The History of Marvel Spider-Man Video Games

The Marvel Comics character Spider-Man debuted in August 1962. After Amazing Fantasy #15, fans just couldn’t get enough of Peter Parker and his wall-crawling, web-slinging alter-ego. Since the ’60s, Spider-Man has been a staple in the Marvel lineup for comics, television shows, movies … and video games!

Did you know there are over 40 video games featuring Spider-Man? When he isn’t the headliner, he makes a cameo like his creator Stan Lee. We love seeing him in his super suit or in his geeky glasses. But how old is the first Spider-Man game? How long ago did Peter Parker fully weave his way into the gaming world?

Let’s look at a brief history of Spider-Man video games below.

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The first Spider-Man game is 42 years old!

Released almost two decades after Peter Parker’s debut, the first and oldest Spider-Man game is Spider-Man (1982). It was also the first Marvel Comics-based video game to ever exist. Programmed by one single game designer, Laura Nikolich, the video game was released by Parker Brothers for the Atari 2600. In the pixel art scrolling action game, players took on the role of our beloved costumed hero to defeat Green Goblin. You could travel vertically or diagonally on webs to defeat thugs and defuse bombs set on the Empire State Building in New York City.

Players had to contend with limited lives as well as a small supply of web fluid that rapidly depleted. If you ran out of web fluid before defeating Green Goblin, you’d plummet to the ground. Green Goblin’s lackeys could also cut the webs in order to impede your progress. When you successfully beat a level by avoiding the villain, you’d move onto another section of the building. The higher levels introduced more complex scaffolding and obstacles to increase difficulty. Sometimes, the building changed color completely per level.

But … do you want to know a secret? With full creative control over Spider-Man, Laura Nikolich never actually worked with or contacted Marvel. She never got in trouble for it, though, and the Atari game has survived to this day. However, this does mean that…

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The first Marvel-sanctioned Spider-Man game was actually released in 1984

Marvel granted Adventure International an official 10-year license to create Marvel graphic adventure games. Questprobe: Featuring The Hulk (1984) was the first in the series. The second was Questprobe: Featuring Spider-Man, also released in 1984. In the game, you play as Spider-Man. You’ve been trapped in a skyscraper and must collect gems and solve puzzles to escape. You also cross paths with classic Spidey bad guys Lizard, Sandman, Hydro-Man, and Ringmaster, along with a Madame Web encounter.

Most interestingly, the Questprobe games included mini comics to help set up the plot. And unlike previous releases, the game was not limited to simplistic dialogue. Instead, it included complex sentences beyond the basic verb/noun input. A multimedia experience, Questprobe: Featuring Spider-Man really revolutionized the series for the company. It was also extremely special for players and collectors.

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The Most Popular Spider-Man Games

As gaming has evolved, so has Spider-Man’s appearance and inclusion in video games across platforms. Dressed in red and blue, black and white, and every suit in between, Peter Parker has webbed his way into mobile games, the Nintendo DS, Windows systems, Wii, Gamecube, Xbox, Playstation, and more.

Here are some of the most popular Spider-Man video games that have released over the years.

Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter (1997)

Prepare for battle! Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter is a crossover fighting game. It was the second installment in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. First released as an arcade game, it went on to receive ports to both the Sega Saturn and Playstation a couple years later. The gameplay involves selecting two characters to compete in tag team fights against opponents. Spider-Man is one of the Marvel characters available for selection, alongside Blackheart, Captain America, Cyclops, Hulk, Omega Red, Shuma-Gorath, and Wolverine.

Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 2 (2004)

These Spider-Man games were loosely inspired by the Spider-Man movies of the same name, released in the same years. Sam Raimi’s films catapulted super hero movies into modern pop culture, revitalizing the genre for fans of all ages. The games then continued the story and excitement by reaching into the broader offerings of the Marvel Universe. We got even more heroes, villains, and supporting characters than were seen in the films. The game mechanics and setting were also based on Grand Theft Auto, incentivizing avid gamers to try them out. Pizza time, anyone?

Ultimate Spider-Man (2005)

Based on Marvel’s freshly rebooted Spidey comics, Treyarch’s Ultimate Spider-Man wowed players with a playable Venom. You can swing around as Spider-Man, of course. But chomping up civilians as Venom just makes for a way more entertaining story. Plus, Wolverine’s unexpected cameo — well, bar fight/boss battle — really made the game feel like it was set in the full Marvel Universe, not just a secluded New York City.

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A Modern Masterpiece: Marvel’s Spider-Man Video Game Series

These days, when we talk about Spider-Man video games, we usually reference the most modern series made by Insomniac Games and Sony Entertainment. Now a trilogy, Marvel’s Spider-Man video games are known throughout the gaming world as some of the best action-adventure games in existence. Owing to their incredible graphics, awesome storyline, and mesmerizing gameplay, this trilogy has easily joined the gaming hall of fame.

Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018)

The first game follows Peter Parker as he attempts to live his own life as both a super hero and civilian. Gameplay is presented in third-person perspective as players contend with the main enemy, Mister Negative. Unlike many games before this, Spider-Man allows players to roam an open world. He can interact with people as well as his environment. While players are encouraged to follow and complete the main story, there are also side quests/missions and additional unlockable content and rewards. The 2018 game also features an additional DLC story called Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020)

Released as a continuation of the Spider-Man game canon, this second installment focuses on the legacy hero Miles Morales. In it, Miles must work as Spider-Man to protect Harlem from the Roxxon Energy Corporation and the Tinkerer. Set during Christmas, the open world is covered in snow and inspired many super fun winter accessories to add to Miles’ suit. And we can’t forget the bodega cat! Spider-Man: Miles Morales received critical acclaim for both its combat and narrative content.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023)

We’ve made it to the most recent innovation in Marvel gaming. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the newest Spider-Man video game! A direct sequel to the previous games, Spider-Man 2 was released exclusively on Playstation 5. It brings Peter Parker and Miles Morales together to fight off new threats to NYC. Among those threats are Kraven the Hunter and Venom. Spider-Man 2 expands both Spider-Heroes’ abilities and arsenals. Currently, it remains the best selling PS5 game on the market.

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Do you play Spider-Man video games? Decorate your entertainment stand with some Spider-Man action figures to keep the excitement going on and off screen, including official releases based on the many collectible suits from Marvel’s Spider-Man game series. Then, share your Spider-Man figure collection at side.show/geekgroup or in the Sideshow Social Network. And as always, don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!