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Superhero video games have proven to be some of the best experiences in the expansive medium, thanks to the fact that players can finally live out their dreams of becoming the heroes they adore and admire so much. Ever wanted to be Spider-Man? Video games make that dream possible. With all the amazing heroes that Marvel has in its iconic roster, their video games are not only widely celebrated but extremely memorable, too.
While Marvel's best games are primarily Spider-Man titles, there are still others that allow fans to take control of not only the likes of the X-Men, but the entire Marvel Comics universe as they know it. There are original stories, adaptations of comic stories, and a plethora of fun to be had at every turn with these iconic video games.
'X-Men Legends' (2004)
While everyone may adore The Avengers—thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's influence on modern media—the X-Men were the company's premier team for the ages. These mutants continue to have some of the coolest stories that aren't just filled with powers, but incredibly thought-provoking messaging. One of the best video game adaptations of this team comes with 2004's X-Men Legends.
This game allows people to build their very own team of four mutants (with the chance to choose from 15 available ones) to take on the challenges of the story—a young mutant woman being abducted and then rescued by the X-Men, and joining the team. The combat mechanics are a plethora of fun and addictive as all get out.Players get to bring their team up against the one and only Magneto (Tony Jay), his Brotherhood of Mutants, and a dangerous number of Sentinels attempting to make things harder for them. Also, it cannot be forgotten that the legendary film actor for the character of Professor Charles Xavier, Sir Patrick Stewart, joined the cast to play him again.
'Marvel's Spider-Man 2' (2023)
One of the most popular superhero video game franchises of recent years is that of Marvel's Spider-Man, with many considering it the Batman: Arkham Asylum series for Marvel Comics, and the comparison couldn't be more true. These games are made with a very clear amount of love and care, and it shines through with each product. After such a successful first two projects, Insomniac Games had a lot to prove with the big sequel, Marvel's Spider-Man 2.
While it's not as beloved or polished as the first two, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is still a phenomenal game that manages to improve on the gameplay mechanics of the first game tenfold. With the inclusion of Miles Morales (Nadji Jeter) as a playable character in this go-around, there's plenty of variety in the gameplay. The swinging mechanics are also beyond improved, somehow being better than the first game's—something that didn't even feel possible.
'Marvel: Ultimate Alliance' (2006)
What's better than playing as two heroes or the X-Men? Playing as the Marvel Comics universe as a whole. In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, players get to enjoy playing as 32 characters(some being variants of already playable characters, like Scarlet Spider (Quinton Flynn) being a version of Spider-Man). Fans can build a dream super team with their favorite Marvel heroes to create the ultimate fantasy league team.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance has a very unique and entertaining top-down RPG-style of gameplay that sets it apart from other Marvel titles to this day. With a fun story to further complement it, this project is everything that a Marvel fan could have imagined when reading the comic books as children. Even in the 2020s, people still adore this game.
'X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse' (2005)
Coming out just one year after the first game, some may think X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse must have been rushed. Even if it was (nothing confirmed), this sequel is considered by most to be the far better game.Improving on the top-down RPG style, and setting the stage for the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance franchise, this new project was a massive hit.
With a brand-new story centered around (as the title suggests) the oncoming threat of Apocalypse (Richard McGonagle), X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse brings the X-Men together to fight a threat that every fan of the comics loves. It's such a fun time and, only being a year older than the original, somehow manages to improve almost every aspect of it.
'Spider-Man' (2000)
When it comes to Spider-Man games, one of the best comes in the form of a certified classic: Spider-Man from 2000. Developed by Neversoft and Activision, this product has stuck with people for decades, and many still consider it to be one of the best Spider-Man games of all time due to the fun mechanics, great story, and inclusion of the greater Marvel Comics universe.
This story has wonderful characterization of the Wall-Crawler, with a story that doesn't originate from the comics. Spider-Man (Rino Romano) has a bunch of intense adventures here, going up against not only Doctor Octopus (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and Carnage (Dee Bradley Baker), but a combination of the two for the final boss. Spidey also gets to team up with the ever-iconic Venom (Daran Norris), which is an incredibly well-written dynamic.
'Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales' (2020)
After a successful series launch with Marvel's Spider-Man, Insomniac Games decided to give players a spin-off sequel in the form of Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Here, Peter Parker (Yuri Lowenthal) leaves to visit Mary Jane Watson (Laura Bailey) out of the country. THus, Miles Morales is the only Spider-Man in New York City, a phenomenal decision on Insomniac Games' part that gives the young Spidey a chance to really thrive all on his own.
It may sound ridiculous, but this spin-off—which manages to be half the playtime of the first game and built off the same engine—is actually considered far more fun to play than Marvel's Spider-Man. With trick and style-based web-swinging mechanics, players feel a whole new sense of freedom while swinging through the skies of New York. Moreover, the new kind of combat introduced via Miles' bioelectric abilities makes for a unique-feeling experience that wound up being totally unforgettable.
'Spider-Man: Web of Shadows' (2008)
One of the most underrated Spider-Man and Marvel Comics video games is Spider-Man: Web of Shadows. When the entirety of New York City is taken over by a symbiote army, headed by Venom (Keith Szarabajka) himself, it's up to Spider-Man (Mike Vaughn) and the rest of New York's best and brightest heroes to put a stop to it.
However, what sets this game apart from the rest of Marvel's many Spider-Man games is the fun fact that the player can end up with one of four endings for this story: the Hero Ending, Anti-Hero Ending, Anti-Villain Ending, or Villain Ending.With the game being based on a reputation system that rewards the player for making good or bad choices, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is wildly replayable and immersive.
'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2021)
Another absolutely underrated Marvel title is 2021's Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. After the massive bomb that was Marvel's Avengers, Square Enix had a lot to prove for their next Marvel game. Unfortunately for them, though, a lot of players had already checked out of their Marvel endeavors and didn't give this new project the chance it truly deserved.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is an exceptional title, winning multiple awards—2021's Best Narrative at The Game Awards, 2021's Best Single-Player Game at the Golden Issue Awards, 2022's Game of the Year at the Canadian Game Awards, to name a few—with even more nominations. The awards alone speak for themselves, but the proof is in the pudding. Those who have played through the adventure still wish that it had gotten the sequel it so rightfully earned with its phenomenal quality.
'Spider-Man 2' (2004)
The era of movie-tie-in-games is widely missed. Getting a fun (or absolutely terrible) video game to accompany all the major movie releases was such a great time in the medium's history. The most notable example is Spider-Man 2, based on the 20014 Sam Raimi eponymous film, itself already considered one of the all-time best superhero movies.
Even 20+ years later, people still contend that Spider-Man 2 is one of the best superhero video games of all time. With some of the best-done web-swinging mechanics, based in real-world physics, and an expanded rendition of the movie's story, Spider-Man 2 is a total blast. Not only that, but it even got almost the entire cast to return to portray their characters from the movie, which not many tie-in video games could do.
'Marvel's Spider-Man' (2018)
As stated, the Marvel's Spider-Man franchise is the crème de la crème of Marvel superhero video games, and it all began with this first adventure in 2018. Upon release, this amazing project stunned the world, with some people stating that it might even be better than Spider-Man 2. Nobody realized just how good Marvel's Spider-Man was going to be.
With a complex, well-written story, exceptional gameplay — with combat consistently compared to, again, Batman: Arkham Asylum — and all-around killer voice acting, Marvel's Spider-Man was truly lightning in a bottle.Insomniac Games proved they were not playing around with this franchise, redefining modern superhero gameplay. When it comes to strong starts for a series, it doesn't get much stronger than that of Marvel's Spider-Man.
