2002 has been the year of the Spider, and if the blockbuster movie wasn’t enough for Spidey-fans, Treyarch comes swinging onto the Xbox with the best Superhero game ever.

From the get go, you’re treated to an impressive opening video and a great user interface. Selecting what you want to do is simple and easy to navigate, and whether you choose to begin with the story game or training, getting started is quick and picks up the pace soon after you press start.

In the first few levels, you play as an angry and confused Peter Parker, donning his wrestling outfit and trying to find the man who murdered Uncle Ben. As the game progresses, however, you soon gain your classic blue and red costume and take on the role of everyone’s favorite wise cracking, web-slinging, wall crawling crime stopper.

However, the good folks at Treyarch didn’t just go with a simple video game interpretation of the movie, and instead added the likes of Shocker, Vulture, and Scorpion as well, each with their own separate parts playing into a well woven story. And, as an extra bonus to the Xbox version, two exclusive levels featuring Kraven the Hunter have been added, packing the game with even more villain stomping goodness.

Ground combat is a big part of the game, and fighting on foot is both simple and challenging at the same time. You may know which combo you want to use, but using it against five different armed thugs is the real trick. In this way, combat is a very satisfying experience. But ground based fighting is only the tip of the iceberg.

Aerial combat has been and always will be synonymous with Spidey, and Treyarch has done a marvelous job of making that a part of the game. The fights with Green Goblin and the Vulture are easily the games greatest highlights. New York is wonderfully done, with skyscrapers and buildings as far as the eye can see. Cars drive by hundreds of feet below, and you’ll have to be careful not to lose your lunch after taking an 80-foot plummet as the result of being nailed by a Pumpkin Bomb. The fight with Vulture is especially awe-inspiring, with rain pouring and lightning flashing as you dodge his attacks, trying to get in a punch or kick of your own.

Although some might complain about the camera angles in Spider-Man, with a little experience and practice, they won’t slow you down, and if they really irk you, they can easily be eliminated in the options menu by switching the camera to passive mode.

All graphical, game play, and viewpoint issues aside, however, the music and commentary are the games best features by far. With the likes of Tobey McGuire, Willem Dafoe, and Bruce Campbell, you know you just can’t go wrong. McGuire, voicing his movie counter-part, Spider-Man, does a great job of actually becoming Peter Parker, and the classic wise cracking sarcasm is as funny as ever. Dafoe does an incredible job as the Green Goblin, sounding just as downright sinister and evil as you would expect, if not more so. And Bruce Campbell is just icing on the cake, making the already incredible commentary some of the best ever in any game. The music is also well done, with impressive scores to get you in the web-swinging mood. The music during the fight scenes with Goblin is especially well done.

Simply put, there is nothing I would change about this game with the exception of adding a free-swing mode to just freelance about the city fighting off goons, or maybe making it longer. Spider-Man is so fun that when you finish, you’ll miss the game and be hungry for more. Thankfully, however, there is added replay value with the multiple difficulty levels and the secrets to unlock for winning on those different levels. You can also earn points for doing certain tasks or discovering secrets, which will allow you to purchase other bonuses. In fact, if you do the right things, an entire bonus mini game and another spin on the story can be unlocked.

If you’re reading this now, stop. Run, walk, or web swing to your favorite video game store and buy this game. Trust me, true believers, your Spider-sense will be tingling after this one, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.