Spidey's best on DS!
When Ultimate Spider-man for DS came out, it was a very enjoyable action game. This basically plays the same, but there have been some major changes. You now have a free-roaming city to explore. Keep in mind that it's still 2D, but there's a lot more to explore this time around. It's just fun web-slinging around to get a good look at the game's GREAT graphics. They ditched the really cartoony look of USM to better fit the movie, and everything looks fantastic. There's a lot of detail in the characters and environments, and it runs with a silky smooth framerate. As you swing around the city, it has this really cool effect where the camera pans out and so you can really appreciate the nice visuals.
Now I mentioned that this plays like the previous installments, but they've completely overhauled the controls. Movement is controlled by the d-pad, and you use the touch-screen for everything else. With this setup, the combat just feels RIGHT. It's cool to swipe a few punches at the guy, knock him up in the air by stroking up, and double-tapping to web him before you put his lights out. This feels very responsive and satisfying. They've even worked in a really effective combo system so the better you fight, the more points you can get to spend on skills. Using these unique controls, SM3 is simply a FUN experience.
The game follows the plot of the blockbuster that shares its name. They toss in some more villains for good measure, too. The actual missions revolve around you saving innocents and beating down the baddies, and then you encounter a boss. The story cutscenes are told through pages of the Daily Bugle, which is a cool touch. The sound features voice acting from the cast, but it gets pretty repetitive. Rounding out the sound is decent music which is somewhat reminiscent of the movie. Unlike other versions, the DS one actually has multiplayer for 2! There's four different modes of multiplayer, but it's local and multi-card only. It's a really neat extra, and if you have a friend who has the game it's worth a look.
In closing, this is entirely worth your $30. Whether you're an action fan or just a spidey fan, you'll find a lot to enjoy about this game. It seems to have a decent length, and after you're finished there's a few unlockables + multiplayer to keep you busy. I am really enjoying it so far, and for the money this is probably the best version of the game to get. They could have just slapped a "Spider-Man 3" title on the last installment, but they go the extra mile and make it fresh for DS owners.