Not sure where the web leads

THE posters for the summer blockbuster “Spider-Man 3” contain a tagline: “The Battle Within.” Sadly, that phrase also applies to the video game released in conjunction with the film. On the surface, the game is almost technically perfect. The load times between levels are short (discounting the install time at start-up), the Manhattan environments that serve as the backdrop are amazingly detailed and rich, and Spidey’s ability to swing or climb absolutely anything is unprecedented.

But after a short time actually playing, the demons that haunt the web crawler rear their ugly heads. Controlling Spider-Man is at best a challenge (especially when he is swinging from building to building during one of the many missions). More than half of the cut-screens are terribly animated. And most of the battles are mediocre button-mashers. Even the PS3’s astounding capabilities get in the way: The action moves so fast, it’s almost impossible to get Spidey to move correctly in tight quarters.

This is a nice upgrade from the Spider-Man 2 game of a few years ago, graphically at least. Unfortunately, controlling Spidey still has its, ahem, bugs.

Details: All platforms; $29.99 to $59.99; rated: Teen (animated blood, mild language, violence).

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Living in the past has never been such fun

There is something so nostalgic and blissful about playing games downloaded to the Wii’s Virtual Console. After all, here are classics, dinosaurs if you will, being played on a cutting-edge system in all their 8- and 16-bit glory.

The edges are rough, the gameplay is stunningly simple, and the controls are limited to two buttons and a control pad. But, man, who knew the titles of old would still be fun enough to make us forget all about our Xbox 360s and PS3s, at least for a while?

With the use of an Internet connection, games can be bought by redeeming Wii points, purchased at a retail store or with a credit card online. Most games from the godfather of gaming systems, the NES, sell for 500 points, or $5. Other games from systems such as the Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis and Turbo Graphix range from $5 to $10.

A few must-haves have been released: the classic football tilt Tecmo Bowl (featuring Bo Jackson); Mario Kart 64 (the first and still the best Go Kart racer); and our all-time favorite, Punch Out (although this is the version with Mr. Dream instead of Mike Tyson).

Most classics can be controlled by turning the Wii Remote sideways, whereas others require an optional “classic controller” that connects to the Wii Remote.

And each week, Nintendo posts three new titles from the past, offering us another small slice of simple bliss.

Details: Wii platform; individual games, $5 to $10.

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Enter a new dimension

Safe to say, Super Paper Mario for the Wii is unlike anything else in the Super Mario family of great games. For starters, it takes 15 minutes of cut-screens to explain the convoluted plot, unlike the other “save the princess, now go” intros of the past.

The game requires players to switch between the classic 2-D side-scroller and a 3-D adventure with the touch of a button -- an example of the pure genius that is common within the series. Mix in the ability to point the Wii remote at the screen for hints, and you’ve got an absolute winner.

Details: Wii platform; $49.99; rated: Everyone (comic mischief, mild cartoon violence).

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They got next

Although the action in NBA Street Homecourt is far more cartoonish than that of a simulator, the gravity-defying dunks, good court chatter and streetball-inspired action will give hoops fans something to do while waiting out the Lakers’ and Clippers’ off-seasons.

Even though it’s not too much different from its predecessors (save for the next-gen high-def graphics), Homecourt also features a great funk-driven soundtrack and lots of positive messages for junior gamers about trying hard and never giving up from some of the NBA’s biggest stars. If only our local teams had taken that to heart....

Details: PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms; $59.99; rated: Everyone.