Top 10 Best and Worst Spider-Man Games

Top 10 Best and Worst Spider-Man Games



The quality of Spidey games has certainly fluctuated throughout the years. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top ten best and worst Spider-Man games. For this list, we’ll be looking at five of the best and five of the absolute worst “Spider-Man” video games and ranking them based on a mixture of critical reception, commercial success, and legacy.

#5 WORST: “Spider-Man 3” (2007)

2007 really wasn’t a great year for Spidey fans. “Spider-Man 3” was considered an enormous disappointment by many, and the companion video game wasn’t really all that good, either. Treyarch, the developers behind the brilliant “Spider-Man 2,” returned to develop the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. And while everyone expected this next generation Spider-Man to swing straight into our hearts, he ended up falling face-first on the pavement below. The talents of the movie’s cast and the brilliant web-swinging mechanics were wasted on a game with numerous bugs, lackluster “next gen” graphics, an infuriating camera, and unstimulating combat mechanics. It’s not really a BAD game. It’s just so average that it hurts.

#5 BEST: “Spider-Man: Web of Shadows” (2008)

While “Web of Shadows” certainly wasn’t perfect, it was certainly better than “Spider-Man 3” and showed a true representation of what could be accomplished with Spidey on next generation hardware. The game had its fair share of problems, including a weak story and numerous technical issues, but the gameplay made up for its shortcomings. The 3D combat system was interesting and fun to explore, and the game contained a ton of variety in its gameplay mechanics and objectives, including many intriguing boss fights. The game isn’t great, but it helped reinvigorate interest in Spider-Man video games after a massively disappointing title.

#4 WORST: “Spider-Man” (1982)

There were plenty of fantastic and groundbreaking video games released for the Atari. “Spider-Man” was not one of them. The game was released in 1982 and served as the first Spider-Man video game. He deserved better than this. The entire game revolves around you scaling a tall building with your webs and avoiding enemies and bombs. We can’t knock it too much, considering it’s nearly 40 years old, but damn is it boring. Not only that, but the web mechanic is incredibly touchy and sensitive, so you’ll spend a majority of your time falling and screaming at the TV, adamant that your web attached to a section of the building. It’s a frustrating mess.

#4 BEST: “Spider-Man” (2000)

Nearly twenty years after the release of “Spider-Man” on the Atari, Neversoft released “Spider-Man” for the PlayStation, and it is arguably the first truly great Spider-Man video game. The technical aspects of the game were astounding for the time, including the incredible graphics and voice acting. But it’s the gameplay that is the true star here. The game contained a marvelous blend of platforming, fighting, and shooting, and included a ton of interesting collectibles and extras that kept gamers playing for hours on end. “Spider-Man” is one of Spidey’s very best outings and one of the most entertaining games released for the PlayStation.

#3 WORST: “Spider-Man: Friend or Foe” (2007)

“Friend or Foe” was yet another incredibly disappointing piece of Spider-Man-related entertainment released in 2007. It’s a miracle the franchise even rebounded back after all this nonsense. “Friend or Foe” is a re-imagining of the “Spider-Man” film trilogy with a more humorous twist and the gameplay centers around defeating various bosses and converting them to allies. The game contained some fun co-op shenanigans, but it was far too repetitive, and the combat mechanics simply weren’t varied or interesting enough for continued investment. It’s an utterly average and by-the-numbers action game, a title without purpose or personality.

#3 BEST: “Ultimate Spider-Man” (2005)

“Ultimate Spider-Man” is another home run by the classic Treyarch-Activision team and is easily one of the best and most unique Spider-Man games to ever be released. Throughout the game you alternate between Spider-Man and Venom, and each have their own unique gameplay and combat mechanics. Spider-Man controls and acts as you would expect, whereas Venom can perform massive jumps, throw cars, and literally eat people. It’s quite dark. It’s a little on the short side and can be too frustrating for casual players, but the unique comic book style and diverse, compelling gameplay mechanics make “Ultimate Spider-Man” a true Spidey classic.

#2 WORST: “Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six” (1992)

We’re not hating on these old games because they’re old. They’re truly bad games, and “Return of the Sinister Six” is even worse than the Atari original. The game was published by the infamous LJN for the NES in 1992. It was a verbatim copy of the numerous side-scrolling beat-‘em-ups littered throughout arcades in the late 80s and early 90s, only completely terrible. The controls were sloppy, the levels were poorly-designed messes, and the hit and platforming detection was non-responsive 99% of the time. LJN was notoriously terrible, and this video game only perpetuated their horrible reputation.

#2 BEST: “Spider-Man 2” (2004)

“Spider-Man 2” is often considered one of the best superhero movies of all time, and the accompanying video game is one of the greatest pieces of Spider-Man-related entertainment. Manhattan was not only large and detailed, but it was filled with a variety of crimes and collectibles for the completionists. The combat was fun and the villains satisfying to fight. But perhaps the best aspect was the web-swinging mechanic. No longer did Spider-Man simply shoot webs into the sky – now you had to actually swing from buildings. It was a marked improvement over its predecessors that not only helped distinguish “Spider-Man 2” from the rest but provided the most authentic Spider-Man experience of the time.

#1 WORST: “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014)

Don’t confuse “Spider-Man 2” with “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” One is arguably the greatest Spider-Man game ever created. The other is arguably the worst Spider-Man game ever created. You see the difference. It’s clear that this game was rushed to coincide with the movie or something, because it encapsulates everything that makes a poor Spider-Man video game. The controls and camera were horrific and insanely frustrating. The story was uninspired. The graphics were poor. The combat was boring and the AI stupid, providing little challenge. And worst of all, the game was littered with game-breaking and immersion-shattering bugs. It was a total mess that reeked of tie-in cash grab.

#1 BEST: “Spider-Man” (2018)

Well, this is it, guys. The hype was real, and Insomniac didn’t disappoint. This game is a perfect amalgamation of Spider-Man essentials, and it provides the most authentic and exciting Spider-Man experience on a video game system. Not only are the graphics fantastic and the city of Manhattan expansive, but the combat system is detailed and instinctive, allowing us to truly feel like Spider-Man for the very first time. The altering between Spider-Man and Peter Parker is also an interesting mechanic, and the original concept of playing as a slightly older Peter allows the game to explore some intriguing story directions and themes. Sorry “Spider-Man 2,” but it looks like you’ve finally been dethroned.