Summary
- Some video game depictions of Doctor Octopus have stood out with unique designs and personalities, from a bulky German accented version to a comically classic take.
- Voice acting for Doc Ock has been essential, with unique interpretations proving to be incredibly memorable.
- Marvel's Spider-Man offers a refreshing and realistic take on Doctor Octavius, portraying him as a mentor to Peter Parker with a complex backstory.
Many would argue that Doctor Octopus is one of the most iconic villians in the Spider-Man universe. He is the leader of The Sinister Six, has an iconic appearance and, in many interpretations, acts as a mentor to Peter Parker.
Marvel: Times Spider-Man Lost His Powers
Marvel's wall-crawler has occasionally had to fight villains without his spider powers.
Over the years, the character of Doctor Octopus has appeared in most Spider-Man games, and much like in the comic books and cartoons, some versions of the character really stand out above the rest. This is either because they do a great job at presenting a familiar version of the character, or because they put their own unique spin on everyone's favorite eight-limbed scientist.
7 Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem
A Bulky Octavius With A German Accent
Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem (dupe)
Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem came to iOS and Andriod in 2010 and took the gaming world by storm. Many commented that this was one of the titles that proved cell phones could give gamers a console experience. The fight with Doctor Octopus in this game is one of the game's stand-out moments and provides a fun challenge for those who take it on.
The character design of the doc is taken from the Ultimate Spider-Man comic books, providing a version of Doctor Octopus who has spent less time in the lab and more time in the gym than his other variants. Also, this Doc Ock has a thick German accent, similar to the one from the animated series.
6 The Amazing Spider-Man Vs. The Kingpin
A Classic Design And A Comical Personality
The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin
- Released
- October 17, 1991
- Platform(s)
- Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Game Gear
- Developer
- Technopop
The Amazing Spider-Man Vs. The Kingpin came out all the way back in 1991 on the Sega Genesis and marked one of the first times Doctor Octavius appeared in a video game. The character design was very accurate to his look in The Amazing Spider-Man Comic books.
The 24 Best Spider-Man Video Games Of All Time, Ranked
Marvel's Spider-Man has had his fair share of video game adaptations, with these being the very best titles to feature the Wall-Crawler.
This version of Doctor Octavius has a terrible bowl cut and the classic green coat and sunglasses combo. The fight with him is a short one, but then players are treated to a cutscene after, in which Doctor Octavius tells Spider-Man of his evil plan. The voice of Doc Ock is very comical, and there is a definite charm to the writing of his character.
5 Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe
A Raimi-Inspired Doc With A Fun Design And Great Voice Acting
Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe
- Released
- October 2, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Next Level Games
Although Spider-Man: Friend or Foe received a lukewarm reception upon release, there is no doubt that the art style and voice acting was an interesting and fun twist on characters that audiences had recently seen in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. The design of Doctor Octavius was inspired by Alfred Molina's portrayal of the character in Spider-Man 2, but it featured a cartoonish twist.
The voice of Doc Ock was provided by Joe Alaskey, who has lent his voice to many beloved characters over the years, such as Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, and, strangely enough, Curt Connors (The Lizard) in the Spider-Man 2 game. The voice and the character design of Doctor Octavius were some of the best parts of the game.
4 Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
A Futuristic Doc Ock With A Fun Sense Of Humor
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions has the player take the role of four different Spider-Men across a multiverse. It was well reviewed and contained an incredible voice cast, including Neil Patrick Harris as The Amazing Spider-Man, Nolan North as Ultimate Deadpool, and Tara Strong as Doctor Octopus 2099. Tara Strong is known for roles such as Raven, Harley Quinn, and Miss Minutes in the Loki series, among many other iconic characters.
Marvel: 16 Strongest Female Characters With Powers Like Spider-Man
Explore the most popular and powerful female versions of Spider-Man, a few of which are due to join the MCU in the not-too-distant future.
She has a cool futuristic look, and the writing/performance of the character brings Doctor Octopus 2099 to life. The game was praised for its self-aware sense of humor, with Tara Strong delivering hilarious lines such as "I could kill you, or I could explain everything and then kill you. I think I'll just kill you." This is a fun nod to the classic trope of the villain explaining the entire plan to the hero, something previous Doctor Octopus variants are well known for.
3 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Another Remarkable Alfred Molina Performance
Spider-Man 2
- Released
- June 28, 2004
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch
- Platform(s)
- PS2, Xbox (Original), GameCube, PC, PSP, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
For many people, the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies were their first experience with the character of Spider-Man, and Spider-Man 2 is viewed by many fans as the best in the trilogy. This is largely due to Alfred Molina's captivating performance as Doctor Octopus. Spider-Man 2 (the video game) was an iconic title. It was praised for its open world, which gave players the freedom to explore and really feel like Spider-Man.
Often, when on-screen actors lend their voice to video games, their performance does not always translate well, as voice acting is a different skill. However, Alfred Molina gave a performance that felt authentic to the character from the movie and really brought his version of Doctor Octavius into the video game world.
2 Spider-Man (2000)
A Terrifying Version Of Doc Ock Who Merges With Carnage
Spider-Man
- Released
- September 1, 2000
- Developer(s)
- Neversoft
- Platform(s)
- PS1, N64, Sega Dreamcast, PC, Nintendo Game Boy Color
The Neversoft Spider-Man game from 2000 on the PlayStation 1 was a beloved title by many Spidey fans. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Was the voice behind Doctor Octopus. This was a big deal because he also played the character in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, so, to many, it felt like they were playing through their favorite cartoon.
The 15 Best Switch Games For Spider-Man Fans
Fans of Spider-Man should enjoy these equally exciting romps on the Nintendo Switch.
The final section saw Doctor Octavius get the Carnage symbiote and fuse into a monster that was genuinely terrifying to behold. During this section of the game, players have to control Spidey as he swings away from the Carnage/Octavius creature in an adrenaline-fueled conclusion to a thrilling Spider-Man experience.
1 Marvel's Spider-Man
An Original And Moving Doc Ock Story
Marvel's Spider-Man
- Released
- September 7, 2018
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Marvel's Spider-Man on the PlayStation 4 was not afraid to take characters and put their own spin on them. Doctor Octavius, in this interpretation, was a real mentor to Peter Parker and a realistic character who offered a lot of depth. Many iterations of Doctor Octopus have been melodramatic and exaggerated in the past, so seeing a more down-to-earth interpretation of the character was refreshing.
William Salyers played Otto expertly, presenting him as a complex and deeply tragic character. His backstory reveals that he started Oscorp alongside Norman Osborn. However, their relationship became fractured, and Otto was forced to start up his own company called Octavius Industries, which was underfunded and struggling. The reason many fans connect with this version of Otto is because Spider-Man villains can sometimes be two-dimensional, so seeing a villain who they could sympathize with was like a breath of fresh air.
14 Spider-Man Games With The Smoothest Web-Swinging
One of the key selling points of Spider-Man games is being able to seamlessly swing from point A to point B. Here are the games that did it best.