On the whole, Spider-Man 3 for Wii is a worthy superhero game but only for the generous novelty of its interface. Base on the blockbuster movie currently in theaters, obviously, and also available on PlayStation3 and Xbox360, it is the graphically inferior Wii version of Spidey-3 that ends up shining brightest simply for its intrinsic use of the motion sensitive Wii remote control (the "Wii-mote") and its likewise kinetically cognizant Nunchuk attachment.

Spider-Wii-Man is a different game from a different developer (Vicarious Visions), though it does throw in the requisite movie references -- like the others -- with all the continuity of an afterthought. Also like the PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 versions, it's a hackneyed action/adventure set in a freely roam-able New York City. The action is contrived and repetitive, broken only by a few similarly contrived gimmicks like button pattern sessions with a black goop suit. Were it not for the fact the Spider-Man is the coolest comic book hero on earth, the game wouldn't make the grade at all. The fact that you get to pump your arms and flit your wrists like Peter Parker and his eternally renewable trapeze is the only bonus, but it's a big one.

Combined, the controllers let you act like a man with spinnerets in his wrist, "steering" with the Nunchuk thumbstick and alternately throwing out the Wii-mote and Nunchuk and hitting B or Z, pfft pfft-style. It's damn spiffy. Sadly, all other actions -- i.e. running around and fighting -- end up suffering, not so much for the weird controller configuration (that too), but for the brutal camera work (and the clumsy manual control of it) that has you fighting enemies off screen as often as not, or both.

Definitely the type of game you rent for the pfft pfft bits, but a keeper in no way, shape or form.

TIP: In the Wii version of Spider-Man 3, you need to collect all 100 metorite pieces to unlock Venom. Collect all 50 Spider Emblems will unlock the black Spider-Man suit, which you can then wear at anytime without any of those nasty side effects.