puzzle elements) that barely exploit the character’s possibilities, but still have some of the ‘Kung Fu Master’ charm of the titles in this series. style. The third, yes, is a disaster that borders on unplayable.
27. The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom’s Revenge! (Various systems, 1990)
Paragon Software made a few video games based on Marvel heroes (theirs is the indescribable ‘Amazing…’ from 1990), and this one achieved some popularity, especially in 8-bit. The game is nothing more than a succession of battles, ‘Barbarian II’ style, with different villains. Spider-Man and Cap are handled alternately and the mechanics, slow and cumbersome, are not exactly typical of a ‘Street Fighter II’. But the comic cutscenes, the color, and the abundance of characters make it a must-see for archaeologists of comics on screen.
By the way, Spider-Man would appear in another game of shared protagonism, ‘Spider-Man and the so lazy (due to the rush to release it before the license ran out) that its mere existence is forgettable.
26. Questprobe featuring Spider-Man (Various Systems, 1984)
‘Questprobe’ was a very decent trilogy of conversational adventures programmed by pioneer Scott Adams for various microcomputers of the time and starring Marvel heroes (this is the second; the other two are dedicated to Hulk and the Human Torch and The Thing). The intention was to make 12, but the bankruptcy of Adventure International prevented the project from prospering. They are very decent text adventures (although they can be solved in a quarter of an hour if you know the way) and with well-crafted illustrations. They deserved better luck.
25. The Amazing Spider-Man (Various formats, 2012)
You forgot about this game, right? Well, possibly the same as the film that inspired it, which was the reboot of the character on screen after Sam Raimi’s films. However, neither the film nor the video game were without virtues, it’s just that they are barely memorable. With a very uninspired pseudo-sandbox structure and dozens of boring side missions, it has very notable staging findings (the cobwebs, visually beautiful) but it has nothing that makes it stand out. Especially considering that Beenox had released ‘Shattered Dimensions’ a few years before.
24. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Various formats, 2014)
In line with its predecessor, perhaps with some technical improvement (the sandbox part is a little more fun since the balancing, collisions, and management of how to climb the walls have been improved). The game also feels freer, not so dependent on the movie it accompanies (although the previous one was not an adaptation, a sequel), but in general, it suffers from the same problems: it is made with a template, the designs are very subdued and the action provides absolutely nothing that we haven’t already seen very well (or that hasn’t been stolen from the ‘Arkham’)
23. Spider-Man VR (2017/2019, PS4)
That is the two virtual reality games that accompanied the films ‘Homecoming’ and ‘Far from Home’. As full-fledged games, they are rather little, but as toys to feel like superheroes for a while, as happens with Iron Man or Batman, without going any further, they are very fun. The sensation of rocking is very successful to the point of vertigo and although technically they are fair, they more than fulfill their function.
22. Spider-Man 3 (Various formats, 2007)
The worst of the three video games inspired by Raimi’s films accompanied the worst of the three films, which makes all the sense in the world: that narrative mess and the panoply of uninteresting enemies were transferred to a game that couldn’t keep up. the height of its sensational predecessor. If you need a Spider-Man sandbox with heavy, repetitive secondary missions and a very poorly worked plot, the game is not technically bad, but that’s it. Be very careful, however, with the Nintendo DS version, a frenetic and unexpected gem that goes its way.
21. Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety (SNES/Megadrive, 1995)
The worst of the two games that, with just a few months of separation, sent Spider-Man and Venom, allies by circumstances, to confront Matanza, their most paradigmatic enemy of the nineties. The result, in this case, is a me-against-the-neighborhood bland but attractive, repetitive and that, despite its good graphics, does not take much advantage of the characters. It fits perfectly, yes, for some slapping parties between networks.
20. Spider-Man: The Animated Series (Mega Drive/Super Nintendo, 1995)
At a more or less intermediate point between the two most popular action games for 16-bit consoles, we have this title set in the wonderful television animation series, with the most amazing Spider-Man in history and a wonderful graphic finish. Unfortunately, and despite its visual brilliance, the game fails in the setting (amusement parks, that incomprehensible 16-bit plague) and, above all, in the rhythm: for Spider-Man, the game has very few enemies and it is unusually slow. The whole thing is passably fun and great graphically, but it lacks verve.
19. Spider-Man/Venom: Maximum Carnage (SNES/Megadrive, 1994)
Unlike its sequel ‘Separation Anxiety’, this game does not allow cooperative play, with the consequent reduction in party fun, but in general terms, it is a superior proposal. We control both Spider-Man and Venom in somewhat more inspired and charismatic environments than those of ‘Separation Anxiety’, and there are cameos from other Marvel heroes. The graphic finish also has somewhat more polished pixel work. In general, both games make up a powerful brawler combo, but this one is somewhat above.
18. The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin (Various systems, 1990-93)
Under a series of similar names (from a simple ‘Spider-Man’ for the Megadrive to ‘Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin’ for the Sega Mega-CD), Sega released a series of very successful games for all of its consoles in the early 1990s. nineties: Master System, Mega Drive, Game Gear, and Sega Mega-CD. More modest than the arachnid’s encounters with Venom a few years later, they are nevertheless much more competent games, with adventure, exploration, and various mechanics that take advantage of the hero’s ability to climb, throw webs, and take photographs. The Mega-CD version used real voices, stretched the levels, and even gave them a semi-open structure.
17. The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire (32X, 1996)
I have a curious weakness for this game which, at the end of the day, is still one of Sega’s ‘Kingpin’ from the beginning of the decade, but with graphical steroids thanks to the power of the 32X. It was the last game published for the 32X (in fact, the death of the console had already been announced and it was released with very few copies, which has made it a prized collector’s item) and the last one from Sega-Marvel until ‘Iron Man’ in 2008. It is a great action and platform game, frenetic, with multiple cameos and detailed and forceful animations that reflect very well the personality and powers of the hero. A must-have for Spider-Man games before 3D.
16. The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes (SNES, 1994)
This Super Nintendo title never left Japan, and it is understandable to understand why: despite its brawler appearance, it is more of a boss rush in which we have to eliminate the title’s lethal enemies one after another. However, movements and graphics (with a cartoon touch, but not much, in a curious adaptation of the manga-influenced style that was beginning to be used in US comics) are superior to those of Sega games. Plus, the game is packed with Marvel heroes and villains and the powers are well-tailored.
15. The Amazing Spider-Man (Various Systems, 1990)
The hated game originally appeared for Amiga in 1990 and then ported to unusual systems, such as Atari ST, PC, and Commodore 64. However, it is a small delight of neat graphics and screen-to-screen platform action, with absolutely nothing to do with the universe of Spider-Man except for the appearance of Mary-Jane and Mysterio, but full of quirky details that make it memorable: the surreal decorations a bit like ‘The New-Zealand Story’, the way the hero walks through the walls, R2 -D2, mummies and gunmen as villains and the most macabre energy bar in Marvel history.
14. Spider-Man (Atari 2600, 1982)
Little joke with this great game, one of the best on the seminal Atari console, and with its rudimentary graphics and limited mechanics it achieved three not inconsiderable goals for 1982: placing on the screen a Spider-Man perfectly recognizable thanks to the colors of the suit. ; develop a plot that has to do with the hero and his characteristics, something that not all the games on this list can boast of; and present balancing as a key mechanic with a technically astonishing result for the time. A classic with all the letters!
13. Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (Various Systems, 2008)
A game worthy of its ambition, which left the open worlds of titles inspired by movies relatively behind. The most unique thing is its variety depending on the platform: sandbox on PS3, 360, and Wii, 2.5D Beat ’em Up on PS2 and PSP, and Metroidvania on DS. Although the last two variants are the nicest, neither looks particularly good, with an abundance of glitches and repetitive combat. The overly tragic tone of the plot, with Venom attempting to conquer the city with an army of symbiotes, doesn’t sit particularly well either, and the franchise would take a welcome turn in the opposite direction with ‘Shattered Dimensions’. The set is more than interesting, anyway.
12. Spider-Man 2: The Sinister Six (Game Boy Color, 2001)
This semi-occult oddity is a sort of sequel to the groundbreaking Spider-Man game for PSOne (from its portable version, rather), and is far superior to the trilogy of forgettable adventures of the character on Game Boy. This version is a frenetic action adventure with labyrinthine levels that exploit the character’s possibilities, with an appropriately colorful aesthetic and a moderately attractive combat system. Perfect for quick games.
11. Spider-Man: Mysterio’s Menace (Game Boy Advance 2001)
A direct sequel to the Game Boy Color game, a true delight that deserves to be among the best 2D action games of the character and that confirms the Nintendo portable as one of the best machines for games of this type. It repeats the mechanics of its predecessor but with better combat, the use of nets for swinging and attacks, and enemies like Hammerhead, rarely seen on screen. Vibrant graphics and good fun.
10. Spider-Man: Edge of Time (Various Systems, 2011)
Decidedly inferior to the previous Spider-Man game programmed by Beenox, the superb ‘Shattered Dimensions’, but all in all, a good spider-action title that retains the idea of controlling various incarnations of the character, although here in a somewhat more contained way. The two heroes we will bring to life are the usual Spider-Man (with a magnificent suit design, by the way) and the future Spider-Man 2099, moving between the eras of both. Fast-paced action, and very good work with enemies and scenarios, and although it tastes a little stale, the overall balance is great.
9. Spider-Man The Movie (Various Systems, 2002)
Although it is technically somewhat above the two PlayStation games, and what it does is take its open-world ambitions a step further, its dependence on Raimi’s film makes the plot, aesthetics, and villains less interesting. And although at the time the open New York through which to swing left the players dumbfounded and the avalanche of winks was perfect for the fan, the fun fell entirely in interior spaces, with an unmanageable camera and a not-so-fun combat system like that of his predecessors. We would have to wait for its sequel to see how the idea took off.
8. Spider-Man: The Videogame (Arcade, 1991)
Perhaps the best pure Spider-Man brawler, in a typical arcade game of the time that, however, has not reached the popularity of other contemporaries that adapt franchises such as ‘The Simpsons’ or ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’. Sega did a magnificent job here, with graphics of great color and size to the point of rivaling those of ‘Final Fight’, in a game with cameos of multiple Marvel characters, starting with Spidey’s three possible companions: Black Cat, Namor, and Hawkeye. The game even allows itself to momentarily switch to 2D platform action gameplay mechanics, giving a welcome variety to the adventure. Loud, fast, and tremendous.
7. Spider-Man (Playstation, 2000)
The game that revolutionized the vision of Spider-Man in video games is this title from the first Playstation that would soon be surpassed (without going any further, by its sequel), but which contained so many references to the original comics and captured its meaning so well. spirit (from the action plot) that simply left behind the character’s previous titles, which seemed to be based on him only nominally. The moves, the combat system, the swinging… this game is Spider-Man in its purest form, and even today it’s amazing to see how he overcomes multiple technical limitations. Without a doubt, the key game is to understand the character in the middle.
6. Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro (Playstation, 2001)
Even better than its predecessor, squeezing the engine created for the ‘Tony Hawk’s’ to astonishing limits, it improved what was barely limping in the previous title: there are sections in which you can roam the city freely, the combat system evolves, there are different suits and the secondary ones and enemies multiply. Of the versions of Electro and the Sandman, what’s the point: I wish the movies (and their corresponding games) had taken good note. Yes!
5. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (Various Systems, 2010)
A real delight that came at a time of certain fatigue with open-world Spider-Man games. This title returned to a more linear structure but loaded it with variety with the idea of arachnids from alternative universes, fashionable today thanks to ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ‘, but which a decade ago had only been seen in this one. level in comics. Almost four games in one (Amazing, Noir, 2099, and Ultimate), each with its characteristics, atmosphere, and controls, but which come together naturally into a single, wonderful adventure.
4. Spider-Man 2 (Various Systems, 2004)
The classic Spider-Man sandbox par excellence hit the target with one of its typical features: the possibility of wandering around the city swinging with the web, something that for the first time was fun in itself, and that they would take into account years later the Insomniac Games games. The dynamic of side missions fit perfectly with the spirit of Spider-Man and was also based on Raimi’s best film. And as a cherry on top, it allowed delicious extras such as the confrontation with Mysterio or the voice of Bruce Campbell.
3. Ultimate Spider-Man (Various Systems, 2005)
Although ‘Spider-Man 2’ has a (deserved) fame as one of the best sandboxes of the character, it could be said that it was surpassed not by the weak third part, but by this excellent version with cel-shading graphics. Everything that made ‘Spider-Man 2’ great is here enhanced thanks to dispensing with the film’s plot burden: great action, secondary characters, a multitude of winks for fans, this time filtered by a great sense of humor and script by Brian Michael Bendis, writer of the original Ultimate comics.
Also, keep an eye on the prequels to the portable versions of ‘Ultimate’ on Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, subtitled ‘Battle for New York’: a couple of nice action adventures that let the player give life to the Green Goblin from the Ultimate universe (his precedent did it with Venom). Effective and fast action that shines especially on Game Boy Advance, in the style of the imposing ‘Mysterio’s Menace’
2. Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5/PS4, 2020)
In a certain sense inferior and a certain sense superior to its predecessor, the PS4 ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’. At times it is too similar, and it is clear that all its positive aspects (the exploration of the city, the good taste of the secondary missions) were already present in its predecessor. On the other hand, it irons out some problems (eliminates the leaden stealth sections with Mary Jane, for example) and takes good advantage of the not-yet-well-explored possibilities of PlayStation 5, such as the dazzling reflection effects on buildings. Its reputation as a mere DLC is unjustified, but the throne is clear to whom it belongs.
1. Marvel’s Spider-Man (PS4, 2018)
An absolute surprise that continues the tradition of ‘Spider-Man 2’, but takes advantage of the extraordinary power of the console to create a lively and fascinating city to explore with the help of a network. With one of the best combat systems in the history of the character’s video games (openly inspired by ‘Arkham’, yes) and secondary missions that are a pleasure to solve one hundred percent, Insomniac Games hit the mark with a game that, as usual, is full of winks, costumes, and extras for fans.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
