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# Spider-Man 3 ★★★★
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/spider-man-3-2/
- Published: 2007-05-17T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T00:46:37.000Z
- Author: Kevin Herrera
- Tags: Education, Santa Monica, #archive-import

X-BOX 360 As he flies through the sky with the greatest of ease, Peter Parker seems to have it made in the third installment of Activision’s hit video game franchise “Spider-man.”

The lovable, mild-mannered comic book hero/college student has got the girl, he’s still a photographer for the Daily Bugle, and has finally smoothed things over with the NYPD and the public at large, who no longer view him as a pesky vigilante.

But just when things seem to be going so well, disaster strikes. Spidey must now face three hard-edged villains — Venom, Sandman and the new Green Goblin — each of whom are hell bent on destroying the webbed wonder. If that’s not enough, there are three gangs running amok throughout Manhattan and a gigantic lizard terrorizing the subway system, leaving Spidey with very little time to enjoy romantic jaunts with his love, Mary Jane.

Therein lies the problem with “Spider-man 3,” a visually-stunning game that entertains, but is often frustrating and unfullfilling due to a series of tedious button-mashing battles and a first-person view that does not automatically adjust with the action on the screen, leaving a gamer dazed and confused as a gang of attackers pounce from behind.

Granted, there are some pretty awesome moves and punishing power combos that one can unleash on their enemies, however, being faced with a group of five to 10 bad guys at once can be overwhelming, forcing a player to abandon technique and start smashing buttons to survive. Blocking is difficult, but when done correctly can rid an entire room of thugs. For the three main villains, be prepared to use it constantly.

There is also a new cinematic aspect to the game in which users are required to press a series of buttons as they flash on the screen. Failing to hit the right one can cause Spidey to get his head smashed against a steal beam or fall from the highest of heights. The graphics during those scenes should be commended, but in other cuts some of the people look boxy and distorted.

Fans will no doubt experience a sense of euphoria as they swing with ease from skyscrapers thanks to user-friendly controls. The learning curve is only about 20 minutes or so, with a fun tutorial to start.

Kudos to the creators at Activision for staying truthful to the franchise’s story and enhancing several aspects of the video game, such as expanding the open environment to allow for greater exploration (Wow, check out Central Park and the Empire State Building!) and scores of new tasks and adventures that are sure to keep the avid gamer occupied for weeks. Bored of bashing punks? Try skydiving.

Most of the film’s cast, including Tobey McGuire, do voice-work for the game and some of the battle sequences follow the film exactly, much of which has to do with the fact that the creators were allowed to see storyboards and initial special effects shots from the film.

With the first two installments pulling in a staggering $462 million in the U.S. alone, according to market research firm NPD, it’s a safe bet that the third “Spider-man” game will do well. It seems the creators felt this way too and may have rested on their laurels, producing a game that is as fun as its predecessors, but does not take advantage of the new possibilities presented by the next generation of gaming consoles.

“Spider-man 3” is available on all major gaming systems, including your PC.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/051707-10_01.jpg)

DRAWBACK: Button-mashing battles tarnish Spider-Man 3’s game play. (Photo: Photo courtesy)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/051707-10_02.jpg)

DRAWBACK: Button-mashing battles tarnish Spider-Man 3’s game play. (Photo: Photo courtesy)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 17, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051707.pdf?ref=smdp.com)