DESCRIPTION

Marvel Comics' favorite son, the amazing Spider-Man, crawls his way into stores and into the palms of your hands via Spider-Man for the Game Boy Color. You must help the webbed one battle his way through four dangerous missions of supervillainy gone amuck. The action takes place on, in and around the rooftops, streets, subways, docks, sewers and warehouses of New York City.

Criminal mastermind Dr. Octopus (he of the cool shades and buzz cut) is at it again, this time conducting genetic experiments with alien symbiote suits. As readers of Spider-Man's four-color adventures know, symbiote suits are what power Venom and Carnage, two of the toughest foes Spider-Man has ever faced.

In this game, just like in the comics, Spider-Man can climb walls and stick to most surfaces, use Spider-Sense to detect danger, punch and kick bad guys, and use his webbing to immobilize enemies and swing on buildings. He also has the agility and strength of a spider and can form web shields. Unlike the comics, the Game Boy Color Spider-Man can pick up items to help him fight the good fight. These include health hearts, one-ups, limited invincibility, attack power-ups and defense power-ups.

When not in costume, Spider-Man is Peter Parker, freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle. When the game begins, Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson (who has spent much time over the years characterizing Spider-Man as a public menace) sends Parker to investigate an explosion at Dr. Connors' lab. Unbeknownst to the general public, Dr. Connors occasionally transforms from mild-mannered scientist to The Lizard, a quick, evil creature who uses other reptiles to help him in combat.

Throughout the game you'll face many other foes in Spider-Man's gallery of rogues. These include Venom, a hulking monster with all of Spider-Man's abilities and then some, Hobgoblin, a freak on a razor-winged glider who tosses pumpkin bombs, and Dr. Octopus, whose steel tentacles are strong enough to give Spider-Man's webbing a run for its money. You'll also face obstacles (such as dogs, bats and seagulls) and an assortment of weapon-wielding thugs and punks.

If you make it far enough, you'll go head-to-head with Carnage, who can create weapons (such as axes and maces) with pieces of his symbiote costume, and Octo-Carnage, who is Doc Ock melded with Carnage's costume.

Many of the heroic happenings in Spider-Man are of the standard action platform variety, but a few extras are included. For example, the more criminals and villains Spider-Man fights, the more experience he gains as a superhero. He will learn new moves (such as an uppercut and a swing kick) and get stronger and more resilient. Also, the game features numerous hidden areas and items. ~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide