Few superheroes are as well-suited to video game adaptations as Marvel’s Spider-Man. It’s a story that’s been told in various ways and on every imaginable medium. Combined with his great combat skills, the wall-crawling webhead’s power to swing through the air makes him an unparalleled playable character, leading to some genuinely fantastic video games.
Not all of them have been flawless, but most have provided something distinctive, which is quite an accomplishment given how many Spider-Man games there have been over the years. If you’re curious about which Spider-Man games to enjoy in your leisure time, here are our top selections for the best video games starring Spidey. So, let’s dig in!
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
We start off our list of the best Spider-Man games with the latest Spider-Man game. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was released on October 20, 2023, as the sequel to one of the greatest superhero games of all time. Needless to say, expectations were high.
However, Insomniac Games has managed to keep the essence of the first game alive and improve upon it in multiple ways. First off, everyone’s favorite symbiote villain, Venom, plays the antagonist. Secondly, we get to use an all-new version of the Symbiote Suit.
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MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN 2 – PS5 Launch Edition | $69.85 | Buy on Amazon |
This adds a hefty amount of new gameplay mechanics, and the game also features multiple villains from the Spider-Man rogues gallery. The likes of Sandman and Kraven also make an appearance.
Of course, Insomniac has ensured complete fan service in multiple segments of the game. The story is emotional, impactful, and some of the best-written among games released recently. If you’re a Spider-Man fan, you simply can’t afford to miss this one!
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release date: October 20, 2023
Marvel’s Spider-Man
No matter how good any of Spider-Man’s prior games were, they all pale compared to the latest installment and its wonderfully written tale.
Insomniac Games used their Sunset Overdrive experience to provide the web-swinging features in this game the same flexibility of movement, making roaming the enormous New York open world a total pleasure. Aerial combat is also fantastic, as is regular-old ground-based brawling, which perfectly integrates the spider’s agility into his fighting style. And Spider-Man’s never looked better.
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Marvel’s Spider-Man - Playstation 4 (PS4) | $45.94 | Buy on Amazon |
The best part? The sheer number of unlocked suits allows you to enjoy various variations of the friendly neighborhood hero. It’s the best Spider-Man game you can ever play!
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release date: September 7, 2018
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a wonderful video game, although it is still relatively new compared to some of the previous great Spider-Man titles. Miles Morales’ first major solo release is full of fantastic moments and offers an overall experience that should not be missed.
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Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales - PlayStation 5 |
$33.25 |
Buy on Amazon |
Insomniac Games has eliminated the fat from the original and incorporated new elements that distinguish Miles from Peter without completely ruining what people enjoyed about its predecessor. Where it falls short is in its relatively brief campaign, but the game is so delightful that it doesn’t matter. This is one of the best single-player PS4 games you can play today!
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release date: November 12, 2020
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
While Spider-Man: Friend or Foe takes place in a 3D world, it is a traditional side-scrolling game that encourages players to follow a predetermined path. You explore along roofs, rush along motorways, and generally work through sets that let you go right or left with enough wiggle space to avoid adversaries.
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Spiderman: Friend or Foe - PlayStation 2 | $6.89 | Buy on Amazon |
Overall, Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is a well-executed remake of an old game. It’s short and easy, but the two-player mode and the arenas offer replay value.
If you enjoy action games, especially Spider-Man, you should try this one.
Developer: Next Level Games
Publisher: Activision Inc.
Release date: October 4, 2007
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions is a multiplatform game released in 2010 that lets players control one of four different Spider-Men. The game features Ultimate Spider-Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man Noir, and Spider-Man 2099, providing lots of gameplay variety.
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Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions - Playstation 3 | $79.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Shattered Dimensions is a lot of fun to play, owing to the variety of gameplay modes. Noir, for example, is all about stealth, whereas 2099 is all about high-tech equipment. There is fun around every corner, but the most memorable feature may be the numerous amazing boss battles.
Developer: Beenox
Publisher: Activision Inc.
Release date: September 7, 2010
Spider-Man – Edge of Time
Spider-Man: Edge Of Time, the oft-forgotten sequel to Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, could have been more solid than the original, nor did it offer as much variety in terms of gameplay. It more than compensated for this with a terrific tale crafted by legendary Spider-Man comics writer Peter David.
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Spider Man - Edge of Time (PS3) | $119.99 | Buy on Amazon |
It focuses only on Peter Parker’s Spider-Man and his opponent, Miguel O’Hara. The couple must coordinate their activities across time and space to preserve the future from disaster. While the gameplay is repetitious and includes some difficult boss fights, it’s still enjoyable when all is said and done.
Developer: Beenox
Publisher: Activision Inc
Release date: October 14, 2011
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
First, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 nails web flinging, which no 3D Spider game has done in years. The concept is simple: the left and right triggers control the left and right webs, forcing you to look for a physical anchor point before swinging around.
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The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - PlayStation 4 | $39.47 | Buy on Amazon |
There is a lot of fun here, especially because new villains are presented every half an hour, and roaming the city between them is enjoyable. It’s a mess, but it’s a good mess if all you want to see is Spider-Man beat up and web-up some bad guys.
Developer: Beenox
Publisher: Activision Inc
Release date: April 29, 2014
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man is a hit video game loosely based on the comic book series of the same name. It thrived from being written by the incredibly talented Brian Michael Bendis, who wrote the series. Players control Spider-Man and Venom in it, resulting in a completely distinct experience each time.
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Ultimate Spider-Man | $31.00 | Buy on Amazon |
That means players can freely travel the city with both characters, do their own thing, or take up missions to advance the story. Venom, on the other hand, needs to consume people to refill his health. Yes, the protagonist of the game eats people. Bendis reworked the tale into the original series because it was amazing.
Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision Inc
Release date: September 22, 2005
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Fans worldwide disregard fantastic Spider-Man games, such as Treyarch’s Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, which is what Spider-Man 3 should have been (and much more).
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Spider-Man: Web of Shadows - Playstation 3 | $200.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Switching between normal Spidey and the symbiote-infested black costume is always wonderful in its portrayal. This game takes it further by providing the story with different endings based on how frequently you succumb to your violent symbiote-driven impulses.
Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision Inc.
Release date: October 21, 2008
Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro
Enter Electro, like Spider-Man (2000), featured Spidey swinging across the streets of New York City, but this time with Electro as the major antagonist. Fans of Maxwell Dillon’s villain were pleased with this move, given how little time he spends in the spotlight.
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Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro - PlayStation | $45.03 | Buy on Amazon |
Enter Electro expanded on the great foundations of its predecessor by adding the ability to battle and travel on the street level. It’s best known for being re-released after the September 11th attacks to remove allusions to the World Trade Center. That isn’t to say it isn’t also known for being a great adventure game.
Developer: Vicarious Visions
Publisher: Activision Inc.
Release date: August 26, 2001
Why Are Spider-Man Video Games So Popular?
Spider-Man video games are undeniably excellent, proving that the Wall Crawler is the superhero most suited for video gaming. Yes, Batman is fantastic, and the Arkham games are fantastic, but many sacrifices must be made for Batman to work.
Spider-Man does not require such a compromise because of his superpowers. Since the early 1980s, Spider-Man has been featured in video games. That’s almost as long as Mario and Peach’s obsession with having makeout sessions in and around castles, and there’s been a lot to adore in that time.
The 1990s were a lovely nightmare for side-scroller fans; the 2000s were obsessed with exploration and offering Peter Parker his makeovers.
However, when Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4 was released, it was an instant critical and economic success. Critics appreciated the game for making you feel like the wall-crawler, not just by allowing you to explore his complete range of abilities but also by allowing you to experience the hardships that Peter Parker has to deal with daily.
Like a few other superhero games, the game combined exciting fighting, enjoyable navigation, and a meaningful tale. Since then, a series of Spider-Man games have been introduced, and new games are coming up now and then.
But what makes video game fans drawn to them? Honestly, Spider-Man games offer everything that no superhero game doesn’t. Let’s take a look.
➡️ They Feature Gameplay Focusing On Combat And Stealth
Those who have played previous Spider-Man games or seen one of his films will recognize that Spider-Man adopts a unique way of combat, focusing on acrobatic stunts and flinging his web to punish evildoers. The video games manage to create that fluid combat that feels real, like our hero.
The game’s fast-paced opening sections allow players to freely twist, flip, and jump off nearly any surface to gain an advantage in a fight. Combos are immensely satisfying to pull off and, despite the amount of action on the screen, are surprisingly simple to master.
Also, Spider-Man games include sequences in which they must destroy foes from above using various stealth strategies that reward the player the more they polish their craft.
➡️ The Stories Are Spectacular
A superhero is only as intriguing and well-developed as his supervillain adversaries. Both sides of this continually shifting coin must have compelling objectives that convince audiences that what they’re fighting for is true and worthwhile. That’s exactly what Spider-Man video games deliver.
Rather than telling players how Uncle Ben’s death motivates Peter to put on the mask every day of his life, Peter fights because it’s become a routine for him, which seems unexplored in superhero culture. Most key baddies have been apprehended, and the day has been saved multiple times.
However, Peter clearly cannot handle the thought of giving up his life of crime-fighting for the same reason his opponents refuse to submit.
The best part? These games’ many complicated aspects generate a black-and-white spectrum that is not one-sided. Even though we play as our friendly neighborhood superheroes, the games are fast to build a reasonably strong argument for the villains’ varied motives.
➡️ There Is An Overabundance Of Collectibles
There are various types of collectibles in Spider-Man games that you can collect during the game. While certain collectibles are labeled on your map, making them easy to identify, some are difficult to spot, even if there is no reward for locating them.
They’re fun to collect because they’re not just random items found on the ground. They are stuff you must swing, which is a lot of fun. They all have their narrative function and award the player with Tokens.
Backpack Tokens, Research Tokens and Landmark Tokens are for purchasing suits, gadgets and other items that will aid Spidey in the game. Although the Base and Challenge Tokens are normally required for the more upscale equipment, it’s amazing that the collectibles are entertaining to collect and have worth as in-game currency.
Because of Spider-Man’s popularity and influence, numerous games have been based on him. He’s too unusual a character to overlook in the often-overcrowded superhero realm (full of overpowering hulks and endlessly captivating hunks).
His demeanor and character instantly relate to gamers, and his skills are a natural fit for video game environments. His secret is drawing fans of all ages to this superhero universe.
Suppose it’s not the zany action that comes with being a giant human spider or the elegance of swinging from skyscraper to skyscraper as the Manhattan sunrise glows down Broadway. In that case, Spider-Man’s behavior lends to action games in open-world and game developers know it.
Wrapping Up
That’s all there is to it—a look at the finest Spider-Man games to explore the superhero world. Of course, many more Spider-Man games have been released throughout the years, and this trend does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
If you own a PlayStation 5, you may look forward to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which is set to debut on October 20th, 2023. So, have fun venturing into your favorite superhero realm and have hours of uninterrupted gameplay!
Next up, take a look at our list of the best PS4 exclusive games you should play right now!
