Summary
Superhero games have been around since gaming started to rise in arcades and home consoles such as the Atari 2600.Spider-Manhas been fortunate enough to be one of those superheroes adapted to many video games, starting in the 70s and going up to the 2020s, with dozens of games in the Marvel hero’s history.
In the last two decades, there have been over fifteen different Spider-Man games and one reason whySpider-Mangames are so famous is because of how versatile the character is without being super overpowered. His quick-witted attitude and swift abilities are also entertaining for most players. However, the biggest reason why most gamers play Spider-Man games is web-swinging.
Updated on February 1st, 2025, by Melody MacReady:It’s difficult to envision a Spider-Man game without excellent web-swinging mechanics that motivate players to thoroughly explore their worlds, from the streets of New York City to across the Marvel multiverse. Even classic linear games have left their unique mark on web-swinging, with some games performing better and others revolutionizing web-swinging. Nonetheless, even titles that weren’t as effective deserve recognition for their contributions to the genre, as they helped pave the way for the mechanics we see in Spider-Man games today.
In 2007,Spider-Man 3was probably the most awaited superhero movie for fans. Hence, its tie-in game was also one of the most intriguing games of the year. Moreover, players were super excited to playSpider-Man 3, as it was made byCall of Dutydeveloper Treyarch, who also developed the two previous games.
Unfortunately, the game disappointed many players due to its odd pacing and poor mission structure. The negative reviews became a big reason many players didn’t even try the game. It later found new life as the source of many memes thanks to the cutscenes, but web-swinging itself is one of the game’s strongest aspects, adding more weight and momentum to Spider-Man’s movements.
Based on the first Sam Raimi movie and featuring Tobey Maguire as the voice of Peter Parker,Spider-Manretells the web-slinger’s origin from the movie with even more villains added, including Shocker, Scorpion, and Vulture. Unlike its more famous sequel, there is no open world to explore; instead, there are linear levels to progress through.
However, Spider-Man does still fear momentum-based web-swinging in this game, with an emphasis placed on swing kicking that can mix well with hand-to-hand combat. The only downside is that Spider-Man’s webs seem to grab onto the sky itself. The web-swinging was even the focus of an entire bowling mode in which Spider-Man is the ball and thugs are the pins.
It’s easy to look back on 2000’sSpider-Manand call it a dated product, but the game remainsa beloved game for the PlayStation 1thanks to sheer heart and a great understanding of what makes Spider-Man so riveting as a character. Swinging around in this game was a ton of fun at the time, and can still be pretty fun despite its on-rails approach and lack of realism.
There’s something strangely captivating about watching the web-slinger launch his web into the sky and swing through the city. The movement is quick and responsive. What truly stands out is the dynamic between Spider-Man and Venom as partners, with the two sharing the funniest interactions throughout the story.
The Amazing Spider-Manis a game that served as a tie-in pseudo-sequel to the first Andrew Garfield movie. However, it offers a much different story that starts months after the events of the film.The Amazing Spider-Manis one memorable game as it finally brought back the open world and introduced more free-flowing combat,similar to theBatman: Arkhamgames.
The game focused on letting players solve crimes in Manhattan as side content while completing linear scenarios to progress through the story. The swinging in the game was completely revamped as well, with an automatic third-person view camera that would adjust the field of view based on Spider-Man’s actions while swinging.
Spider-Man: Edge of Timeis the sequel toSpider-Man: Shattered Dimensionsand continues with the more linear mission design. In the game, players assume control of two renditions of Spider-Man. One is Spider-Man 2099, Miguel O’Hara, and the other is the Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker.
Edge of Timehad a unique gameplay concept: players switch between the two superheroes and change the past to alter the future. Despite its linear design, the game offered strong web-swinging mechanics, even if they were mostly optional.Peter and Miguel have unique combatand swinging styles that make the dynamic even more appealing.
The more we say aboutLEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2, the less it is. The popular Lego game is a one-of-a-kind action-adventure title that offers players a huge variety of superheroes to play. One such character is Spider-Man, who packs all his classic moves in theLEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2.
Anyone who has played LEGO games knows they are famous for building detailed characters with authentic attributes andLEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2is no different. Hence, Spider-Man feels extremely fun to play and comes with a top-notch swinging mechanism that works for the game.
Spider-Man: Web of Shadowsmay be one of the most experimental superhero games of all time. It’s a third-person action-adventure title that is heavily focused on a karma system, where players’ actions will change the course of the game. InSpider-Man: Web of Shadows,players can swap between the normal andsymbiote versions of Spider-Manwith the tap of a button.
Hence, gamers can easily switch between the symbiotic suit and the regular one based on how they want to tackle a situation, which includes different web-swinging, combat, and abilities. The game came out in 2008 but still holds up in various areas, with some gamers praising it for doing some things better than the current games.
Often overlooked,Ultimate Spider-Manis a 2005 game that is known for its comic-book art style and visual design. It’s an open-world game with an emphasis on beat-em-up combat and a free-roam mission structure. The game’s story is centered around Venom and Spider-Man, and it is up to players to pick which character they want to use to finish the missions.
Long beforeMarvel’s Spider-Man 2,Ultimate Spider-Manwas the first open-world Spider-Man game to feature more than one playable character, with Venom and Spidey having distinct attacks and powers.Venom uses his symbiote tendrilsto travel around the city, while Spider-Man uses his web to swing across skyscrapers.
Spider-Man 2was the go-to game for anyone who wanted to feel like a true web-crawling superhero. The 2004 game defined what it meant to beSpider-Manwith its open-world gameplay, strong mission structure for the time, and web-swinging mechanics that inspired the newer games in the franchise.
The game also popularized gameplay features to web-swinging such as power jumps and wall-running, which truly make it stand out compared to otherSpider-Mantitles. It was also the first game to ever use realistic anchor points for the webs rather than just having Spidey stick to the ceiling and the sky.
The final game developed by Activision and Beenox,The Amazing Spider-Man 2, continued togive fans a fun open-world adventure. The game came out in 2014 and improved everything that made the first one good, featuring a different story, with more characters, enemies, and an arguably better plot than the movie it is based on.
WhileThe Amazing Spider-Man 2isn’t a masterpiece, it offers an entertaining experience and a memorable interpretation of the villains. Additionally, the web-swinging mechanics are noteworthy; the game experiments with controls by assigning each web shooter to a corresponding trigger, which adds finesse to the web-swinging experience.
