Post by Torgo on Jun 27, 2012 16:14:19 GMT -5
I'm sure most could tell that I'm in 100% Spider-Man mode lately with the release of the new movie. I've been dipping into all the media: Comics, movies, TV, and now I've dipped back into the video games (after I finished playing Lego Batman 2). I've played quite a few of them over the years, probably more than any other superhero (I'm sure I would have been more on Batman if Arkham Asylum and Arkham City were released on the Wii. Goddamn anti-Nintendo conspiracy). Luckily, a grand number of Spidey-games have been on my Nintendo systems (notable exception I can think of is Enter Electro, which bummed me out since it was a sequel to one of my favorite N64 games). So I looked over a list of Spider-Man games and singled out which ones I've played.
Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade's Revenge (1992, SNES) - This one was literally like 20 years ago, so I might be a little fuzzy. I remember the Spider-Man levels were more enjoyable than the X-Men levels (I couldn't for the life of me figure out why Storm was a swimming level, and Wolverine felt wasted in a carnival themed level). Not a lot to get excited about, but fine enough for an 8 year old boy.
Spider-Man & Venom: Maximum Carnage (1994, SNES) - Solid beat-em-up that I enjoyed playing with friends. Yet another I haven't played since store rental in my youth.
Spider-Man & Venom: Separation Anxiety (1995, SNES) - A lot like Maximum Carnage, didn't really enjoy it as much though. Maybe concept fatigue. I picked up a used copy of this one several years down the road, so it's fresher in my memory than most.
Spider-Man (2000, N64) - Outdated in many ways, but it's still my favorite. Out of all the superhero games I had ever played, this was the first one that made me actually feel like the superhero himself. The story was inspired and original, and the levels were lengthy and fun, yet tricky without being frustratingly difficult. The alternate costumes were a gas (I had a lot of fun kicking ass in invisible mode with the Unlimited costume).
Spider-Man 2 (2004, Gamecube) - I haven't played the game based on the first movie, but I picked this one up used a few years ago and had a blast. The free roaming webslinging was fun, and a nice solid Black Cat chase always got my blood pumping. Probably one of the best movie based games ever made.
Ultimate Spider-Man (2005, Gamecube) - A lot like Spider-Man 2, but a bit more hyperactive and clunky. Some of the boss fights get difficult because there's never a clear idea of what you're supposed to do (Rhino took forever). The graphics were pretty cool, though, and it has its moments. But the racing levels are a pain in the ass.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2006, Wii) - Not a "true" Spider-Man game, but one where he's playable (though, give me him, Woverine, Iron Man, and Deadpool and I'll barrel through anything in that game). Fun beat-em-up story mode made more enjoyable by the fantastic roster and being able to play four heroes at once. This is one game on the Wii I always come back to, even if it doesn't use the Wii controls to their full advantage.
Spider-Man 3 (2007, Wii) - The webslinging was innovative and a marvelous use of motion control. Everything else was just mediocre. The final fight with Venom grows tedious, as the only way I was able to beat him was to perform the same move over and over again. Not the best way to cap off your game.
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe (2007, Wii) - I hadn't really looked this game up online until recently, and was kind of surprised to see it was despised. I didn't think it was as horrible as most claimed it was. It was definitely easy, but it was quirky. It was sort of a kiddy version of Ultimate Alliance that you could kill an afternoon to.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (2009, Wii) - This was definitely on my must buy list after the original, but I felt left down. The Civil War storyline is well adapted, but the missions are more tedious than challenging.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012, Wii) - Just picked up the new game yesterday. The game marvels at first with a visual flair to the fight mechanics, but once it wears off, it feels incomplete. The health-meter is odd, because everytime you get hit the screen turns a little redder, making it hard to see. How the hell am I supposed to survive if I can't tell what I'm doing? Reinvention of Rhino and Scorpion are both cute, and the Spider-Slayers are awesome.
Obvious omissions are the recent Web of Shadows, Shattered Dimensions, and Edge of Time. I wanted to play them, but funds were tight so I hadn't picked them up. I'm hoping to soon though.
Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade's Revenge (1992, SNES) - This one was literally like 20 years ago, so I might be a little fuzzy. I remember the Spider-Man levels were more enjoyable than the X-Men levels (I couldn't for the life of me figure out why Storm was a swimming level, and Wolverine felt wasted in a carnival themed level). Not a lot to get excited about, but fine enough for an 8 year old boy.
Spider-Man & Venom: Maximum Carnage (1994, SNES) - Solid beat-em-up that I enjoyed playing with friends. Yet another I haven't played since store rental in my youth.
Spider-Man & Venom: Separation Anxiety (1995, SNES) - A lot like Maximum Carnage, didn't really enjoy it as much though. Maybe concept fatigue. I picked up a used copy of this one several years down the road, so it's fresher in my memory than most.
Spider-Man (2000, N64) - Outdated in many ways, but it's still my favorite. Out of all the superhero games I had ever played, this was the first one that made me actually feel like the superhero himself. The story was inspired and original, and the levels were lengthy and fun, yet tricky without being frustratingly difficult. The alternate costumes were a gas (I had a lot of fun kicking ass in invisible mode with the Unlimited costume).
Spider-Man 2 (2004, Gamecube) - I haven't played the game based on the first movie, but I picked this one up used a few years ago and had a blast. The free roaming webslinging was fun, and a nice solid Black Cat chase always got my blood pumping. Probably one of the best movie based games ever made.
Ultimate Spider-Man (2005, Gamecube) - A lot like Spider-Man 2, but a bit more hyperactive and clunky. Some of the boss fights get difficult because there's never a clear idea of what you're supposed to do (Rhino took forever). The graphics were pretty cool, though, and it has its moments. But the racing levels are a pain in the ass.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2006, Wii) - Not a "true" Spider-Man game, but one where he's playable (though, give me him, Woverine, Iron Man, and Deadpool and I'll barrel through anything in that game). Fun beat-em-up story mode made more enjoyable by the fantastic roster and being able to play four heroes at once. This is one game on the Wii I always come back to, even if it doesn't use the Wii controls to their full advantage.
Spider-Man 3 (2007, Wii) - The webslinging was innovative and a marvelous use of motion control. Everything else was just mediocre. The final fight with Venom grows tedious, as the only way I was able to beat him was to perform the same move over and over again. Not the best way to cap off your game.
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe (2007, Wii) - I hadn't really looked this game up online until recently, and was kind of surprised to see it was despised. I didn't think it was as horrible as most claimed it was. It was definitely easy, but it was quirky. It was sort of a kiddy version of Ultimate Alliance that you could kill an afternoon to.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (2009, Wii) - This was definitely on my must buy list after the original, but I felt left down. The Civil War storyline is well adapted, but the missions are more tedious than challenging.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012, Wii) - Just picked up the new game yesterday. The game marvels at first with a visual flair to the fight mechanics, but once it wears off, it feels incomplete. The health-meter is odd, because everytime you get hit the screen turns a little redder, making it hard to see. How the hell am I supposed to survive if I can't tell what I'm doing? Reinvention of Rhino and Scorpion are both cute, and the Spider-Slayers are awesome.
Obvious omissions are the recent Web of Shadows, Shattered Dimensions, and Edge of Time. I wanted to play them, but funds were tight so I hadn't picked them up. I'm hoping to soon though.
