YMMV / Spider-Man vs. the Kingpin

• Awesome Music: Easily the best saving grace of the Sega CD version is that it has a rocking soundtrack. Special mention goes to the song "Swingtime", which plays in several levels and during the game's end credits.
• Complete Monster: In the Sega CD version, Wilson "The Kingpin" Fisk frames Spider-Man for the theft and intended use of a nuclear bomb, which he himself intends to use to destroy New York City as part of a plan to Take Over the World and rid himself of Spider-Man once and for all; if the player runs out of time, the bomb goes off and destroys New York just as he planned. He additionally frames Spider-Man for kidnapping and threatening to kill Mary Jane, part of a plan to lure him to his hideout for the final showdown. Should Spider-Man fail to save Mary Jane from acid in time, the Kingpin laughs and mockingly offers condolences, and if he gets defeated by Kingpin, the latter kills them both onscreen, savoring every moment. Lacking any of his comic counterpart's nobler traits, this Kingpin is willing to do anything and everything to destroy Spider-Man and New York itself.
• Ham and Cheese: The writing of the game is the typical corny comic book writings, something that Jim Ward seems to have picked up on.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: One mid-boss is a guy who tries to kill Spider-Man with a forklift.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • The scene of Curt Connors turning back into the Lizard in the cutscene after his boss fight and before the immediate rematch in the Sega CD version is pretty unsettling, especially the sound of his scream set to the freakishness of his Lizard face.
  • The entire game is a Timed Mission before Kingpin detonates a nuclear bomb to destroy New York City. If you run out of time or mess up defusing the bomb, the city is blown up in a cutscene with much higher-quality animation than the others, with New York dissolving in the blink of an eye before cutting to a mushroom cloud.
  • The worst ending in the game occurs in the event Spider-Man were to be defeated by Kingpin. The latter spouts Black Comedy snarks in a Faux Affably Evil tone, as he ties Spider-Man to above the vat of Hollywood Acid that Mary Jane is also tied to, before bringing out a remote to push down, bidding him farewell. While it's gore-free, the game also actually shows Spider-Man and MJ descending into the acid and melting into nothing, while Kingpin laughs his ass off. Coupled with the groovy but rather depressing beat, it feels very much like the end of a hero.
  Kingpin: (holding up his arms in triumph) Looks like you crawled your last wall, Spider-Man. It was bound to come to this someday. (picks Spidey up and ties him to Mary Jane) What a lovely couple you make. A shame I didn't bring my camera...but I will always remember you. Just like this. (grins, bringing out a remote control) Goodbye, Spider-Man. I'm going to miss outsmarting you. (presses down on the remote, chuckling as the two descend into the acid)
• Older Than They Think: Many people think that the first Playstation game was the first to feature the alien symbiote costume as an alternate costume for Spidey to wear. The Sega Master System version of this game featured an easter egg that allowed Spider-Man to attain the symbiote costume while playing in Nightmare Mode, close to a decade before the PSX game was released.
• So Bad, It's Good: For the most part, the Sega CD version's animated cutscenes are hilariously cheesy.

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