Growing up with Spider-Man is something most of us had to experience as kids. From cartoons to comics and from video games to movies, the Spider-Man franchise has been a huge part of everyone’s life in some way.
In this article, we are focusing on every Spider-Man video game, from the very first one to today’s last one. This is going to be a long historic journey, so sit back, relax, and enjoy it.
Who is Spider-Man?
First things first. We need to know who is the main hero of this article, right? Right! So, let’s get to know him, shall we?
Spider-Man is a superhero created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. His first appearance was in the comic book Amazing Fantasy #15 in August 1962. Since then Spider-Man has been featured in comic books, TV shows, films, video games, and novels. Marvel has featured Spider-Man in several comic book series.
BONUS INFO: Spider-Man is one of the most popular and commercially successful superheroes!!!
The face behind Spider-Man was Peter Benjamin Parker. His uncles raised him as an orphan in New York City after his parents died in a plane crash. Peter was bitten by a radioactive spider and gained his superhuman spider powers. He initially used his powers for personal gain, but after his uncle was killed by a thief that he could have stopped but did not, Peter began to use his powers to fight crime as Spider-Man.
Spider-Man – 1982
| Release: | November 1982 |
| Programmer: | Laura Nikolich |
| Publishers: | Parker Brothers |
| Platform: | Atari 2600 |
| Genre: | Action |
| Mode: | Single-player, Multiplayer |
You play as Spider-Man who is trying to scale a building and destroy the bombs that the Green Goblin planted. Meanwhile, you will face enemies moving from one window to another. However, the web fluid is limited so the game is challenging.
BONUS INFO: Spider-Man was the first video game to feature Spider-Man's character and the first Marvel Comics based video game.
Questprobe featuring Spider-Man (1984)
| Release: | December 1984 |
| Developer: | Adventure International |
| Publishers: | Adventure International |
| Platform: | Acorn Electron, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, Commodore 16, Dragon 32, MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum |
| Genre: | Adventure Game |
| Mode: | Single-player |
In Questprobe featuring Spider-Man, the player controls Spider-Man who is imprisoned in a skyscraper. While exploring the skyscraper, he will have to solve puzzles and encounter other characters such as Hydro-Man, Ringmaster, Sandman, Lizard, and Madame Web.
BONUS INFO: Unlike previous releases, Questprobe featuring Spider-Man was not limited to simple verb/noun input, and could accept complex sentences.
The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom’s Revenge! (1989)
| Release: | 1989 |
| Developer: | Paragon Software |
| Publishers: | Paragon Software, Empire Software, and Medalist International |
| Platform: | Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, ZX Spectrum |
| Genre: | Arcade, Fighting |
| Mode: | Single-player |
After his defeat by Spider-Man, Doctor Doom is trying to make an army by hiring some criminals. All he wants is to find and attack Spider-Man. Spider-Man gets help from Captain America and together they are going to face Doctor Doom.
The Amazing Spider-Man (1990)
| Release: | 1990 |
| Developer: | Oxford Digital Enterprises |
| Publishers: | Paragon Software, Empire Software |
| Platform: | Commodore 64, Amiga, IBM PC compatibles, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST. |
| Genre: | Platform Game |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Mary Jane, Spider-Man’s wife, has been kidnapped by Mysterio. To save her, Spider-Man must navigate various environments and puzzles that represent Mysterio’s obsession with film.
Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin (1991)
| Release: | 1991 |
| Developer: | Technopop, Sega |
| Publishers: | Sega, Acclaim Entertainment |
| Platform: | Mega Drive/Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, Sega CD |
| Genre: | Action |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The Kingpin places a nuclear bomb in New York City and blames Spider-Man. The keys to deactivate the bomb have been spread over various places. Spider-Man has to find the keys and disarm the bomb.
BONUS INFO: All versions of the video game are side-scrolling platform games but each platform offers alternative endings!
The Punisher: The Ultimate Payback! (1991)
| Release: | 1991 |
| Developer: | Beam Software |
| Publishers: | Acclaim Entertainment |
| Platform: | Game Boy |
| Genre: | Shoot ’em up |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game follows Frank Castle a.k.a Punisher. Spider-Man is guiding him to hunt a drug lord who is hiding in a mall. In this game, the player plays as the Punisher.
Spider-Man: The Video Game (1991)
| Release: | September 1991 |
| Developer: | Sega |
| Publishers: | Sega |
| Platform: | Arcade |
| Genre: | Beat ’em up |
| Mode: | Single-player, Up to 4 players |
Spider-Man and his allies (Black Cat, Sub-Mariner, and Hawkeye) must retrieve a mystical artifact first from the Kingpin, then Doctor Doom. You can play as one of four heroes, each one has a unique set of moves and attacks/abilities.
BONUS INFO: The game was released as a coin-operated arcade title.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (1992)
| Release: | 1992 |
| Developer: | Bits Studios |
| Publishers: | Acclaim Entertainment |
| Platform: | Game Boy |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game follows a group of supervillains, Lizard, Graviton, Carnage, and Mysterio. They have framed Spider-Man for a bank robbery and he must survive battling various thugs and supervillains to clear his name.
Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six (1992)
| Release: | 1992 |
| Developer: | Bits Studios |
| Publishers: | Acclaim Entertainment |
| Platform: | NES, Master System, Game Gear |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Doctor Octopus wants to take over the world with the help of the Sinister Six. Spider-Man manages to defeat them all and save the world.
BONUS INFO: In comparison to the NES version, the Sega Master System version is easier as certain items were moved, some enemies are taken out, and Doctor Octopus and Mysterio now only have one health bar, among a few other changes.
On the other hand, the Game Gear version is exactly the same to the Sega Master System version except that the screen shows a smaller portion of the level.
Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge (1992)
| Release: | 1992 |
| Developer: | Software Creations, Unexpected Development |
| Publishers: | Acclaim Entertainment |
| Platform: | Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Gear, Game Boy |
| Genre: | Action, Platform |
| Mode: | Single-player |
X-Men Cyclops, Storm, and Wolverine have been disappeared. Spider-Man tracks Arcade down to an abandoned building where he finds them, and he has to battle with Arcade so they can all escape.
BONUS INFO: All the heroes have the same lives, meaning if one hero loses a life, the others do as well.
The Amazing Spider-Man 3: Invasion of the Spider-Slayers (1993)
| Release: | 1993 |
| Developer: | Bits Studios |
| Publishers: | LJN |
| Platform: | Game Boy |
| Genre: | Platform game |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Spider-Man is attacked by robots and he must figure out who is behind this attack. He fights enemies while solving various types of puzzles so he can end these attacks!
Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (1994)
| Release: | September 16, 1994 |
| Developer: | Software Creations |
| Publishers: | Acclaim Entertainment |
| Platform: | Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis |
| Genre: | Beat ’em up |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The player controls Spider-Man and Venom to stop the supervillain Carnage and his team from taking over the city.
BONUS INFO: Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is actually one of the first video games to be directly based on a comic book story!
The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes (1995)
| Release: | March 17, 1995 |
| Developer: | Argent |
| Publishers: | Epoch Co. |
| Platform: | Super Famicom |
| Genre: | Action |
| Mode: | Single-player |
A new group of Spider-Slayers has invaded the city, and have teamed up with Dr. Octapus to take over New York. Spider-man is the guy on the scene who takes on the threat and saves the city.
Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety (1995)
| Release: | November 1995 |
| Developer: | Software Creations |
| Publishers: | Acclaim Entertainment |
| Platform: | Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, PC |
| Genre: | Beat ’em up |
| Mode: | Single-player, cooperative |
One or two players team up as Spider-Man and Venom to defeat the symbiote Carnage, but Captain America, Ghost Rider, Hawkeye, and Daredevil also assist them.
Spider-Man (1995)
| Release: | 1995 |
| Developer: | Western Technologies |
| Publishers: | Acclaim Entertainment |
| Platform: | Sega Genesis, Super NES |
| Genre: | Action |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Four of Spider-Man’s enemies escape from Ravencroft prison. It’s up to Spider-Man to stop them before they wreck New York City.
BONUS INFO: The two versions of the game have the same story but have gameplay, level, and enemy differences.
The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire (1996)
| Release: | March 1996 |
| Developer: | BlueSky Software, Zono |
| Publishers: | Sega |
| Platform: | 32X |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The terrorist group Hydra, in alliance with the New Enforcers, plans to envelop New York City with an electrical plasma grid. To thwart their scheme, Spider-Man will team up with Daredevil to save the city.
Spider-Man: The Sinister Six (1996)
| Release: | 1996 |
| Developer: | Brooklyn Multimedia |
| Publishers: | BMM GmbH, Byron Preiss Multimedia Company, Inc. |
| Platform: | DOS |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game’s story follows Spider-Man, who is trying to defeat The Sinister Six (Dr. Octopus, Hobgoblin, Shocker, Chameleon, Mysterio, and Vulture). The player can control both Spider-Man and his alter-ego Peter Parker.
Spider-Man (2000)
| Release: | August 30, 2000 |
| Developer: | Neversoft |
| Publishers: | Activision, Aspyr |
| Platform: | PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game’s story follows Spider-Man who attempts to clear his name after being framed by a doppelgänger and becoming a wanted criminal! He must also foil a symbiote invasion orchestrated by Doctor Octopus and Carnage.
Spider-Man 2: The Sinister Six (2001)
| Release: | May 18, 2001 |
| Developer: | Torus Games |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | Game Boy Color |
| Genre: | Platform |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game follows Spider-Man as he tries to save the kidnapped Aunt May from the villains who call themselves the Sinister Six: Mysterio, Sandman, Vulture, Scorpion, Kraven, and Doctor Octopus, the mastermind of the group’s plans.
BONUS INFO: Spider-Man 2: The Sinister Six is a sequel to Spider-Man (2000) Game Boy Color version.
Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro (2001)
| Release: | October 18, 2001 |
| Developer: | Vicarious Visions |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | PlayStation |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game’s story follows Spider-Man as he attempts to stop his old enemy Electro from obtaining a source of power called the Bio-Nexus Device that would make him an unstoppable force.
BONUS INFO: By completing certain in-game goals, new costumes can be unlocked for Spider-Man and many of them have special powers!
Spider-Man: Mysterio’s Menace (2001)
| Release: | September 18, 2001 |
| Developer: | Vicarious Visions |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | Game Boy Advance |
| Genre: | Action |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game follows Spider-Man who is searching for a fishbowl for Mary Jane’s new goldfish. He overhears that a gang of supervillains is attacking the city. Spider-Man takes down the villains one by one until confronts the mastermind behind the other villains, Mysterio.
BONUS INFO: Spider-Man: Mysterio's Menace is a standalone sequel to Spider-Man (2000) and Spider-Man 2: Enter: Electro (2001)
Spider-Man (2002)
| Release: | April 16, 2002 |
| Developer: | Treyarch, LTI Gray Matter, Digital Eclipse |
| Publishers: | Activision, Capcom |
| Platform: | PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Windows, Game Boy Advance |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Spider-Man develops superhuman powers after being bitten by a genetically altered spider. He uses his new powers to defeat the murderer of his uncle. He then vows to use his powers for good and to fight evil in New York.
BONUS INFO: While it wasn't officially discontinued, the game was removed from digital storefronts.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
| Release: | June 29, 2004 |
| Developer: | Treyarch, The Fizz Factor, Vicarious Visions, Digital Eclipse |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Windows, Mac OS X, N-Gage, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game’s story follows Spider-Man, who struggles to balance his personal life and his superhero life. He joins up with a vigilante known as Black Cat and battles a series of foes, including the mad Doc Ock.
BONUS INFO: The game is no longer available for digital download on modern platforms.
Ultimate Spider-Man (2005)
| Release: | September 22, 2005 |
| Developer: | Treyarch, Vicarious Visions, Mforma |
| Publishers: | Activision, Mforma |
| Platform: | Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Microsoft, Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Mobile |
| Genre: | Action-adventure, Beat ’em up |
| Mode: | Single-player, multiplayer |
The Ultimate Spider-Man video game was adapted into the story arc, “War of the Symbiotes” (Ultimate Spider-Man #123-128). Events in this storyline happen in a different order, with some events being ignored.
Spider-Man: Battle for New York (2006)
| Release: | November 14, 2006 |
| Developer: | Torus Games |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS |
| Genre: | Action, platform |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Norman Osborn tries to gain the same superpower Spider-Man has. He turns himself into the Green Goblin. Thinking that his experiment was successful, he started to use his formula on others, creating a goblin army!
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
| Release: | May 4, 2007 |
| Developer: | Treyarch, Beenox, Vicarious Visions |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Windows, Wii, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player, multiplayer |
Spider-Man is back to save the city with his usual hero work, only this time he bonds with an alien substance known as a symbiote which turns his hero days and personal life into something ugly.
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe (2007)
| Release: | October 2, 2007 |
| Developer: | Artificial Mind & Movement, Beenox, Next Level Games |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Wii, Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable |
| Genre: | Action-adventure, beat ’em up, Platformer |
| Mode: | Single-player, multiplayer |
The game’s story revolves around P.H.A.N.T.O.M.s, dangerous creatures created by mixing symbiotes with holographic technology, which a mysterious villain plans to use to take over the world.
BONUS INFO: In the PSP version of the game, Transylvania is replaced with an unnamed island in the Mediterranean Sea, where players must explore underground city ruins and catacombs.
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (2008)
| Release: | October 21, 2008 |
| Developer: | Shaba Games, Treyarch, Aspyr, Griptonite Games, Amaze Entertainment |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS |
| Genre: | Action-adventure, Beat ’em up, Metroidvania |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The story of the game follows Spider-Man who is forced to bond with the black suit once again when Venom begins a symbiotic infestation of New York City.
Spider-Man: Toxic City (2009)
| Release: | June 2009 |
| Developer: | Gameloft |
| Publishers: | Gameloft |
| Platform: | BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Java ME |
| Genre: | Action |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Spider-Man is trying to prevent the Green Goblin from transforming New York’s populace into genetically modified super-soldiers.
Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem (2010)
| Release: | September 1, 2010 |
| Developer: | Gameloft |
| Publishers: | Gameloft |
| Platform: | iOS, Android |
| Genre: | Beat-em-up |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Spider-Man faces Venom and an army of symbiotes and is then informed by SHIELD that Norman Osborn has captured several people. After stopping him, Dr. Conners creates a formula to destroy any symbiotes left in the city.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (2010)
| Release: | September 7, 2010 |
| Developer: | Beenox, Griptonite Games |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows |
| Genre: | Action-adventure, Metroidvania |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Having shattered a powerful artifact, the bond between dimensions weakened, and it’s up to Spider-Man and others like him to retrieve the artifact’s parts that are scattered along their dimensions before someone causes a catastrophe.
BONUS INFO: Gameplay alternates between the four Spider-Men, who control similarly but present a different gameplay style and abilities.
Spider-Man: Edge of Time (2011)
| Release: | October 4, 2011 |
| Developer: | Beenox, Other Ocean Interactive |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 travels back in time to present-day New York City to stop a scientist from altering the timeline that could cause the death of Peter Parker/Spider-Man at the hands of Anti-Venom.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
| Release: | June 26, 2012 |
| Developer: | Beenox, Other Ocean Interactive, Gameloft |
| Publishers: | Activision |
| Platform: | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Vita, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Mobile phone |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Spider-Man’s most dangerous supervillains have discovered his secret identity, Peter Parker, and kidnapped his wife, Mary Jane. The action game takes the player through various city locations, battling an assortment of minor thugs, animals, and a supervillain (Mysterio, Hobgoblin, Scorpion, Rhino, Dr.
Spider-Man Unlimited (2014)
| Release: | September 10, 2014 |
| Developer: | Gameloft |
| Publishers: | Gameloft |
| Platform: | Android, iOS, Windows Phone |
| Genre: | Endless runner |
| Mode: | Single-player |
After a fight with classic Spider-Man, the Gold Goblin starts bringing alternate versions of the Sinister Six and alternate versions of himself via a blue portal in the sky to bring an end to all Spider-Men around the multiverse with the help of ISO-8.
NOTE: The game was discontinued in March 2019.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
| Release: | April 17, 2014 |
| Developer: | Beenox, High Voltage Software |
| Publishers: | Activision, Square Enix |
| Platform: | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo, 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
After the death of his uncle, Spider-Man has still not found the man responsible for his uncle’s death. Later on, he has an encounter with Caradine who turns out to be his uncle’s killer. However, Caradine is getting killed by a serial killer who targets other criminals, The Carnage Killer.
Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018)
| Release: | September 7, 2018 |
| Developer: | Insomniac Games |
| Publishers: | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Platform: | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Marvel’s Spider-Man story follows Mister Negative who orchestrates a plot to seize control of New York City’s criminal underworld. When he threatens to release a deadly virus, Spider-Man must confront him and protect the city while dealing with the personal problems of his civilian persona, Peter Parker.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020)
| Release: | November 12, 2020 |
| Developer: | Insomniac Games |
| Publishers: | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Platform: | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game’s story focuses on Miles’ struggle to balance the duties of his civilian persona and his role as the second Spider-Man when his new home is threatened by a war between the Roxxon Energy Corporation and the Underground army, led by the mysterious Tinkerer.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2025)
| Release: | 20 October 2023 |
| Developer: | Insomniac Games |
| Publishers: | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Platform: | PlayStation 5, Windows |
| Genre: | Action-adventure |
| Mode: | Single-player |
The game’s story follows Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they come into conflict with Kraven the Hunter, who transforms New York City into a hunting ground for super-powered individuals.
Have you played any of the Spider-Man games mentioned above? Which one was your favorite and why? Let me know by submitting your comment below.
