Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man 3 is the Game Boy Advance edition of Activision's 2007 film tie-in, developed by Vicarious Visions and released on May 4, 2007. It is not the open-world 3D game made for the larger consoles, nor the touch-screen-focused Nintendo DS release. This handheld version turns the adaptation into a compact, level-based side-scrolling action game with 2.5D character models and a city map used to select stages.

The story follows Peter Parker as a routine patrol becomes a chain of emergencies across New York. Spider-Man defuses a bomb, confronts Harry Osborn as the New Goblin, and saves civilians from a burning building before facing Sandman. The alien symbiote subsequently gives Peter the black suit, while the game's original additions bring Electro, a kidnapped senator, and the Mad Bomber's explosives into its version of the movie's conflict.

Its sixteen missions mix brawling and traversal with clearly defined tasks. A stage may ask Spider-Man to search for keys, disable bombs, activate sprinklers, rescue people, or track down a villain, with hint bubbles on the map offering guidance. Wide areas support web-swinging, while walls and ceilings can be climbed and ducts or tunnels can hide alternate routes; boss encounters center on reading an enemy's attacks and striking during an opening.

Spider-Man begins with jumping, web-swinging, basic martial-arts attacks, and web shots that can stun or pull enemies. Webbing can also interact with fixtures such as fans and sprinklers. The portable control scheme uses the directional pad and face buttons to keep moving, jumping, attacking, firing webs, and selecting moves immediate, while new techniques accumulate as the campaign progresses; the game gives Spider-Man roughly two dozen attacks and web abilities overall.

Defeating bosses extends Spider-Man's health and awards additional moves, usually two or three at a time. After a key encounter, filling a rage meter by fighting goons lets Peter change into the black suit. The darker costume makes him faster and stronger and allows him to break certain walls that the red suit cannot, but taking damage returns him to the regular costume, so its extra power is a short-lived advantage rather than a permanent replacement.

The central film villains return for the finale: Peter realizes the symbiote is corrupting him, removes it with a church bell's sonic vibrations, and watches it bond with Eddie Brock as Venom. Sandman, Venom, New Goblin, Electro, and the Mad Bomber give the GBA campaign a distinct villain lineup. An early decision changes the order of missions and the bonus abilities earned, so seeing every bonus ability requires another playthrough.

Although it shares its title, release date, publisher, and broad movie inspiration with the console and DS versions, this is specifically a short 2D handheld interpretation. Its comic-panel stills and text convey the story between missions, and its focus is on platforming, web tools, boss fights, and replayable branching routes rather than free-roaming Manhattan or the DS game's stylus-driven combat.