Reviewed: November 29, 2004
Reviewed by: Loki
Publisher
THQ
Developer
Helixe
Released: November 1, 2004
Genre: Action
Players: 1
ESRB: Everyone
6
7
6
6
6.4
Supported Features:
The Incredibles for the GBA is the handheld version of the series of games based on the hit movie. What is likely to be the #1 animated movie of the year is merely an average console game and when trimmed down for the GBA we are left with a simplistic smash and bash romp that shows a few signs of brilliance in an otherwise mundane game.
Hopefully you’ve already seen the movie so when I say you get to play as Mr. Incredible, Helen, Violet, Dash, Frozone, and others you will know what (and who) I’m talking about. Also making cameos are E, Syndrome, and Bomb Voyage to name a few. The game follows the plot of the movie fairly well, both in cast and story.
Gameplay is as simple as it gets for an action title that doesn’t try to deviate from the standard side-scrolling action formula. Depending on which character you are in control of you will have access to some special abilities along with the standard jump, punch, and kick commands.
Controls are simple with the A button jumping and the B button used for kicking and punching. The right trigger activates the Incredible Powers like strength, stretching, speed, or invisibility. As easy as it is to use these super powers there are few instances where they are actually required. You can mash the B button mindlessly and get through most of the game.
And therein lies the downside of The Incredibles. Despite the action packed gameplay it’s the same action for 40 some odd levels and you’ll be pretty tired of the whole thing before you reach the halfway point. I supposed in small doses the game is more palatable and younger kids likely won’t mind the repetitious gameplay.
Enemy AI is pretty straightforward. They just come at you and you beat them down. There are only about a half-dozen enemy types cleverly disguised in different clothes and carrying different weapons. There’s not a whole lot of strategy required to take them down. The levels present a few obstacles and puzzles but nothing that isn’t too obvious since you know the skills you have at your disposal.
While the console versions of this game captured the CG goodness of the movie almost perfectly, the GBA version delivers a comic book style presentation, which is actually quite good. The characters look great and are nicely animated complete with all the flashy combat effects. I’m actually impressed with the sheer number of unique combat animations for each of the characters including their special abilities.
The levels are gorgeous with multiple levels of scrolling and detailed textures. There’s even a bit of shadowing going on to give the game some added depth.
Music is minimal and doesn’t even try to capture the themes from the movies. It’s basically some generic comic book superhero music that could work with just about any game of this type. The dialogue has been stripped so you won’t enjoy the wonderful original cast that recreated their roles on the larger consoles.
Sound effects are also fairly generic and include your typical sounds of combat and weapons and a few basic environmental effects. It’s nothing outstanding and could have easily been replaced with flashing “POW”, “BAM”, and “BIFF” starbursts like in Batman.
With 40 levels those with the patience will find 10-15 hours of action gameplay. It’s more reflexes than brainpower but fun nonetheless. The Incredibles is a single player game that could have benefited greatly from some link support so you could tag team the Incredible family and perhaps even introduce cooperative combos, but we don’t even get that on the big consoles.
Fans of the film will certainly enjoy the video game but unless the GBA is your only system I’d recommend fighting crime on the big consoles and leave this version to the really young kids or those doomed to play games on the commute to school or work. The Incredibles is fun but not that fun and certainly not as good as the movie that inspired it.
