Of all the comic book characters, Spider-Man takes a top spot when it comes to video games, especially ones that are direct movie tie-ins. The web-slinger has been appearing in video games since the 1980s. It makes sense, as he is one of the most beloved superheroes of all time, and his games probably had a hand in shaping that status. With such a storied history, though, it's inevitable to have some great and not-so-great games.
By far, the best of the best Spider-Man games are the most recently released ones: Marvel’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Another that comes close is the ever-popular Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, which helped kick off the trend of multiversal web-slingers, including PlayStation's Spider-Man, who already entered the multiverse. However, some of the best Spider-Man games have been high-profile movie tie-ins. This is undoubtedly a curious genre of games, as most that fall into this category end up being lackluster cash grabs, but some of Spidey's have been notably good and are fondly remembered.
The Spider-Man movie tie-in games, though, have dominated the genre in the past, and there are quite a few of them. The following rankings will cover almost all of them, with the exception of various handheld versions. This pares it down to six AAA console and PC games. However, it should be mentioned that there was going to be a Spider-Man 4 movie tie-in game. This was never released, as there was never a fourth Raimi Spider-Man film. However, the game was in development, and some footage was leaked. It’s a shame because it might’ve made it to the top of the list. Below is a list of the six of the Spider-Man movie tie-in games, ranked from worst to best.
#6 - The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was released alongside the second Andrew Garfield Spider-Man movie. It was mostly poorly received by fans and critics alike. Mainly due to glitches and repetitive, button-mashy combat and action sequences. The game was released at the turn of the console generation, which didn’t work in its favor. Players on the old consoles suffered significant performance and fidelity issues that players on the new consoles did not, unlike Miles Morales' different PS4 and PS5 versions.
One of the most fun aspects of the game is the web-swinging, which has proven to be a make-or-break feature in Spidey games. It feels fast and intuitive. This is aided by the atmosphere of New York City. The game’s story loosely adapts the movie's events but is mainly a sequel to the first game, establishing its own continuity. That said, the story left much to be desired and could’ve used more time in development.
#5 - Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
While Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is technically not adapting any movie, in particular, the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy heavily inspires its character design. The ability to recruit Spider-Man’s most famous enemies to team up against Mysterio and his symbiotic creations is pretty fun. Many are featured, but fans still look forward to some Spider-Man villains that haven’t appeared in games.
It kind of follows the continuity of the Raimi trilogy as well, but takes so many liberties that it does a better job raising questions than it does telling a coherent narrative. It also reimagines some epic moments from the trilogy with a lighter tone, which is fitting as this game seems to be geared toward younger audiences. The combat is straightforward and non-challenging, but it also allows for two-player co-op, which makes it stand out from the others. At its best, Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is a casual arcade-style experience that doesn’t ask very much from the player.
#4 - Spider-Man 3
The Spider-Man 3 game had many things working in its favor, including showing how more Raimi Spider-Man villains could've looked. It featured some updates to the gameplay systems introduced by its predecessor. It was made for a new generation of consoles, so the graphics were pretty great for the time. However, it came up short in many aspects. The combat started leaning toward the repetitive, button-mashy gameplay of some of the titles mentioned above, and the boss fights were just too simple. The side missions, and even some main missions, became too tedious for a game with a short length. The game’s story also leaves the player wanting more. It loosely adapts the events of the movie upon which it is based but also acts as a prequel of sorts.
#3 - The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is yet another game that loosely adapts the story of the movie it ties into, but isn't quite original like the story of Marvel's Spider-Man and Miles Morales. Still, it has an interesting approach in that it takes place after the events of the film with some alterations to the continuity. The combat in this game is similar to that of the Batman: Arkham series but lacks some of that series' depth. The same goes for the boss fights, which could’ve been better if they were more challenging.
The web-swinging in The Amazing Spider-Man feels pretty satisfying. It takes what was good about the mechanic from previous games and adds more finesse. The camera placement also increases the intensity of swinging around the city. Speaking of, this version of New York City feels pretty expansive, and while it lacks some vibrance, the city is fun to traverse, with side missions, similar to the car chases from Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and hundreds of collectible comic book pages, give the player a reason to explore.
#2 - Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a classic. It was received pretty well at the time and was notable for including voice performances by Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe. It featured a standard beat ‘em up combat style and was moderately challenging. The mission structure was linear, a staple of games at the time, but some outdoor missions allowed the player to web-swing. This mechanic was very rudimentary in 2002. Something fans jokingly point out is how Spidey's webs seemingly attach to clouds.
The game mostly follows the movie’s story, adding fun sequences with villains like Shocker, Vulture, and Scorpion. Players of the Xbox version could experience an additional mission where Spider-Man faces off against Kraven the Hunter, something Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 may take inspiration from. The biggest downside is that the game is pretty short, especially since it lacks an open world and side missions.
#1 - Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is often touted as one of the best Spider-Man games around, and it’s pretty easy to see why. This one was the first to feature open-world gameplay and exploration of New York City. It revolutionized the web-swinging system, fixing the aforementioned webs sticking to clouds. The combat saw some improvements as well. The story, again, adapts the movie's events with some additional characters and content to pad out the runtime. It features sequences with Rhino, Mysterio, and Black Cat. This game paved the way for all of the Spider-Man games that came afterward. Not to mention it has a pretty awesome side-quest fans hope will unnecessarily return in Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Pizza Time!