Spider-man: Friend or Foe

Something smells rotten in the Big Apple and it’s not the usual assortment of villains that often show up to give our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man much grief. Usually, it’s the Sandman who gives the most trouble (I mean, who likes sand in their hair?) or sometimes it’s the psychotic antics of Venom that keep him busy. No, this time the threat is different and deadlier … deadly enough to have Spidey join forces with the likes of Doctor Octopus as well as the other two bad guys I mentioned. Spider-Man: Friend or Foe for the Nintendo DS is a game geared to a younger crowd and while it’s not perfect it’s still fun enough to give fans of the webslinger a reason to swing into action.

Released on multiple platforms, Friend or Foe on the Nintendo DS plays a tad differently than the console game even though the setup and main story is relatively the same. Story Mode begins with Spider-Man patrolling the rooftops of New York City when he is attacked by not one, not two but three familiar Spidey villains such as Doctor Octopus, the Sandman and even Venom. In the middle of the melee, though, the three bad guys are attacked themselves by holographic enemies called PHANTOMS and they are whisked away by this new threat. Confused, Spider-Man is approached by Colonell Nick Fury of S.H.E.I.L.D., who adds that these PHANTOMS were sent by some mysterious enemy linked to meteor fragments that recently fell to Earth. Who is behind these enemies and why do they share the same alien genetic makeup as Venom? These are answers Spidey must find out and this time he’ll have help from friends and the very enemies he faced off against many times before.

Comic book fans and gamers of all ages can certainly appreciate the fact that the wall-crawler is not only joined by friends such as the Black Cat but also his bitter enemies like Doc Ock. Unlike the console version of the game, though, there are some foes missing from the lineup and the game concentrates on two key locations: New York City and France. You start the game in NYC after Fury gets word that there’s some unusual activity involving Doc Ock near the museum. You’ll also be given some objectives to complete in each level whether it’s rescuing hostages along the way as well as gaining access to areas within the museum.

While you’ll have the choice to pick your sidekick later in the game, the game has you starting off with the burglar-turned-hero called the Black Cat. Immediately, you’ll notice that your sidekick (and every other sidekick you unlock) has his or her own unique skills and you can always switch between Spidey and his sidekick with the R button. Obviously, Spidey has different webbing attacks while the Black Cat has a powerful feline attack as well as the ability to throw blades. Doctor Octopus can toss objects with his mechanical arms as well as clear a room by spinning like a blender. You’ll even be joined by the Green Goblin with his pumpkin bombs, the Sandman with his sandstorm powers and there’s even the interesting addition of the vampire slayer Blade.

Cool lineup aside, the game’s levels are surprisingly lengthy and fill both screens. Really, the only time you’ll be using the bottom touch screen is for completing the various mini-games and for activating switches by tapping an exclamation mark that pops up when there’s something of interest. The exclusive mini-games range from lock picking to safecracking using the Stylus. Lock picking, for example, requires you to move a series of tumblers using the Stylus until the lock in place. It sounds easy but these mini-games are timed and are actually challenging even for older gamers. It’s also a nice diversion from the game’s brawling action.

Combat is both simple and a bit complex at the same time. Younger gamers will be able to punch and kick without trouble but the more complex moves such as throws, require you to press both the X and Y buttons at the same time. The PHANTOMS in the console version aren’t very formidable opponents but here they’re able to throw some good punches and shoot a lot more accurately. You’ll be thankful that the controls are responsive enough to make combat work well but the enemy AI can sometimes be prone to walk right into your fist. Boss fights can also be quite challenging … surprisingly even more than the console version. Still, even with this, combat can get extremely repetitive and younger gamers might get frustrated with going up against the same types of PHANTOMS.

Kids who like sharing their game will be happy to know that you can have a friend join you in the main Story Mode as well as Free Play mode (a game mode that allows you to replay past levels only using a sidekick of your choice). It’s great to play with a friend cooperatively and wirelessly but there’s noticeable framerate problems that become a little too hard to ignore when you face off against more than three opponents at a time. Still, multiplayer isn’t completely broken and it’s a good game to share with a friend … especially later in the France levels were the fights get longer. 

Graphically speaking, Friend or Foe looks decent but nothing special. The animated cut scenes bring to mind the new Spider-Man cartoons where the Green Goblin resembles the movie version rather than the classic comic book version. There are cut scenes but no video so it’s like watching an interactive comic books with no lip movement. The game’s soundtrack is also pleasantly enjoyable and it never gets old even when it repeats itself throughout the level. There’s some voice acting that comes up during mission briefing and cut scenes and the actors do a pretty good job of bringing each character to life. As far as the sound effects are concerned they’re repetitive but not annoying.

Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is an adequate and worthwhile Nintendo DS action game fit for the younger Spidey fans and while the action can get a wee bit repetitive there’s enough to like about this portable version of the game. With four different touch screen actions and a variety of allies that keep the action going, this is a challenging title that might not push the NDS to it’s fullest but is fun nonetheless. If you have a young gamer who absolutely loves Spider-Man, this portable version is worth the money.

Gameplay: 7.5
On the Nintendo DS, Friend or Foe plays a bit differently than the console version of the game and the levels are deeper and have plenty more to do throughout. Combat is handled well enough and young gamers can quickly pick up and start playing despite some of the more powerful moves are a bit complex to pull off. The interesting sidekick lineup is a major plus but where is Rhino?

Graphics: 6.0
The game’s graphics aren’t the best but they do well enough on the dual screens that you’re able to make out some details on the characters. The cut scenes move like an interactive comic book where there’s no lip movement at all.

Sound: 6.5
The music is surprisingly well handled throughout the game and it’s great to hear it coming from the DS speakers. There’s voice acting in the game and it’s also pretty good but the sound effects repeat over and over again without little change.

Difficulty: Medium
Many of the PHANTOMS you’ll face in the game won’t give even the youngest gamer much trouble but there are some mean boss battles that will not fail to challenge even the older set. Oftentimes you’ll get ganged up on as well. The lock picking and safecracking mini-games are timed and challenging so start honing those Stylus skills.

Concept: 7.5
Imagine you are Spider-Man and you’re fighting a common enemy right next to the likes of Doc Ock or the Green Goblin and you get an idea of what’s in store for you in this game. There are some challenging mini-games scattered throughout the game and each character plays a role in adding their own unique skills to each level. Oh and you can play this game with a friend wirelessly.

Multiplayer: 7.0
If there’s a portable game that screams multiplayer action it’s this one. Friend or Foe plays better with a friend and while I experienced some framerate stuttering, it doesn’t get bad enough that it takes you out of the game.

Overall: 7.5
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe for the Nintendo DS is a likeable, challenging and entertaining portable action game that has its share of problems but is fun enough for young Spidey fans to enjoy. The interesting team up of villains and allies and the ability to play wireless with a friend is a major plus and worth a purchase.