Spider-Man is one of the most beloved fictional heroes of all time. There's a reason why this character has received the most exposure in mainstream media out of any other superhero, regardless of whether they're from Marvel or DC. During the time when people considered superhero games to be good but not great, the mere mention of Spider-Man was enough to move the needle and sell millions of copies.
8 Spider-Man Games With The Best Exploration, Ranked
These Spider-Man games are ideal for players looking to take to the skies and explore areas full of worthwhile content.
With Insomniac Studios taking over this franchise, this perception has shifted for the better. However, Spider-Man's history is rife with games that are worth replaying, and this doesn't just stretch to the first-party Sony developer everyone is familiar with. Fans who can't get enough of the webhead and his games will love playing some of his best titles multiple times, which encourages players to clock in another playthrough or repeat the levels featured in these action-packed adventures.
5 Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Controlling The Four Spider-Men And Using Their Upgrades In Level Replays Is A Blast
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
- Released
- September 7, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
The concept of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions was engrossing for many fans, especially with the idea of the Spider-Verse gaining steam in the mainstream. The game starts with a face-off against Mysterio that causes the Tablet of Order and Chaos to shatter and spread to other realities. This leads to the four different versions of Spider-Man having to hunt down these tablet fragments, each of which are captured by other well-known supervillains who absorb these fragments to augment their powers.
Players obtain points that they can invest by defeating enemies or completing Web of Destiny challenges to improve their abilities, and the best part is that players seeking out replay value in this game can check out level replays that let them use their upgraded powers in any stage or boss fight. It's a simple and great way to encourage players to use the powers of Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Man 2099, and Ultimate Spider-Man to take out their foes, especially with many people considering this game to be a bit too short for their liking.
4 Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage
Spider-Man's Best Beat 'Em Up, A Genre That Is Made To Be Replayed
Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage
- Released
- September 16, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Software Creations
- Publisher(s)
- Acclaim Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- SNES, Sega Genesis
- Genre(s)
- Beat 'Em Up
The '90s were the golden era for beat 'em ups, and most of the greats have aged absurdly well. Although not quite holding up to the same degree as something like The Punisher or Alien vs. Predator, Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is still widely enjoyable all these years later. Yes, it looks like a 1994 game, but that means nothing when the sprite work is top-notch and the animation smooth. The combat is fairly typical for this time period, but it functions well and benefits from Spider-Man and Venom's unique movesets.
6 Best Handheld Spider-Man Games
Spider-Man has featured in a number of mediocre to great games over the years. These are the best Spidey games on handheld consoles.
Look, you are probably not going to spend multiple afternoons replaying Maximum Carnage, but that is not where beat 'em ups shine. This is the perfect Spider-Man game to boot up when you have an hour to kill and want something you can blast through. Peter Parker really does not have many pick-up-and-play gaming adventures, and Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is arguably his best.
3 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Nostalgia Plays A Part, But This PS2 Classic Is Still One Of Spidey's Best Games
Spider-Man 2
- Released
- June 28, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Platform(s)
- PS2, Xbox (Original), GameCube, PC, PSP, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
Spider-Man 2 was groundbreaking. Firstly, it was an actually great movie tie-in game, which would still be an anomaly nowadays. Secondly, and more importantly, its web-swinging was far and away better than anything that came before or immediately after. Frankly, an argument could be made that Spider-Man 2's swinging and open-world freedom were not matched until Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man, and some people still prefer the 2004 game.
Now, to be honest, I would probably not recommend Spider-Man 2 to anyone who has never played it, or at least not without mentioning a few caveats. The game's brilliance is based on context, and fresh eyes might struggle to appreciate it more than two decades after its debut. However, we are talking about the most replayable Spider-Man games, so a nostalgia-fueled revisit is totally on the cards. Due to the awesome web-swinging, it is fun to simply exist within Spider-Man 2's world, even if just for an hour or two.
2 Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows
Players Can Opt For Good Or Evil Decisions In Multiple Playthroughs
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
- Released
- October 21, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Beat 'Em Up
Before Insomniac Studios got their hands on this IP, many people considered Web of Shadows to be one of the greatest Spider-Man games players could get their hands on. The swinging is satisfying, the open world is perfect for the webhead's shenanigans, and the incorporation of the Black Suit was the very best iteration gamers had ever seen at the time. To make things even better, the replayability in Web of Shadows was off the charts.
Based on the decisions players make in their adventures, the allies Spider-Man can call into battle, and the events of the story change. The moral system in Web of Shadows may not be all that fleshed out, but it's still quite engaging and lets players either channel the aggression of the Black Suit or help Peter stick to his morals. Players can check out multiple playthroughs and uncover four unique endings based on the decisions they make during the campaign.
Finally, Web of Shadows has arguably the best combat in an open-world Spider-Man game, with Insomniac's trilogy being the only real contenders. It is incredibly satisfying, and attacks have actual weight to them, which cannot be said for a lot of the wall-crawler's earlier efforts.
Honorable mention to Ultimate Spider-Man. Its rough edges are rougher than Web of Shadows, and its peaks are less high than Spider-Man 2, but it is still pretty fun.
1 Marvel's Spider-Man 2
New Game+ Comes With Ultimate Difficulty, Ultimate Levels, Golden Gadget Upgrades, And Suit Tech Fusion
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
When Marvel's Spider-Man 2 came out, the lack of a New Game+ mode worried many fans. People wondered if Insomniac Studios was forgoing this option, even if the focus on improving the technical performance and polish of this much-awaited sequel was fine for many fans. Thankfully, it was clear that Insomniac Studios wanted this sequel to make the most of the PS5 hardware and stabilize the experience before eventually adding New Game+ in a post-launch update.
This is easily the best iteration of New Game+ in any Spider-Man game to date. Along with Ultimate Difficulty, players can check out Golden Gadget upgrades. On top of this, Suit Tech Fusion lets them use both branching powers on an upgrade tree at once, further intensifying the action. Given how Marvel's Spider-Man 2 feels like it could've been a longer experience in the eyes of many, the addition of such a fleshed-out New Game+ mode is something that appeased its fans.
Marvel's Spider-Man and Miles Morales are also very replayable, but we want to avoid dedicating entries for each game. Basically, the whole trilogy qualifies.
Best Spider-Man Animated Series, Ranked
There have been many attempts to make the best Spider-Man animated series, but which of them were Marvel's most successful?