Spider-Man 2 is out today, and while you might be most hype to play the game, you may also want to see how Spidey’s video game forays have evolved through the years. We’ll go over the best and the worst the Spider-Man games in this list. Strap in.
The Best and Worst Spider-Man Games Ranked
Best: Spider-Man (2002)
The 2002 Spider-Man film revitalized the superhero movie genre. Shortly after came the obligatory video game tie-in featuring the web-crawler for Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube. The game was faithful to the movie in every way and even featured the voice talents of Tobey Macguire, who gives a great effort.
The gameplay has held up through the decades, with some wildly impressive graphics and set pieces for its time. The boss battles were fun and creative, and each level had a different objective, keeping the gameplay fresh. At the time, it was easily the best superhero game ever made.
Worst: Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
While not a terrible game, Spider Man: Friend or Foe just didn’t introduce anything new to a formula that was getting stale by 2007. It’s your classic 3D beat-em-up with an original story and a ton of different characters from Marvel tagging along, and it also has co-op to boot.
The problem is the game is terribly easy. It has some interesting scenarios and combat depth, but there is little reason to dive into it as the basic combo you get from the start is more than enough to get the job done. After the incredible Spider-Man 2, this game felt far more ’90s than 2000s, and made little sense. The cutesy tone to it didn’t help, either, considering the overall serious tone of Spider-Man.
Best: Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is considered the best Spider-Man movie, and the game that came with it held the title of best game in the series for a long time, too. Spider-Man 2 introduced the first open world for superhero video games. Taking a page from Grand Theft Auto, Spider Man 2 gave us an entire city to explore. Swinging throughout the city was done with incredible precision and was the groundwork for what Insomniac would eventually do with Spider-Man on PS4.
Worst: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
This one is really disappointing because, on the surface, it should’ve been the perfect Spider-Man game. It had a fun combat system, decent enough graphics, and a cool morality system that could shape the story depending on what you choose in conversations.
The problem is the whole experience felt very rushed, and none of the cool systems, either combat or story-wise, get any room to breathe. It felt like a game that was shoved out the door to release in time with the equally disappointing movie, and it’s a shame because many of the systems introduced here would get improved upon and perfected by Insomniac in the following years.
Best: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions was so different than anything like it. The game took you to several different dimensions and had you playing as multiple iterations of Spider-Man along the way. You could say this game was the inspiration of Spider Man: Into the Spiderverse, as it features many of the same characters.
Each Spider-Man played differently and some completely switched things up with the spectacular Spider-Man Noir segment, which took the cake for the best segment in the game. Fans of all generations of Spider-Man could come together for this game and get something special out of it.
Worst: Spider-Man 3
It appears the games featuring Spider-Man that come paired with movies often reflect the quality of the film. That’s the case here with Spider-Man 3 as the game was just as disappointing and bland as the movie it covers. It had graphics that were a full generation behind, a lackluster campaign, and overall felt far less polished than a game that came out three years earlier. It didn’t do anything interesting with the movie plot, Symbiote suit Spider Man, or any of the many bosses it features.
Despite giving you access to tons of combos, none are necessary as the game is just a button mast fest with very little strategy needed. The city is still a joy to explore and solving crimes throughout is a fun preview of what would become perfected in 2018, but there is no reason to waste your time with this one as it’s somehow worse than the movie.
Best: Spider-Man (PS4)
The game changer. The chosen one. All the hype for this game is justified and then some. It’s not only the best Spider-Man game ever made, it’s also the best moving media representation of the character ever made and one of the wall-crawler’s best stories as well. Peter Parker is incredibly well done here, with the talented Yuri Lowenthal voicing him. The combat is fast and fun, offering a variety of combos to pull off as well as special attacks to unlock.
Spider-Man’s world has never looked better, either, with New York City bursting with life. The swelling music that starts as you swing through the city truly gives you chills, giving you the sensation of being right there in the game. The story is darker than you might expect, and . multiple villains make an appearance. Spider-Man PS4 isn’t afraid to venture to the dark side and its all the better for it.
It’s not the longest game, but every moment feels like it was crafted with love for the character and it’s the truest representation of a comic book character in a game to date. Right now, this game is available along with Spider Man: Miles Morales, which is a side story of sorts bridging the first game to the upcoming sequel. For fans of the series, that combo is simply unbeatable and one of the best all around games available.
Spider-Man is a rare example of a superhero that has some of the best and worst games around. Of course, it’s best to look to the future. Spider-Man 2 is here, and it’s time to web-sling with the best of them. Will it fit among this list? We’ll find out. Look for our Spider-Man 2 guides here on GameSkinny.
