Review #421: Spider-man 3(GBA)

 A due send-off unworthy of the franchise.

 For every good Spider-man game on the Gameboy Advance we had two stinkers, so to call Spider-man's tenure on the GBA spotty would be an understatement. Spider-man 3 not only was the last Spider-man movie directed by Sam Raimi, but the last Spider-man game we'd see on the Gameboy Advance... and it's really good.

 As with every handheld Spider-man movie tien-in game, it attempts to follow the story from the console game, but doing a mediocre job at it. Spider-man 3 does a particularly poor job at it, Eddie Brock is introduced before the two last levels and only so that he can get the Venom suit, so people unfamiliar with the franchise or the movie might've trouble making heads and tails from the story. There's a few new microplots borrowed from the console game that didn't appear in the movie, and even then, the game is VERY short, you can probably be done with it in little over an hour.

 Spidey's abilities are par for the the norm, B punches, or kicks if you hold the L button, R is used to throw web, either to bind enemies, pull hostages(Or enemies!) or pull yourself towards a wall, A jumps and a double press web-swings. Spidey can also crawl on walls and ceilings. This time around, webbing is unlimited, so feel free to shoot web to your heart's content. Peppered throughout stages are Web and Punch power ups, you can grab up to three of each and they will power up your capture power or your strength, but only for the stage's duration. It's interesting, and gives it an arcadey flair. The last new mechanic is the Symbiote Suit, by dealing damage you increase your rage, fill the gauge and you'll be healed to full health, turn black and get increased strength. The suit is lost upon getting hit though. While it doesn't make much sense franchise-wise, it makes for a fun little mechanic.

 Stages are usually about finding stuff, but, unlike previous games, there's no time limit, which makes all the difference in the world. Now you can explore levels at your leisure, so finding stuff is actually fun. There're a few time-sensitive objectives though, but they don't overstay their welcome and help spice things up since they are used sparingly. Plus, most of the time you get a compass aiding you.

 Spider-man 3 on the Gameboy Advance is one of the three 'good' Spider-man games on the little handheld. I think it might be a tad too short, but the rest of the game is pure quality.
 8.0 out of 10