Following his debut in Amazing Fantasy 15, published August 1962, Spider-Man has etched himself firmly into the top-tier of comic book characters. He’s quite easily one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world, and is most likely on every comic book fan’s Mount Rushmore. He’s literally that guy.
Being a popular comic book character means that you’re also a prime candidate for media adaptations. He’s certainly had some good ones, starring in excellent movies and cartoons, but his true impact on multimedia outside the comics has always been video games. A good Spider-Man video game can really make your day better, as the feeling of being the webhead in an interactive medium is a true delight.
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There have been a lot of Spider-Man games, but considering how far back they go, the ones that truly make you feel like you are being him didn’t really come to fruition until 3D gaming started. These games expertly captured that unfiltered feeling of joy that comes with being Spider-Man.
8
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
The Amazing Spider-Men
These days, the prospect of multiple versions of Spider-Man from different universes teaming up isn’t entirely uncommon. Back in 2010, though, the multiverse craze that has gripped comic book multimedia was just starting to take hold.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions features four different wall-crawlers from different universes, featuring the universes of 616, Noir, 2099 and the Ultimate line. Shattered Dimensions doesn’t just let you play as one Spider-Man, but four unique, equally compelling versions.
The combat is some of the best in a Spider-Man game, and the fluid movement of the webhead is genuinely wonderful. There’s a certain feathery quality to the way Spider-Man dodges and flips around that’s so immensely satisfying.
7
The Amazing Spider-Man
Swing, Swing
I’ve been something of an Andrew Garfield truther ever since The Amazing Spider-Man hit theaters in 2012. In addition to loving the film when it came out, I was equally obsessed with the tie-in game.
Though it didn’t feature Andrew Garfield, it still just absolutely rocks from a gameplay perspective. Swinging around the city feels glorious, which is one of the most important features to get right when making a Spider-Man game.
The smooth feeling of swinging is just dazzling, and the bright, vibrant colors help quite a bit. It’s one of those games that I could just get lost in, as the swinging alone just lets you fall into a trance-like state as you channel your inner Spider-Man.
6
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Symbiote Invasion
Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, it just felt like random Spider-Man games would pop up out of nowhere. The movies were in a fragile state thanks to Tobey Maguire’s departure and Sony’s desire to move on, so it felt like the video games were kind of keeping him in the public eye.
One of the best examples of that was Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, an absolutely brilliant Spidey game that sees Earth invaded by the Symbiotes. Its open-world structure is fabulous, and it features some of the best swinging mechanics in a Spider-Man game I’ve ever played. It also has some cool cameos from across the Marvel universe, featuring Wolverine and Luke Cage among others.
The combat is also a highlight. The way Spider-Man moves and flips around during combat is genuinely insane, and still super impressive. His poses almost feel like Todd McFarlane drawings come to life, as he contorts his body in ways that feel impossible.
5
Spider-Man 2
Open-World Swinging
Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 is often hailed as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, superhero movies ever made. Whether that’s true or not is debatable, but the tie-in video game is usually held in the same esteem as one of the most iconic superhero video games of all time.
Spider-Man 2 promised a huge open-world New York to swing around in, and to say it delivered on that is an understatement. This sprawling vision of New York is still incredible for a PS2 game, and the effort the team put in to make it work is supremely impressive.
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The swinging and flow of combat in Spider-Man 2 is terrific. It’s so insanely satisfying to swing around, and there weren’t many superhero games at the time that were capable of capturing this level of scale.
4
Ultimate Spider-Man
A Comic Book Come to Life
In an effort to cultivate new, younger audiences, Marvel introduced a fresh line of comic books in the early 2000s known as the Ultimates. It was a strong push that worked out in their favor, as the Ultimate Marvel imprint became enormously popular, and its success led to the creation of one of the greatest Spider-Man games ever made.
Ultimate Spider-Man is just a stupendously designed, altogether amazing experience. The comic book-style cutscenes are immaculate, and each part of the game’s visual design is a calculated effort to make it feel like an Ultimate Spider-Man comic book come to life.
Swinging and combat are just outrageously good, as well. At that time, this was the best that Spider-Man had ever felt in video game form. It felt so smooth and natural, and even over two decades later, it’s the kind of game that makes you feel like a kid again.
3
Spider-Man
Core Memory For Every 1990s Kid
Being a Spider-Man fan in the early 2000s was honestly pretty great. You had a big-budget movie adaptation on the way, and could also play an absolutely incredible Spider-Man game on the PS1. Known simply as Spider-Man, this is one of those childhood games that I often think about.
It’s fair to say that some games from this era may not hold up, and in some cases I think that’s true, but Spider-Man absolutely holds up. It ticks all the boxes you’d want for a Spider-Man game, and the way it captures all the goofy energy of a comic book is just lovely.
It’s loaded with classic Spider-Man villains, has a quirky script and some brilliantly charming voice performances. If there’s one game on this list that captures the unhinged joy of being Spider-Man in a colorful, vibrant world of villains, it’s this one.
2
Spider-Man: The Movie
A Spectacular Tie-In
Despite the meteoric rise of the MCU, there was a time when superhero movies weren’t as mainstream as they are today. The likes of Spider-Man, the X-Men and even Smallville on TV, kept superheroes alive on screen in the early 2000s when they were somewhat struggling.
The first Spider-Man movie starring Tobey Maguire was a big part of that, and the tie-in game was just so much fun. If you were as obsessed with this film as I was back in the day, then you know exactly what makes this game so special.
It’s so charming, and so full of life, feeling like a bygone era of superhero games that just don’t really exist anymore. The combat actually has some impressive weight to it, and the simplicity of the swinging is just so appealing.
1
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Insomniac At Their Best
There’s perhaps no game in the world that encapsulates the term “Spider-Man simulator” quite like this. After its showstopping debut at E3 2016, Marvel’s Spider-Man quickly became one of the most anticipated games of its generation.
That was entirely justified, as it proved to be not just an amazing Spider-Man game, but one of the greatest superhero video games ever crafted. Insomniac more than understood the assignment, utilizing their knack for huge open-world games that have fun traversal mechanics to bring Spider-Man to life.
Swinging is just unbelievably good, and by the time the game concludes, the confidence you’ve acquired in your ability to get across the city is remarkable. Combat also hits the spot, allowing for multiple methods to take out enemies, while the hand-to-hand combat is succinct and fierce. It’s cited as the best Spider-Man game for good reason, as there’s no game that captures the joy of being the web-head more than this one.
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