The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). Play online

Summary

When The Amazing Spider-Man finally hit the DS in June 2012, I was thrilled to finally swing through Manhattan on a handheld. The title had been teased at the 2011 New York Comic Con and originally slated for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and 3DS, so getting a dedicated DS version felt like a sweet concession to portable fans. Activision’s decision to bundle pre‑order bonuses added a collector’s vibe, even though the Move‑only features never made it to the tiny screen.

The game shines in its fast‑paced combat and surprisingly responsive touch‑screen controls, letting me fling webs and punch villains with a flick of the stylus. Its soundtrack punches through the handheld’s limited speakers, keeping the action intense enough for short sessions on a bus. Reviewers, however, noted the difficulty spikes, a story that feels tacked on to the film’s ending, and repetitive side missions that quickly grow stale. Visuals remain serviceable on the dual‑screen but nothing that stands out in the DS library, and overall there’s little innovation beyond the basic formula.

Storyline

Months after the film, in The Amazing Spider‑Man on the Nintendo DS, Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy sneak into Oscorp’s restricted labs and are caught by the new director, Alistair Smythe. He confirms the rumors of Curt Connors’ cross‑species experiments and the outbreak of a deadly virus. The infected creatures break free, contaminating scientists, Gwen and Smythe alike. Peter dons his Amazing Spider‑Man suit to quarantine the victims, but they escape into New York.

Spider‑Man battles the giant robot S‑01 and frees Connors from the mental institute to help craft a cure. They set up a lab in Aunt May’s friend Stan’s apartment, gathering a sample from Vermin the rat‑cross‑species and confronting Rhino and Hunter robots. Whitney Chang, an undercover reporter, supplies intel on Oscorp’s shady projects while Spider‑Man secures Connors’ research from a secret lab. The antidote they create is later tested on Smythe, who loses his legs and sanity.

Smythe unleashes S‑02, a serpent‑like robot, and later S‑03, a nanobot‑dispersing machine that strips Spider‑Man of his powers. Using an AED, Gwen revives Peter, and with Whitney’s help he electrocutes the nanobots, regaining his abilities. He and Connors, now the Lizard, fight through Manhattan, defeating the piranha‑type Natie and a Scorpion cross‑species before confronting Smythe’s final scheme.