10 Locations Outside NYC Spider-Man Games Should Explore
Spider-Man doesn’t just belong in New York City. Here are some great places that could be the setting for the next Spider-Man game.
Spider-Man is almost as much about New York City as he is about his webbed suit and big white eyes. But for some gamers, bouncing around the same place in almost every game (even if the graphics get better each time) can feel like “been there, done that.” Since Spidey has been putting his sticky foot in other worlds for a while, some fans have been wondering why he hasn’t been given a chance to become an international Spider-Man of mystery.
If Far From Home taught people anything, it was that Spider-Man looks right at home jumping from building to building abroad, and that it would be cool to be able to do the same thing in the next big Spider-Man game, whether you play as Peter Parker, Spider-Gwen, or Miles Morales. The world (and the many worlds of the Spider-Verse) seems to be full of great places for Peter Parker and his friends to swing around, whether it’s part of a world tour or the focus of a high-end game.
Mumbai, Through The Hustle And Bustle
Miles Morales being a new Spider-Man is great, and New York City covered in snow looked great, but it would be cool to swing from roofs in other cities. Audiences have already seen what it might be like for Spider-Man to swing around Mumbai, India, in Across the Spider-Verse: busy streets, rickshaw buildings, famous temples, and busy markets all fly by as he moves from street to street.
In a possible Spider-Man game, the main character could be a version of Pavitr Prabhakar, who might or might not have an American Spider-Man as an instructor or pen pal. Getting a taste of Mumbai, either through an origin story with a twist or as a new episode in the Marvel’s Spider-Man series, would give fans a break from New York City’s often cold and wet weather.
Slinging Across The Neon Skyline Of Shanghai
Even though it seems like New York City is the only place where Spider-Man could work, there are plenty of other towns with enough people for the blue and red web-slinger to do his thing. Imagine Spider-Man flying through the most crowded city in China, with its brightly colored skyline and futuristic buildings, like the third-tallest building in the world, Shanghai Tower.
Since Peter seems to know a lot of Mandarin (at least based on the English-subtitled Mandarin in the Demons segment of Marvel’s Spider-Man), Spider-Man wouldn’t have any more trouble getting around the busy and beautiful city of Shanghai than he would climbing the famous skyscrapers.
Doomstadt, Latveria, On The Doorstep Of Doctor Doom
In the Marvel world, Latveria is a made-up country where high-tech and magic come together, especially in its capital, Doomstadt. This is because the small kingdom is run by Doctor Victor Von Doom, who is smart, evil, and very powerful. A video game version of Doom’s strange home turf has steampunk turrets, tall towers, and ominous neon zeppelins that you can jump and swing from.
With Latveria near Symkaria, where Silver Sable lives, there would be a chance to work with the badass leader of the Wild Pack to stop Doom’s evil plan to invade Silver Sable’s home (or whatever evil plans Doom has for the world that week).
Paris, The City Of Light
Even though Paris has been shown in video games before, like in the super-detailed Assassin’s Creed: Unity, there haven’t been many modern depictions of one of the most beautiful and romantic places in the modern world, at least not one that Spider-Man could swing around in: from the top of the Eiffel Tower to the artsy, bohemian streets of Montmartre Hill, it would be sure to amaze.
It’s not hard to come up with a reason for the friendly spider to go to The City of Light. When Pete and Mary-Jane finally get married, they will go on a honeymoon. But, as usual, Mr. and Mrs. Spider-Man get into trouble with a group of super-powered criminals who have dug themselves in and set up a base deep in the city’s old catacombs.
A Tiny Team Up In The Microverse
In a team-up so clear that some people in the audience might wonder why it hasn’t happened yet, old Pete will have to swing, zip-line, and crawl through the Microverse, which is much harder than the one made of concrete and steel. Ant-Man will help him do this by giving him a specially made suit. Think of Grounded, but with spider webs and spider sense.
Spider-Man’s super-sized neighborhood could have fun set pieces, mind-bending traversals, and a dose of pulpy, sci-fi madness as he and Ant-Man go deeper into the mysterious Microverse. For example, Spider-Man could get stuck in a complicated security system or have to fight off an army of angry tardigrades.
Hong Kong
Because of an opening in Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, Hong Kong would be a great place for the Webhead to swing around. Hong Kong beats New York City when it comes to the number of buildings and the height of skyscrapers. There are a lot more buildings in Hong Kong, and the skyscrapers are a lot taller.
In games like Happy Wheels, Hong Kong has been shown online before, but a trip with Spider-Man to Hong Kong would give players a new way to see how good the friendly neighborhood spider is at acrobatics.
Knowhere, The Cosmic Nexus
One of the most interesting and unexplored paths in the Spidey-Verse is the one in which Captain Universe gives Spider-Man his powers, giving him the cosmic powers of a god. In a game set in this reality, Cosmic Spider-Man could be sent to Knowhere, a faraway spaceport built on the severed head of an alien god and a multi-dimensional nexus.
It would be weird to web-swing around the floating megastructure with no gravity. As Spider-Man learns to use more of his cosmic powers, he could open hidden places in Knowhere, like the Continuum Cortex, which would let him travel to other cosmic realms and meet cosmic beings like Thor, Nova, the Silver Surfer, and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Tokyo, The Neon Playground
Readers as old as the Vulture might remember a Japanese Spider-Man live-action TV show starring Takuya Yamashiro, who got his spider powers (and, strangely enough, a giant, summonable fighting mech) from an alien spider-being.
A game set in Tokyo wouldn’t have to have a summonable giant robot, but it would be awesome if it did. Tokyo is a huge megacity with some of the world’s most amazing skylines. Fights on bullet trains, fights with cyber-thugs in the neon-lit streets of Shinjuku, and being able to jump off the Tokyo Skytree would give any Spider-Man fan a fresh shot of radioactive blood.
The Primal Expanse Of Savage Land
Get out of the city and into the real, wild countryside. The Savage Lands are a strange exotic place that is hidden away in Antarctica. Swinging through the streets of Manhattan is a lot of fun, but it would be interesting to swing through a jungle full of super-evolved monsters, old technology, and strange cults.
How about? Peter finds out that his parents were not on an arctic scientific trip when they went missing. Instead, they were exploring the Savage Lands. This is shocking news because it means that his parents may still be alive. With the help of Miles Morales, Peter packs his suit and heads to the strange prehistoric reserve to figure out what’s going on. Along the way, he has to avoid being ambushed by dinosaurs, Kraven the Hunter, and other dangerous enemies.
Spider-Man Across The Pond, London
People everywhere have already had a taste of what it would be like to see Spider-Man in London, which is the most famous city in the United Kingdom. Even though the buildings aren’t as tall as those in New York City, London is full of monuments, bridges, buildings, and big clocks that Spider-Man can use to cross the many boroughs and busy streets of the city.
Many Marvel superheroes come from the UK, like Blade and Spider-Woman, who hunt vampires. Spidey could fight a group of British supervillains or even the powers of the establishment, but only if the anarcho-arachnid Spider-Punk is ready to show up with his usual witty banter (and not just Spider-Gwen and Miles Morales are fans of this guy!).
