The evolution of Venom as a Spider-Man character is remarkably easy to track through his numerous video game appearances.
Similarly, Venom has never been able to stand on his own in video games.
At most, he gets top billing in aSpider-Manteam-up game.
Hell always be part of Spider-Mans corner of Marvel.
Hes the Vegeta to his Goku.
The Black Adam to his Shazam.
The Waluigi to his Luigi.
The Elvira to his Dolly Parton.
The Terry Crews Old Spice Guy to his Isaiah Mustafa Old Spice Guy.
All right, Im good.
In the comics, hes gone from villain to hero to ambiguous figureto hero again.
Venom would return inAmazing Spider-Man vs.
The Kingpinin the same year.
The Sega CD port had a lot of additions like new levels and bosses.
This was followed by a cutscene straight out of a CD-IZeldagame where Venom spoke likeCalculon fromFuturama.
Then in 1991, came the outrageous Sega arcade gameSpider-Man: The Video Game.
I guess Namor makes a bit more sense when its revealed that Dr. Doom is the main villain.
While the arcade game was Venoms most memorable appearance during this era, it was also the least accurate.
Venom was an x-factor and not the kind of villain who would join a villain faction.Amazing Spider-Man vs.
This pivot was handled really well in video games at the time.
Too bad theyre just going to escape again.
Dont worry, Im just going to break into Ravencroft and kill them all.
Im sure some people wanted to turn the game off right there and let Venom do his thing.
Spider-Man and Venom cross paths in a park and scrap it out.
Dont ask Venom to help you move your furniture.
Oh, and the game also featured a red variant of Venom you could unlock that played slightly differently.
It was obviously supposed to be Carnage, but they didnt call him that for reasons.
Finally, we get the 2000Spider-Mangame for PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast.
A classic take on the wallcrawler and his many allies and enemies, Venom nearly stole the show.
Really thinking outside the box.
So began the next era of the character.
Venom spent just as long as an antihero as he did as an explicit Spider-Man villain.
What exactly was Venoms true self?
For the first couple of years of this, Marvel didnt know what to do with him.
Then Marvel tried to have their cake and eat it too by literally splitting the difference.
At no point in the game is it stated whether its Eddie Brock or Mac Gargan.
Venom was playable via DLC for 2006sMarvel: Ultimate Alliance.
Only up to a point, mind you, as he did suggest working with Mysterio to kill Spider-Man.
Speaking of comic tie-ins, 2005 gave usUltimate Spider-Man.
In the initial comic storyline, Eddie became the creatures host and was a mindless monster.
In this game follow-up, you’re able to play as both Spider-Man and Venom.
Not that it truly matters as Venom sneaks away in defeat and kills Trask later anyway.
There, Venom remained a mindless creature and Eddie was just quietly written out.
I guess I should probably discuss 2007s adaptation ofSpider-Man 3, huh?
It was…something.
In fact, the GBA port even shows the symbiote leaving the body as a spooky cliffhanger.
That includes fellow heroes like Iron Fist and Black Cat or various villains freed from mind-control.
Those who were in the movies appeared with those designs, meaning an appearance of webbed Venom.
Venoms attacks revolved around him doing sonic roars at people, which was certainly a choice.
And so, Venom got a bit of a spotlight in 2009sSpider-Man: Web of Shadows.
The game was worth it just for Symbiote Wolverine.
The final boss was Venom as this freaky Lovecraftian hydra kaiju.
Upon being defeated, it led to two possible dark fates for Eddie.
Got to love those video game morality systems.
A year later, we gotSpider-Man: Shattered Dimensions: the prototype forSpider-Verse.
Stuff like theLego Marvelseries,Disney Infinity,Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth, etc.
That game didnt even have arcade endings.
Mike Costa reunited the two parties in 2017, a year before the Tom HardyVenommovie would arrive.
Spider-Man has gone on to accurately and amusingly refer to him as his problematic frenemy.
Venom appeared in 2019sUltimate Alliance 3as a boss-turned-playable-hero.
Venom is taken aback by this gesture but still promises to devour Spider-Man whole after the adventure is over.
Spider-Man simply shrugs it off.
2022sMarvel Midnight Suns, does probably the best job of understanding Venoms current status quo.
Hell,Knullhas aMarvel Snapcard!
that has its own cinematic universe that acts as a cousin to the MCU.
Then again, it is also home to Morbius, so it only means so much.
The ED-209 to his RoboCop!
The Nelson Muntz to his Bart Simpson!
The Bass to his Mega Man!
The Hector Barbosa to his Jack Sparrow!
The Eddie Brock to his Peter Par wait, that doesnt work.
