Ghosts of N64 Week: Spider-Man 64

Welcome, welcome welcome my console comrades to Day 5 of Ghosts of N64 Week.  As I should have mentioned in my last blog, a family emergency needed met and all is well now.  I was a bit scragged due to crappy sleep prior to do a blog for yesterday.  But enough of that!  We need to observe this N64 game that swept the nation...  to playing it on Playstation instead.  Seriously though, the Playstation version and Game Boy Color got better love than the N64 but what can you do?  So let's catch up with Stan Lee's intro and bring about our favorite wall-crawling, web-spinning, sensational, spectacular Spider-Man.  This is Spider-Man 64.

Hah, take that, Daredevil!

This game brings about the visual representations of the characters as they were portrayed in the 1994 Spider-Man cartoon but with a story-line more closely to the comics.  Using a few voice clips from the cartoon, drawn animations for cut scenes and the voice cast of the cartoon, our game begins with Peter Parker taking pictures for the Daily Bugle as Doctor Octavious (Doctor Octopus) has reformed and is prepping a demonstration of his new scientific wonder under a tarp when Spider-Man swoops down and steals this priceless trinket.  "But Jake, how can Spider-Man do that, if Peter Parker is still in the crowd?  Clone?  Rogue Robot?"   Well, good questions all around as Venom assumes the impostor is the real deal and chases after him when Spidey impostor break his camera...  cause the Bugle just keeps an insane wacko like that on staff.

A city-wide manhunt is conducted by NYPD for Spidey's head and the stolen tech.  I swear this guy never truly gets a break.  Spidey, with the help of a few allies, has to find the device, prove Doc Ock is still a schmuck and clear his name once again.  Heh, Jonah is gonna love that detraction from the papers.  Heck, he should be used to it by now.

Hmm?  Sorry, I was gawking at your breasts. You were saying..?

Just a few points on the game now.   With training modes of time attack (drop the baddies in such a span of time), speed training, item collection (for power ups and power improvements) and of course a cheat menu for different costumes and powers, this single-player beat 'em up action platform is based in time trials, puzzle solving and tough baddies looking to put the hurt on the web-slinger.

With 30 levels of quick thinking, tactical approaches or just leaping in and smacking lackeys around, coupled with boss levels it is easily understood you want the Controller memory card Pak or you may lose your game easily. You may want food, a social life and sleep so saving the game in this fashion is while frowned upon but the hard core gamers, hey I understand the need for all the above.

An unusual pairing of anti-heroes such as: The Punisher and Venom in the game as well as heroes the like of: Captain America, The Human Torch of the Fantastic Four and cat burglar turned adventurer Black Cat throughout the game assist Spidey in one facet or another but never directly fighting side by side with him.  Missed an excellent two-player option there.  Using the same game-engine as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, the easter egg in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, was an option to shred your deck dressed as Spider-Man.  Level restarts are pretty common given the finite amount of web fluid, the failure to save a hostage, health bar running out or my personal favorite, falling to your death.

With power-ups such as Spider-Armor (increased strength and defense) and different webbing creations, Fire Webbing was the coolest and most effective against the symbiotes, the baddie AIs are pretty limited and have no tactical advantages like hiding, using cover or sneaking about.  The gunsels are pretty slow on the trigger and are easily pummeled Spidey style. The details in the graphics give a decent 3D effect of buildings, surroundings and vehicles, heck even the people have decent detail for the day.  Spidey cuts a mean and lean figure as he punches the lights out of his rogue gallery.

Spandex wedgie! Ow, ow ow.

One other amusing concept which PC and Consoles have kinda done to death now because of this game is the alternative costumes.  Each level completed has the chance of a new costume with different abilities with the looks of the black and white symbiote, Spider-Man Unlimited nano-tech suiit, Parker street clothes, Spider-Man 2099, the Scarlet Spider (Parker's clone) the Clone Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume and the cosmic power Captain Universe costume.  Yeah, the web head has had his share of goofy threads and adventures but all in all the game is still enjoyable to the day and has some great memories attached to it