is not too different from the one released on PlayStation 2. One is in 2D,
the other is in 3D, but the mechanics are essentially the same. Dash is the
fast one; Mr. Incredible is the strong one; Mrs. Incredible (also known as
Elastigirl) is the flexible one; and Violet is the one who can form an
indestructible force field. As such, the levels aren’t very different either.
Since all the action takes
place in a 2D environment, the majority of the levels are executed in the vein
of classics like Final Fight and Streets of Rage. Whereas most side-scrollers
have flat platforms, the ground in The Incredibles is somewhat tilted, meaning
that you have greater movement throughout each area. Enemies might be
standing next to you, but appear to be standing over or even on top of you,
when in actuality they’re just a little to the side. But you don’t press left
or right in this scenario – that’s what you do when you want to go from one
end of the level to the next. In this case you’ll be pressing up or down to
reach the enemy.
Mr. Incredible’s super
strength means optimal power when taking on enemies. Even though The
Incredibles movie has an ensemble cast, Mr. Incredible has the most moves of
any character in the game. Technically he’s the star of this adventure.
Not limited to a single
punch or a three-punch combo, Mr. Incredible can perform uppercuts, ground
slams, jump attacks, and has two different charge (running) moves. He can
punch diagonally, stomp characters from above, and unleash powerful air
kicks. All of these moves are executed with just two buttons: A and B. The L
and R buttons are thrown in every now and then (you can only do so much with
two buttons), but that doesn’t make the moves any harder to perform. To run
with Mr. Incredible, press left-left or right-right. Follow up with the B
button to make him charge. Hold the L button while doing this and Mr.
Incredible will do an Incredi-Charge, which knocks over all enemies in front
of him, but with even more power.
Mrs. Incredible doesn’t
have nearly as many moves: attack, flail, feather fall, and elastic punch.
That’s about all she can do. The flail move stuns enemies, preventing a group
assault; feather fall turns her body into a parachute; and the elastic punch
stretches her arm to grab enemies and steal their weapons.
Dash has even fewer
moves. His levels are mostly about running away from the enemy, which is how
he defends himself in the movie. The Incredi-Sprint and Incredi-Flurry are
his only special moves. The former gives Dash an extra burst of speed to
dodge enemies and safely avoid dangerous objects. The latter is a move that
can only be performed after landing on a velocipod enemy. Execute the move
immediately to take out the velocipod pilot.
Violet has a little more
variety than her brother, but she’s not used much in the game (or in the
film’s marketing campaign. Have you noticed that all the commercials for SBC
and other sponsors involve Dash, Mr. Incredible, and/or Mrs. Incredible?
Violet appears briefly in the McDonald’s commercial – that’s it). Her moves
include: invisibility and a force field that can deflect attacks, as well as
dealing damage to the enemy.
This style of gameplay
has always had the same flaw: it’s very repetitive. The Incredibles tries to
break up the repetition by having five playable characters, including the guy
who can’t find his super suit – Frozone. For hardcore gamers, young or old,
this won’t mean much. The game is short and not overly difficult. The
Frozone levels are very basic: press two buttons to perform jumps and avoid
getting killed. It would’ve been awesome if they had created some in-depth
Frozone levels.
Young gamers (under 10)
who are not as skilled at gaming, or have a strong love for all things related
to The Incredibles — that’s who this game was made for. It’s disappointing
that the game wasn’t designed for a wider audience, but some people still
perceive Pixar movies as being kids movies. That won’t change with their next
release, Cars, a film that will almost certainly get a G rating (The
Incredibles was rated PG). Hopefully someday they’ll realize that the
content, target audience, and entertainment value of a film should be what
decides what goes into the game.
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Gameplay: 7
Side-scrolling
beat-’em-up action with your favorite superheroes. Worth a rental, and worth
stealing from your little brother. But not worth buying for yourself.
Graphics: 7
Very cartoony.
The GBA has seen better, but it’s also seen a lot worse.
Sound: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Not an incredibly
challenging experience.
Concept: 6
A gaming
experience like every other. Now featuring the stars of The Incredibles.
Overall: 7
Fun but
repetitive, easy and short, The Incredibles is best suited for the few gamers
who aren’t kicking butt at something more difficult…like Crash Bandicoot.
Yeah, Crash is an easy game too, but that’s the point. Six-year-olds will dig
it, but that’s not who the movie was made for. There weren’t any kids in the
theater the first time I saw it. If that doesn’t say something about Pixar’s
movies and the audience they’ve gained, nothing will.
However, it must be said
that out of all the Finding Nemo and Shark Tale games released this year and
the last, The Incredibles is far superior. The gameplay is much more
rewarding, even though it’s over in a flash.
