Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six
Encyclopedia
Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six is a video game released for the Nintendo Entertainment System
developed by Bits Studios
software and published by LJN
in 1992. Versions of the game were also released for the Sega Master System and Game Gear by the Flying Edge
division of Acclaim
. The game is loosely based on a Marvel Comics
mini-series that featured Spider-Man
and the Sinister Six
in the early 1990s.
through six side-scrolling levels, with a member of the Sinister Six at the end of each level as a boss. The famous super-hero could jump, punch, kick, climb certain walls, shoot unlimited webs to swing on and collect web fluid to shoot square, web projectives. Players can also duck, and perform a jump kick.
The levels were generally pretty straight forward side-scrolling action, although occasionally a particular item such as key or a detonator would have to be found. Each level started out with a graphic illustration of Spider-Man battling the supervillain that the player would fight as a boss.
After successfully completing each level, the ending is a scene of all the supervillains sitting together in a large jail cell, with the on-screen message, ""VICTORY! Spider-Man triumphs over the Sinister Six..."
Spider-Man has only one life (in the NES version), although you do receive one continue. While there are web cartridge icons scattered throughout certain levels, (allowing Spider-Man to shoot ten web projectiles) there are no icons available to restore energy. However, defeating several enemies can restore Spider-Man's power bar.
The NES
version of the game was given a rating of 3/5 by GamePro Magazine in their November 1994 issue.
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
developed by Bits Studios
Bits Studios
Bits Studios was a British video game developer. The company has had over 30 titles published over the United States, Europe and Asia on multiple platforms. Bits Studios' parent company, PlayWize sold off all assets and technologies held by the group in 2008, due to poor trading results...
software and published by LJN
LJN
LJN was an American toy company and video game publisher. It created toy lines and video games based on movies, television shows, and celebrities. It was headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and later in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.-Founding:...
in 1992. Versions of the game were also released for the Sega Master System and Game Gear by the Flying Edge
Flying Edge
Flying Edge, Inc. was one of Acclaim Entertainment's brands used during the peak period of the Super NES and Mega Drive/Genesis dominated era during the early to mid 1990s....
division of Acclaim
Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
. The game is loosely based on a Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
mini-series that featured Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
and the Sinister Six
Sinister Six
The Sinister Six are a group of supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe, drawn from Spider-Man's rogues gallery. The original incarnation of the group was organized by Doctor Octopus, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 ....
in the early 1990s.
Storyline
In the game the player controls Spider-ManSpider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
through six side-scrolling levels, with a member of the Sinister Six at the end of each level as a boss. The famous super-hero could jump, punch, kick, climb certain walls, shoot unlimited webs to swing on and collect web fluid to shoot square, web projectives. Players can also duck, and perform a jump kick.
The levels were generally pretty straight forward side-scrolling action, although occasionally a particular item such as key or a detonator would have to be found. Each level started out with a graphic illustration of Spider-Man battling the supervillain that the player would fight as a boss.
- Level One: New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Streets and Power Plant with the boss being Electro. - Level Two: New York City Sewers with the boss being the SandmanSandman (Marvel Comics)Sandman is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A shapeshifter endowed through an accident with the ability to turn himself into sand, he eventually reformed, and became an ally of Spider-Man...
. - Level Three: New York City Secret Labotory with the boss being MysterioMysterioMysterio is the name of three fictional characters, all of which are supervillains and enemies of Spider-Man in the . The original Mysterio was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appears in Amazing Spider-Man #13, although it was later retconned that the aliens seen in Amazing...
. - Level Four: New York City Streets and Rooftops with the boss being the VultureVulture (comics)The Vulture is the name of six comic book supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The best known Vulture in the Marvel Universe is Adrian Toomes, an elderly enemy of Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 .-Golden Age Vulture:In Young Men #26, a scientist...
. - Level Five: New York City Park with the boss being the HobgoblinHobgoblin (comics)The Hobgoblin is the alias of several fictional characters that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known Hobgoblin is Roderick Kingsley. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #238, and was created by Roger Stern and John Romita, Sr...
. - Level Six: New York City Castle with the final boss being Doctor OctopusDoctor OctopusDoctor Octopus is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics since 1963. A highly intelligent mad scientist, Doctor Octopus is one of Spider-Man's greatest foes...
.
After successfully completing each level, the ending is a scene of all the supervillains sitting together in a large jail cell, with the on-screen message, ""VICTORY! Spider-Man triumphs over the Sinister Six..."
Spider-Man has only one life (in the NES version), although you do receive one continue. While there are web cartridge icons scattered throughout certain levels, (allowing Spider-Man to shoot ten web projectiles) there are no icons available to restore energy. However, defeating several enemies can restore Spider-Man's power bar.
Critics
Most video game critics felt that the game seemed underdeveloped and overly difficult. Also, for one of the last of the 8-bit games it did not demonstrate how far the system had come in terms of graphics or sound. The game has been described as typical of many early Spider-man games, with them being "unreasonably hard due to poor level design, difficult controls, cheap or unbalanced enemies, or a combination of problems."The NES
Nes
-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
version of the game was given a rating of 3/5 by GamePro Magazine in their November 1994 issue.