Released in 2018, Spider-Man was a huge hit for Insomniac Games. Not only was it wildly popular, but it was also widely considered to be one of the greatest superhero video games ever created. There were plenty of reasons for that, from gameplay to truth to the source material to the great story.

To have such a stellar plot, the game needed to give Spider-Man a handful of strong villains to battle with. He's a hero with a memorable rogues gallery, so there were some good baddies to choose from. Some stood out more than others, so here's a look at every villain in Marvel's Spider-Man.

Updated on October 13, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: With the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 coming sooner than later, there's no better time to jump into the first game and have a blast with Insomniac Games' incredible take on the web-crawler. While the open-world trappings of this game are a bit tiresome, most people would agree that Marvel's Spider-Man is easily the best game starring the webhead, featuring an incredible story and fun combat that keeps players entertained till the very end. There are many villains that Spidey needs to deal with during this adventure, with some of them being way more memorable than others.

16 Screwball

The bane of every gamer's existence, Screwball is a D-list Spidey villain from the comics who actually has one of the lengthiest side quests in the PS4 game. Screwball tasks Spider-Man with combat and stealth challenges so that she can get more viewers on her live streams. Spidey only agrees because he's under the impression she has hostages.

The whole point of her is to be an annoying nuisance to Spider-Man, and while she excels on that front, her threat level is nowhere near anyone else on this list. Her personality is also grating which leads some gamers to skip her missions entirely.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Not directly. Players have to fight her fans before nabbing her in the base game. In the expansion The City That Never Sleeps, players need to chase her with Miles once again.

15 Harry Osborn

Peter's closest friend doesn't really make an appearance in the game, operating from the shadows and giving Peter one of many open-world activities to complete in the game. The in-game reason for his absence stems from a mysterious illness that has taken hold of him.

At the end of the game, it's revealed that his father, Norman, was using an experimental treatment to cure Harry that involved the green liquid made famous by the Green Goblin along with what looked like the black symbiotic substance used by Venom.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

No. In fact, calling Harry a villain at this point would be a stretch... although it's clear that he's going to play a bigger role in Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

14 Silver Sable

Far from a classic Spider-Man character, Silver Sable was introduced in the Spider-Man comics in the late 1980s, where she would lead her Power Pack group of mercenaries. Her status as a villain has always been a bit muddled, to say the least, and this continues in Spider-Man PS4.

While she begins as the leader of Norman Osborn's militarized police force, she becomes disillusioned with the job thanks to Spider-Man's efforts in showing her the error of her ways. She didn't stay a villain for very long, but she could definitely hold her own in a fight.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

No. She captures him at one point, but Yuri's interception puts a stop to this abduction. Later on, she works in tandem with Spider-Man during the main story and The City That Never Sleeps DLC.

13 Black Cat

Yet another female Spider-Man character whose villain status is murky, Felicia Hardy a.k.a Black Cat is only teased in the base game, as players track down her planted cats only to find a swanky new black costume at the quest's end. In the DLC however, Hardy's plans are revealed.

Due to their past relationship and Peter Parker being characteristically gullible, Hardy tells Spidey that Hammerhead's criminal gang will kill her son if she doesn't help them. She toys with Spidey's head, implying he could be the father. While she doesn't cause death and violence like others on this list, the manipulation earns her a spot here.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

No. Players can capture some cat dolls through the city that she places in the base. Her role grows exponentially in The City that Never Sleeps, but she and Spider-Man never get into a physical conflict — in fact, they even team up together at one point.

12 Hammerhead

One of the more bizarre Spider-Man villains in the Wall-Crawler's rogues gallery, Hammerhead was simply a thug who, after his skull was fractured, had it replaced with one made of steel. He develops a fascination with the style of 1920s gangsters and adopts a whole new aesthetic to his criminal ways.

In the PS4 version of the game, Hammerhead is much more of a paint-by-numbers mob boss. While he may not have the fun mannerisms of his comic counterpart, he is the lead villain of the DLC and gives players a hell of a boss fight.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. There are multiple confrontations with the Mafia boss in the Turf Wars DLC. Players need to dodge whenever their Spider-Sense kicks in to avoid unnecessary damage, get some hits in when the boss is vulnerable, and use tech like Electric Web shots to stun the goons around Hammerhead.

11 Vulture

If this list were talking about the best Spider-Man villains from films, then Adrian Toomes would rank much higher. The Vulture was a highlight of Spider-Man: Homecoming, but he is much more of a side character in most media he's featured in.

In the game, he's nothing more than someone to round out the Sinister Six. He first showed up in the mission, "Out of the Frying Pan," and had potential. A fight through the skies using the game's excellent web-swinging system could've been awesome. Instead, he doesn't even get his own boss battle. This would change in Spider-Man: Miles Morales as he (or at least a VR simulation of him) is a side quest boss in that game.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. The player needs to fight both Electro and Vulture in a pulse-pounding boss fight. For Vulture, avoiding his ranged feather attack and sending it back at him is the best way to deal damage.

10 Electro

Vulture shares his boss battle with Electro. Interestingly, the in-game bio for Max Dillon notes that he was the first bad guy the Spider-Man in this universe fought. Something like that would've been great to dive into to make him a better villain.

Alas, Electro just ends up being the other guy to complete the Sinister Six. He gets the edge over Vulture because of the role he plays in freeing the prisoners from The Raft. Together, he and Vulture do deliver a pretty strong boss battle. It's worth noting that the voice actor for Electro is none other than Josh Keaton, who voiced Peter Parker himself in many Marvel video games such as Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, and more.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. He needs to be fought alongside Vulture. Stunning him with web shots to deal damage and destroying the generators he uses to recharge is the best way to defeat this boss. During the fight though, it's best to focus on Vulture since his attacks are easier to read.

9 Shocker

Shocker appears earlier in Spider-Man than a lot of the other entries on this list. He's part of two key missions, too. The first sees Spider-Man chase him down through the city in "A Shocking Comeback." Once that's over, players face him in "Financial Shock."

The main issue is that Shocker has never been really threatening. Combine that with the fact that he was mostly used as a way to hype up the Demons, and the result is a less-than-thrilling villain. He felt like the definition of untapped potential, but fans still aren't all that interested in him returning for a sequel, even if his look is an improvement over his comic counterpart.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. Shocker is a classic boss fight that tests a player's knowledge of the game. Using the debris in the boss arena is a great way to deal damage without opening Spider-Man up to unnecessary hits. Whenever he's vulnerable, players will get a button prompt that allows them to close the distance and launch a flurry of strikes before he recovers.

8 Rhino

Rhino proves to be one of the game's most destructive villains as soon as he escapes The Raft with everyone else in "Out of the Frying Pan." Along with having his own one-on-one fight against Spider-Man, he also has more to his motivations.

Rhino can't take off the armor he wears, and he only works for Doc Ock to get that removed. It's not the greatest of motivations, but it's at least more grounded than simple revenge or being a mercenary.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. In the initial fight against Rhino, players need to lure the villain and make him charge into a spot under some objects that Spider-Man can pull to fall on top of him. The fight gets trickier when Scorpion joins the fray, and players should focus on the newcomer before dealing with Rhino. After all, the brute might hit like a truck but is so slow that Spider-Man will find it easy to dodge his strikes.

7 Tombstone

Here's one of the most interesting villains in the game. Unlike most of the other entries here, Tombstone isn't really part of the game's main storyline. He does show up in it though, first appearing in "Dinner Date" and working as a henchman for Martin Li.

Tombstone gets his own series of side missions. It's some of the most fun players will have away from the plot, and it wraps up after a satisfying fight. In his fight, Tombstone takes a hit and keeps coming back, making him a highlight of the game.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. Tombstone's fight involves avoiding the combos of his sledgehammer in the first phase, and his deceptively long whip in the second one. His goons make things more complicated, but the fight mainly boils down to dodging his attacks and hitting him when an opening presents itself.

6 Kingpin

In most cases, Kingpin would rank much higher. Wilson Fisk is the ultimate villain to cross over between Spider-Man and Daredevil. He's physically imposing and is a ruthless crime lord who is something of a mastermind. There's one major thing holding him back.

Kingpin only appears early on in the game. He's the focal point of the opening missions and Spider-Man does battle with him. The fight is fun and creative, but he's gone after that. There are a few mentions of how his absence changes New York, but that's it.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. This fight takes place early on in the game, with players needing to web up two turrets and break them. Following this, players need to do the same with Fisk, since normal attacks will lead to him countering them. He'll summon more goons, so clear them out before resuming the task of webbing up Fisk before punching the ever-living daylights out of him.

5 Taskmaster

Along with Tombstone, Taskmaster sees his part of the game relegated to the world of side missions. The killer for hire arrives suddenly during "What's In The Box?" That kicks off his run of leaving challenges for the player all throughout the city.

Some of those challenges can get repetitive. On the other hand, his boss fight is spectacular. He can copy the player's moves, forcing them to adapt and keep trying new things to beat him. Also, he's definitely more interesting than his MCU counterpart.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. Players need to fight him twice — once after finishing five challenges and once again after completing all sixteen. He's an incredibly challenging boss who can mimic Spider-Man's attacks, shrugs off both normal blows & web shots, and hits like a truck. Players need to execute perfect dodges and stun Taskmaster to stand a chance of beating one of the hardest bosses in Marvel's Spider-Man.

4 Scorpion

Back to those villains who escaped The Raft in "Out of the Frying Pan," there's Mac Gargan, better known as the Scorpion. The game managed to take a costume that could look goofy and ensure that it looked cool and menacing. That's important.

Unlike the aforementioned Sinister Six members, Scorpion matters in the game. The way that he poisons Spider-Man makes him a credible threat, and the trippy adventure is one of the game's highlights. The whole fight is something to behold.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. He initially appears and poisons Spider-Man, causing the web crawler to scamper around through a horde of illusions before he can form a cure. Later on, he comes as a surprise entry during the fight against Rhino, forcing players to deal with his threatening ranged attacks by stunning and striking him before focusing their attention back on the big brute.

3 Mister Negative

When the game begins, Martin Li is something of an ally to Peter Parker and his Aunt May. He started the F.E.A.S.T. Foundation and seemed dedicated to helping those in need. That all changes when the mission "A Day to Remember" rolls around.

He was revealed as Mister Negative, the leader of the Demons who had been causing chaos all over New York. He's the driving force behind a lot of the game, has an intriguing backstory, and players must battle him several times. It was unexpected, but he was fantastic.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. Players fight him a total of three times. The first encounter has him pull Spider-Man into his dimension, where players need to dodge his choreographed attacks and deal with him while handling the specters of this dimension. The second encounter takes place within the confines of the metro, where players need to dodge Mr. Negative's attacks before unleashing a combo when he's vulnerable. The final encounter is the most cinematic. Players must dodge more of Mr. Negative's telegraphed attacks, use the environment to their advantage, and deal enough damage while he's open.

2 Norman Osborn

Although he maintains a veneer of a smiling face to the public, Norman Osborn is actually responsible for the tragedies in Marvel's Spider-Man. As the head of OsCorp and the Mayor Of New York City, Osborn's political and financial power turned the city into a war zone via Silver Sable's private security force. Not only that, but his ruthless business tactics were the triggering point for Doc Ock's descent into madness. Finally, his reckless experiments caused the creation of Mister Negative.

Osborn is such a blight on Spider-Man's life even without becoming the Green Goblin that Parker should shudder at what Osborn can become in the sequel. After all, Osborn is already working on Goblin-esque equipment.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

No. However, his actions do drive the final boss of the game to the edge.

1 Doctor Octopus

What makes Doctor Octopus the game's best villain is the tragic fall he suffers. At the start of the story, he's Otto Octavius, a scientist who works alongside Peter Parker. Spider-Man fans knew not to trust him and saw where things were headed.

His bitter attitude towards Norman Osborn and the path his life had taken led him to become the villainous Doctor Octopus. He only becomes the main antagonist in the final act of the game, but he is hugely impactful. It's Ock who orchestrates the Sinister Six, turns the city upside down, and ends up being the final fight for Spidey.

Does Spidey Fight This Villain?

Yes. Players fight him at the top of Oscorp Tower. They need to dodge his attacks and web him whenever possible to leave him open for an attack. After he electrifies the floor, players need to swing the debris he throws back at him enough times to trigger a final sequence of QTEs and beat him once and for all.