Conclusion
Considering that Spiderman 2 is supposed to show off all that the DS can do, it’s makes very little use of the touchscreen with a just a few boss levels focusing the action down there. The majority of the game takes place on the upper screen with the touchscreen being used for selecting which special move you want to have (should you ever complete a level fast enough to get some) and for simplistic games when you have to face down a boss.
The level design coupled with tight time limits make the game pretty challenging, almost to the point of frustrating. Better use could’ve been made of Spiderman’s abilities such as the Spidey sense… that should’ve been used for helping you around the level, after all, that’s what happens in the films and the comics, isn’t it? I don’t recall any sort of Matrix-style bullet time in either the films or the comics and to be honest, I’d rather get a beating over with quickly than watch it in slow motion while wondering where the hell I and my objectives are.
In summing up, this is one for Spiderman fans and those with a natural aptitude for fiddly platformers but if you’re looking for something to show off your DS with, hang on for Metroid for its touchscreen use or check Rayman for decent 3D graphics.
Pros
Looks good in a weird 2D/3D way.
Easy to pick up
Nice (if a little repetitive) sounds
Fun in places
Cons
Easy to lose an objective in the large levels
Unrealistically tight time limits
Needs a map or directions!
Poor use of the touchscreen
