Spider-Man is one of the most iconic superheroes of all time, and his enduring presence in pop culture means that the villains who oppose him are also popular in their own right. These antagonists bring something new and special to the table, ensuring that Spider-Man always has his hands full when trying to protect New York City.
Spidey fans absolutely love some of these villains, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that they would love to play as these villains in a standalone video game. Everything from their origin stories to their transformation into an anti-hero of sorts could make for a compelling gameplay experience.
Venom
Spider-Man’s Archnemesis Is No Joke
Real Name: Eddie Brock
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #252
The fact that Venom was considered worthy of starring in a standalone film speaks volumes about how beloved this character is. Spider-Man’s most dangerous nemesis sees rival photographer Eddie Brock become infatuated by the symbiote’s power, letting Venom take control and reach new heights of evil.
Games like Ultimate Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, among other titles, have let players control Venom in some capacity. A fully-fledged game based on Venom would make for a great time, especially given the brute strength he wields.
Black Cat
An Antihero That Spider-Man Has A Love-Hate Relationship With
Real Name: Felicia Hardy
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #194
An iconic thief with whom Spider-Man has been romantically affiliated, Black Cat’s love for shiny things makes it clear why she chose her name. The gadgets she uses to carry out daring robberies are mind-blowing and keep Spider-Man on his toes every step of the way.
A game focused on thievery and heists starring Black Cat could be an interesting proposition. It’s high time that a female hero (or villain) got to shine in a superhero video game, and the cancellation of Monolith’s Wonder Woman game has left an opening in the gaming market for a female superhero game. A Black Cat game could easily slot into that space.
Green Goblin
His Glider And Explosives Would Make Him A Fun Character To Control
Real Name: Norman Osborn
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #14
Green Goblin is one of Spider-Man’s greatest antagonists, with Norman Osborn acting as the refined alter ego of this dastardly villain. After an experiment gone wrong, Norman’s aggression and power reach dangerous levels, making him a threat to the people of New York City.
With his glider and a wealth of explosive weaponry, Green Goblin would be a blast to control in an open-world game about wreaking havoc. Painting him in a heroic light would be hard, but not every villain who becomes a protagonist needs to embody good values. Sometimes, causing a bit of chaos is fun, too.
Doctor Octopus
Manipulating His Robotic Limbs To Smash Enemies And Climb Walls Sounds Like A Great Time
Real Name: Dr. Otto Octavius
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #3
Dr. Otto Octavius is an ambitious scientist with ambitious plans, but lacks the funds to achieve them. After wealthy investors reject his robotic tentacle innovations, Otto attaches them arms to himself to demonstrate how powerful they are. Instead, he ends up becoming a slave to their aggression.
Doc Ock’s goals usually revolve around obtaining money to conduct dastardly science experiments, something that can serve as a fun gameplay loop in a game revolving around this iconic villain. A novel gameplay mechanic that governs how his arms function would help a Doc Ock game reach new heights.
Lizard
Who Wouldn’t Love To Beat Down Foes As A Giant Lizard?
Real Name: Dr. Curt Connors
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #6
Doctor Connor’s quest to regrow his arm using the DNA of a lizard backfires when this plan works too well. He becomes a Lizard who must lurks in the shadows while trying to achieve his goals.
Controlling this massive beast as he either tries to redeem himself or wreak havoc on the streets of New York City would make for a great time. Perhaps a transformation mechanic can come into play here, allowing Doctor Connor to assume his human form for a brief time as the timer winds down, and his Lizard transformation becomes more and more imminent.
Scorpion
His Super-Powered Suit Makes Him A Tough Nut For Spider-Man To Crack
Real Name: Mac Gargan
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #19
Mac Gargan, a private investigator, is hired by J. Jonah Jameson, but his life is ruined after the Daily Bugle’s chief editor forces him to undergo an experiment. As a result, Scorpion hates both Spider-Man and Jameson and wants to see them six feet under.
Perhaps a game where he tries to reverse the effects of the mutation that turned him into this vile creature could make for a fun time. It could also show just how much Jameson hates Spider-Man, to the point where he’s willing to ruin a life just for his vendetta.
Vulture
Flying Around An Open-World Map In The Vulture Suit Sounds Like A Great Time
Real Name: Adrian Tooms
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #2
Spider-Man: Homecoming was a great showing for the Vulture, with Michael Keaton doing justice to this villain. This armored flying nemesis is a pain for Spider-Man to handle, although fans like can’t help but wonder how it would feel to fly in the sky as this villain instead.
An open-world game with a focus on both grounded and aerial combat would make the Vulture a blast to control. The Vulture moniker has been used by several people in the comics, so maybe a game with multiple Vultures could also be viable.
Carnage
Another Iconic Symbiote Who Deserves More Love In The Realm Of Video Games
Real Name: Cletus Cassidy
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #360
Any Symbiote foe of Spider-Man’s would be a joy to control, and Carnage is no exception. The fact that he’s an offspring of Venom makes him even more tantalizing as the potential protagonist of a game, with both his father and Spider-Man available to act as his enemies.
There’s no denying that Carnage is a total psycho, but characters like Trevor Philips from GTA 5 make it clear that people enjoy playing as characters with more destructive tendencies than the everyday hero. Carnage would be perfect as a protagonist because of this, and a potential team-up with Venom could make for one of the best villain-centric video games we’ve seen in a long time.
