The Big Game Idea: Level 6 Middle - A 1UP classic from Oct 25, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

There's no news today people. Just another mad update from the wishing well.

CINEMA: Giant-Man is knocked unconscious. Suddenly an invisible pulse pushes the Maestro into the ground. The force of which creates a crater. The Maestro rolls to his back and can see Tony Stark flying in wearing his "Hulkbuster" Iron Man armor. He moves just before the heavy suit stomps his head.

Level 6 Middle
Location: New York downtown.
Objective: Defeat Tony Stark, the Iron Man.
Learn: To bait opponents into a skyscraper and collapse it on them.
Unlock: Robot Hulk for game + mode.
Level Design: We are still in the heart of the city. Giant-Man is in the background, lying in the ruins of a building. Players can run up his torso and jump to taller buildings. Iron Man is as fast as any of the Maestro's other opponents, stronger than most but can fly and shoot blasts of energy and missiles. The Hulkbuster armor is far more durable than the combat armor the military uses. Despite it's size it is also stronger than the massive robots the military uses. As the level progresses the sky turns from blue to gray and eventually it starts raining.

While the suit is bigger and stronger than any previous Iron Man armor, by no means is it indestructible. Tony Stark does his best to keep the Maestro at a distance with his energy blasts. When the Maestro gets in close to fight Tony actually can go toe-to-toe with him as if he were the Juggernaut. If the Maestro manages to grab Tony then he'll fly through the city and try knocking him into a building.

A strategy that can be used here is to bait Tony into following the Maestro into one of the tunnels created by hitting the walls on the skyscrapers. If he follows the Maestro can knock out the back side and cause the rest of the building to collapse on him. The armor generates a shield to keep the Maestro away but damage from a falling building can quickly take down that barrier. The Maestro can regenerate his health if he gets hurt but not the Iron Man. This is also a good level for the player to toss tanks at Iron Man or deflect their shells into his path. The level is over when the Maestro damages the Hulkbuster enough to cause Tony Stark to eject and fly away with his smaller Iron Man armor.

This level, like the previous is a chance for players to see how a battle between the Maestro and the Avengers would really go down. I have nothing against a game like Marvel Ultimate Alliance which features most of the Avengers but it is unrealistic to see characters like Iron Man doing the same amount of damage with a physical attack as Spider-Man. Or to have a bolt from Iron Man's energy cannons do an equivalent amount of damage as a web shooter. Which is why I prefer titles that focus on player-controlled action rather than Diablo-style mechanics.

This is also the first level reward that would be a new Hulk model for the game + mode. The Mecha/Robot Hulk was created by the Gremlin, a deformed super-genius and son of the original Gargoyle (both Russian spies). The robot Hulk toy featured above was designed by my favorite US comic book artist, Arthur Adams. I think it would be a perfect counter to Keown's Hulk designs for this game. The Robot Hulk wouldn't have all the same powers as the Hulk but variations of them. Instead of a directional thunderclap the Robot Hulk would shoot a missile out of his chest. Instead of a rage meter he would have a meltdown bar, where if he doesn't release radiation via the mega attacks then he'll explode. Use your imagination and think about the replay value with this robotic colossus.

Have you ever wanted to fight against Iron Man in a game? What other character do you think could take him in a fistfight? Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Level 6 Beginning - A 1UP classic from Oct 24, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

Today we're getting back up to speed with the game idea. We are quickly approaching the end, let's hear what you think of this level.

CINEMA: The Maestro has the Fantastic Four beaten, he begins walking toward the fallen heroes."Nice trick Invisible Girl." The Fantastic Four disappear before the Maestro can reach them. He looks up to the sky and can see Franklin Richards hovering above.

"I took them away. I won't let you hurt my family any more." Says the young Franklin. He waves his hands and vanishes. Just then a giant boot kicks the Maestro through a skyscraper.

"The city has been evacuated Banner. There's no reason for me to hold back now." Giant-Man says as he begins running at the Maestro.

Level 6 Beginning
Location: New York downtown.
Objective: Defeat Giant-Man.
Learn: How to knock skyscrapers onto opponents.
Unlock: Classic comic book gallery
Level Design: We are finally in the heart of the Big Apple. We can actually visit the Baxter Building, home of the Fantastic Four, Daily Bugle, Timely Plaza and Stark Tower. In the distance we can see the Avengers tower, the UN and other famous comic book and New York landmarks. All of the famous comic book landmarks have automated weapons and shields protecting them. So if the Maestro tries to run up a building and demolish it he will be met with missile and energy weapon fire. This location is going to be the holding place for the Avengers as they make their stand against the Maestro. There are still soldiers stationed on the edges of the city along with field generators to keep the battle from going any further out.

Imagine the best portions of big city levels from other comic book games. What was it that you remember? The attention to detail? The reflections off of the windows? The weather and lighting effects? The scale of the buildings? Traffic and pedestrians? Well, except for the pedestrians, all of those things come back in this level. Some of the buildings have glass textures which simply refract light, however some skyscrapers have mirror textures that reflect the characters in the level, this little detail was missing in many super hero games but it's here every time the main characters run past these buildings.

Giant-Man starts off at 25 feet tall and over the course of the battle he doubles in height. Despite his height the Giant-Man moves and reacts quickly. Giant-Man moves much faster than Giganto by comparison. If he spots the Maestro on the ground he will run up and kick him. If the Maestro tries to jump at him he can grab him and throw him either into the ground or through a building. Giant-Man can even jump small buildings, climb larger ones and turn corners quickly while chasing the Maestro. The Maestro is only faster than Giant-Man when he is jumping away.

Similar to the fight against Giganto, the Maestro has to target Giant-Man's joints and take them out to slow him down and drop him. The Maestro can run up the buildings and bounce off of them for attacks. If the Giant-Man has his back to the player then the Maestro can jump at him without being swatted. Players learn that they can damage the ground floors on buildings and cause them to collapse in a direction. Combine these attacks to a fallen Giant-Man and the battle will soon be over.

As you can imagine this level is another one inspired by Shadow of the Colossus. The differences being the time in which it's set in and a giant of a boss that runs and reacts faster than any colossus in Fumito Ueda's game. How would you like to see Giant-Man chase the Maestro, swat him like a bug and taunt him the entire time? Or see him jump and climb skyscrapers as if they were ladders? I envision this level as turning into a fan-favorite as the camera stays tight on the Maestro but the target lock can scroll over his shoulder and allow us to spot Giant-Man in our peripheral vision, chasing us and smiling the entire time.

In the opening cinema we see Franklin Richards, he is the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm. He is possibly the most powerful character in the Marvel universe. He has the ability to alter reality, others like the Scarlet Witch, Magik and the Phoenix have had similar powers and abilities. When Franklin matures he may surpass them all. While he was being trained to control his powers at Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Children, Franklin had some nightmares about the Hulk (Hulk Annual 97). The nightmares are a vision of the future. Sooner or later Franklin and the Hulk will have to cross paths in the comic books. However is this the last time we see him in the game?

What do you think about the Maestro taking on Giant Man in a downtown NY city? Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 End - A 1UP classic from Oct 19, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

Hello peeps. I don't know what's going on, I logged on this morning and my view count was way up. Maybe it's GH sending people my way, who knows? Thanks for reading so far and here is the last part of level 5. We are nearing the end!

CINEMA: Banner appears in the middle of a snowstorm in the frozen wastes of Asgard. He begins shivering. Loki appears in front of Banner. "So Dormammu and Mephisto could not hold their claim? I wonder why." He raises his hand and sends Banner flying through the snow. Banner crashes about a mile away. Banner lifts his head, his face is bruised and covered in cuts, his nose is bleeding and he has a black eye. He looks up and sees a giant club about to smash him into the ground. The Hulk catches the club.

Level 5 End
Location: The mountains of Asguard / Hel.
Objective: Defeat the Frost Giants, Loki and Destroyer.
Learn: Uppercuts into air combos.
Unlock: Final Rage Power Up.

Level Design: This is a two-part fight, similar to the Dormammu level. The first half has the Hulk fighting in the frozen wastes, a rocky terrain covered with snow and during a blizzard. Nearby is a magical barrier behind which a large castle sits in a pool of fire. The opponents are frost giants, massive blue-skinned men with clubs and axes each about 30 feet tall. Some of the frost giants appear to be more primitive, made out of ice crystals and they use rocks and trees as weapons. Even though there are only about a dozen frost giants in this level they are capable of doing more damage than any other group the Hulk has faced.

The Hulk has to use every trick and technique he has picked up through the course of the game in order to defeat the frost giants. They seem to recover quickly from the Hulk's blows. At random parts throughout the level Loki turns up, snaps his fingers and makes a boulder appear overhead to flatten the Hulk. When the player defeats all of the frost giants the magical barrier separating the frozen wastes from Hel disappears. The player can now chase Loki through the doors of the nearby castle.

CINEMA: Loki and the Hulk run into the throne room of Hela. "Sister Hela. Might I bother you for the enchanted armor of the Destroyer?" Loki asks as he backs away from the Hulk.

"Allfather Odin forbids all from possessing the armor. I am not allowed to interfere in your battle." Hela says from her throne.

"Please sister! I fear the green mortal is quite angry now and not in the mood for tiny, insignificant details!" Loki begins groveling at her feet.

"You may not have the armor." Hela does not look down.

"Rargh!" The Hulk raises his fists and Loki faints. "Huh?" The Hulk looks down and taps Loki. He looks at Hela for confirmation. She looks down as well and shakes her head.

Suddenly a wall in the throne room explodes and a high-powered beam of energy knocks the Hulk down. The Destroyer steps through the wall and approaches the Hulk.

This battle takes place in Hela's throne room. She sits on her throne and oversees the battle. She is surrounded by a magical barrier so she cannot be hurt from attacks by either the Hulk or the Destroyer. The Destroyer is enchanted armor, about half a foot shorter than the Hulk. It was created by Odin himself. It is indestructible, possesses limitless strength, durability and the ability to fire beams of energy of all types from his hands. Its most powerful attack is the disintegrator beam. Which can disintegrate anything in its path. The visor on the suit lowers and the blast comes from the face. It cannot fire disintegrator beams in rapid succession, it must close its visor and recharge after doing so.

Try as he might the Hulk cannot break the armor. He can fist fight with the suit, survive blasts of energy from it and even knock it down but it will always get up. A player can even reach a rampage status against the suit and still be held to a draw (for hours on-end if the player is good enough) as the suit cannot be destroyed by any physical means. Loki's voice can be heard coming from within the suit, taunting the Hulk. However we can also see Loki lying down near the throne of Hela. Hmm, it seems that Loki projected his essence into the armor (which is the only way a character could use the Destroyer in the comics) but he left his physical body open to attack. As a game player what do you suppose you have to do in order to pass this level? After using Loki's body as a club, a shield and a ranged weapon against the Destroyer the Hulk eventually breaks his control over the Destroyer.

CINEMA: The Destroyer collapses in the middle of the throne room as the essence of Loki, represented by a glowing light, returns to his body. When Loki wakes up he begins moaning and writhing in pain.

"Say Betty is not yours!" Yells the Hulk.

"No, no she's not... oww." Loki moans, his face is bruised and his clothes torn from the thrashing. He crawls away.

"You have met the challenges Hulk. The soul of the mortal belongs to you alone." Hela stands and moves her cloak to the side. The crystal containing Betty Ross Banner appears and floats over to the Hulk.

END OF LEVEL 5
The throne room battle was inspired by the final battle in the game Ico. Particle effects gave players the illusion of magical blasts being used to freeze Ico. A clever strategy involving magical statues had to be used in order to defeat the Shadow Queen. With the Destroyer I wanted the same type of feel every time he uses his disintegrator beam. The Hulk has to find a hiding place or an object that reflects energy to avoid being fried.

I hope to make players learn that in this game, just like in the comics, even the Hulk can be brought to a draw, sometimes the Hulk has to find new ways to defeat his opponents. Using the body of Loki like a ragdoll hammer against the Destroyer helps inject some humor into the game. Especially as Loki begs and pleads with the Hulk not to do that.

Does a battle against Loki, and the Destroyer feel like one of the most epic fights in the game so far? Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 Middle - A 1UP classic Oct 18, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

Today brings us to the middle of level 5. This is the first level that I set up from beginning to end, including all of the cinemas so you know how it works in the context of the plot. I hope you like it.

CINEMA: "Say Betty does not belong to you!" The Hulk is pushing the barrier.

"Never!" Says Dormammu and continues blasting the Hulk. The crystals forming on the back of the Hulk begin flaking off as he glows with gamma radiation.

"Say it!!!" The Hulk demands. A good portion of the kingdom has collapsed inside of the barrier.

Dormammu relents after seeing his bolts of magical energy are only fueling the Hulks rage. "Very well beast. I give up all claims on the soul of the mortal woman..." With that said the Hulk disappears in a flash of light. The kingdom comes crashing down directly in front of Dormammu. A bolt of energy from the Mindless Ones sends Dormammu falling. They surround Dormammu and begin attacking.

"Worthless slaves!" Dormammu yells.

FADE TO BLACK

Level 5 Middle
Location: Desert New Mexico - Hel, the Netherworld.
Objective: Defeat the army soldiers - Mephisto.
Learn: How to fight as Bruce Banner.
Unlock: Final Strength Power Up.
Level Design: This is the "artsy" level. This game does not begin with a cinema but rather right into the action. In a way this level could also be the most controversial, you'll find out why in the cinema. When the level begins we see the Hulk is gray and placed inside of a valley.

The first things that the player should notice are a radical change to the graphics. This entire level is in a comics-shading format, similar to the Ultimate Spider-Man game. The characters themselves are not made up of the same polygon models or textures featured throughout the game. Save for the Hulk and Betty, who are the exact same models that we saw at Level 2, when Yagan shows the Hulk a piece of his history.

Remember when I explained how the characters are made? In particular the whole idea of "Comic-Shading?" Dale Keown would be the main designer for all of the characters, he would even illustrate the textures used on the polygon models so they really look like a comic book brought to life. This level features a completely different artist doing the textures for just a few new models. Tim Sale is the painter behind the Hulk: Gray book. His presentation style is very unique. He uses a brush to paint broad strokes on the characters, the final effect is reminiscent of Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's art. So imagine if you will that 99% of the game is rendered in Dale Keown's wicked, visceral, style and suddenly you are in a level that looks like a painted comic book.

At first the player may think that the Hulk is just a different color but upon closer inspection they realize that even the polygon model is shaped different, the frame, torso and head are more square and disproportional. That and his skin is actually made up of gray brush strokes.

As long as you're still with me, concerning the comic-shading, may I suggest being able to unlock a Todd McFarlane and Bruce Timm version of the Hulk as secret characters? Mcfarlane's tank-like Hulk was wicked and Bruce Timm actually does a killer Jack Kirby impression of the Hulk. These wouldn't be skins as much as they'd be new Hulk models for the game altogether. But I digress! Back to the game!

The Gray Hulk appears in the middle of a valley. In the distance is Betty Ross, she sees the Hulk and screams. The player cannot jump, run or attack in any way. They can only move the Hulk at a walking pace. When they get close to Betty she screams and runs away. She leads the Hulk around a few turns in the stone valley, with wrecked military vehicles strewn about, the Hulk cannot manage to get any closer to her. He turns into Banner and we are now Bruce Banner trying to catch up to Betty.

Eventually she runs into the arms of General "Thunderbolt" Ross. He orders his men to arrest Banner. The soldiers surround Banner and we must now fight them off before they can arrest him and take him from Betty forever.

The military police trying to arrest Banner have billy clubs but no guns. Their designs are clean and straightforward, classic MP uniforms.

Banner does not have any super powers, however all of the Hulk button combinations work as Banner, only with different results. Instead of a thunderclap, Banner tries to box his opponents ears with a slap to the side of their head. Instead of a clothesline Banner just shoves his opponents away. If the MP surround Banner and jump him, ala the dogpile other characters try on the Hulk, he will fall to the ground and be prone to attacks. However Banner can also crawl out of danger once the soldiers have fallen on top of him. In case you don't know which game. The police can dogpile the main characters in Jet Grind Radio and take them down, however the character can still crawl, get up, and get away. There are no health power-ups in this level. If Banner takes too much damage then he is knocked out and arrested... game over.

As a player the best bet here is to try and take out one opponent at a time. Banner might try pushing a soldier into the burning wreckage of a jeep. If Banner can get a nightstick away from an MP he can also use it. On occasion Rick Jones pops his head up from behind the boulders and cheers Banner on with phrases like "go get 'em doc!" and "watch out!" When Rick yells these things he throws rocks at the MP's. Banner can pick up the rocks and throw them at the soldiers as well.

Eventually Banner has to beat all the soldiers without running out of health himself. When he does so he walks up to Betty and the General. Ross pulls a gun on Banner and says...

CINEMA: "Give yourself up Banner. My daughter wants nothing to do with a milksop like you. Especially now that you've exposed yourself as the real monster." Thunderbolt Ross says.

"Go ahead, shoot. If you wanted to kill me you would have done so a long time ago. You just want to torture me. This isn't going to work, you're not Ross, that's not Betty and this isn't New Mexico. End this illusion, show me your real face." Banner says.

Ross laughs as his skin melts away. Underneath he is Mephisto, the king of the underworld. Betty Ross melts too and turns into Blackheart, the son of Mephisto.

"Forfeit your claim on my wife!" Banner points at Mephisto.

"You can not make demands here." Mephisto says. Blackheart slashes at Banner with his large black claws. Banner yells and collapses at the feet of Mephisto. "Now ask me again, beg if you want."

"Forfeit your claim..." Banner spits up blood as Blackheart kicks him.

"Where is the Hulk? Where is the jade champion of your dimension?" Mephisto laughs and grabs Banner by the face. "You are alone here. Alone in the abyss... and here you are powerless. You will remain so for all-time." Mephisto hisses.

Banner closes his eyes and thinks of the last time he held Betty. His hand over hers, their wedding bands touching. He thinks of their wedding day and can see the small chapel where they were married. They exchange rings and say their vows.

"Those whom God hath joined, let no one put asunder." Says the priest in the memory of Banner.

Bruce opens his eyes and says "Her soul is not yours." Banner struggles to stand. "When we got married... we made a contract with God. For better or worse, in sickness and in health... till death do us part." Banner begins glowing. "She is not dead yet..."

"Silence!" Mephisto says. Blackheart steps back from the light surrounding Banner.

"She was poisoned... but she is not dead. You cannot kill her... and you cannot kill me either." Banner begins walking toward Mephisto. "You cannot break our contract with God and you know it! You just wanted me to give up on Betty, to give her over to you?" He touches Mephisto and begins burning his flesh. Mephisto slaps the hand of Banner away and clutches his chest. "Forfeit your claim!"

"No." Mephisto hisses.

Banner turns and points at Blackheart. "Forfeit your claim!" Blackheart places a hand over his glowing eyes and steps back. Banner begins shining brighter.

"Enough!" Mephisto says. "I cease... I cease all claims on her soul... but neither of you will live forever... I will be waiting."

"I'll be ready." Says Banner before he disappears.

Now do you guys know why I said this would be the most controversial level? Religion in comic books are taboo. For some funny reason though most of the major characters have gotten married (in a non-denominational church) at some point in their history. Bruce and Betty actually got married in a Catholic church, Betty even became a nun for a while. Bruce was also the best man at Rick Jones and Marlo Chandler's wedding. Mephisto interfered at Rick's wedding and the Hulk couldn't touch his demonic powers. However when the Hulk pointed out that Mephisto was trespassing on holy ground and that the almighty would contest Mephisto's gripes he suddenly began glowing. At that point he could have put a beat-down on Mephisto but instead the big red demon left in an angry puff of smoke.

Although this is the only time we actually play as Banner in the game I wanted it to mean something. In the first Hulk game by Radical we played a little too much as Banner, this was the major complaint from gamers and reviewers. In this game the Hulk has faced physical challenges of all shapes and sizes. He is now at the point where he has to stand up to magical and demonic challenges as well. Mephisto could have made a prison for the Hulk that was fueled by his own rage. These metaphysical monsters have to be outsmarted rather than fought by brute force. That is why Banner has to see past the illusion and fight for his wife by using his head. By stepping out of his green skin Banner proves to the player that he too is willing to risk everything to save Betty. Standing up to Mephisto and Blackheart as a human defines courage. Is this courage enough to see Betty brought back to life?

Those that have been reading so far I thank you. If you are a Hulk fan, or just a comic book fan in general then I suggest picking up these two trade paperbacks, Tempest Fugit and Hulk Gray. They were the books that put the spark into my big game idea. Without them I certainly would not have thought of how to give Banner and Betty some redemption. The books aren't very long and they won't cost you much money so please pick them up and give them a read, you won't be disappointed.

Do you enjoy the progress with the game so far? Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 Beginning - A 1UP classic from Oct 17 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

When we last left off the Maestro was causing havoc in NYC. Today we see what has happened to the Hulk in what I consider one of the more creative levels of the game.

CINEMA: The Hulk steps out of a portal and is standing at the crossroads of the universe. It looks as if they are floating in space where countless stars and comets can be seen nearby. Nightmare is standing in front of the Hulk and facing toward a temple. Sitting atop a throne of skulls is Hela, the Asgardian keeper of the dead.

"Mistress Hela, I have brought the Hulk. He lays a claim to the..." Nightmare is cut off mid sentence.

"The soul of Betty Ross Banner... I know." Hela stands and addresses the Hulk. "Creature you are not the only one to lay claim to the soul." As Hela speaks the stars floating in space change into shapes and faces. A few mortals, demons and deities have claimed her soul as their property..." We see the faces of Nightmare, Dr. Doom, Dormammu and others in shadow looking down onto the Hulk. "Since there are multiple claims on her soul I have taken her into custody and am allowing those who want it to fight for it. Two of them could not hold their claim when tested." Dr. Doom and Nightmare turn away and disappear into space. "The rest are engaged in a battle." The shape of Betty comes into focus. "Will you lay a claim for her soul as well?"

"Hulk will fight for her soul." He reaches out and Betty disappears in a flash of light. Her spirit is placed inside of a crystal. The crystal floats toward Hela and disappears into the folds of her cloak.

"Excellent. This battle will test all of your powers. If you fail Hulk you lose all claim to Betty forever. Is that understood?" Hela asks.

"The Hulk will not lose." He says and steps forward. A ring of light envelops him and he is gone in a flash.

The Hulk appears in the middle of the Dark Dimension. It is a rocky planet with no atmosphere. There is a kingdom in the distance protected by a magical shield. Large, gray-almost-mud, shaped men with deformed heads are wandering about fighting each other. Where their face should be instead is a large, red, glowing light. They shoot beams of energy at each other from the red glow and then continue fighting. They turn and begin walking toward the Hulk.

Level 5 Beginning
Location: Another Dimension.
Objective: Defeat the Mindless Ones and Dormammu .
Learn: How to tackle and opponent and do multiple rolling hits.
Unlock: Force punch, a straight punch that throws opponents through their comrades.
Level Design: The Dark Dimension looks like a classic science fiction planet. The surface of the planet is rocky, with massive stone arcs and pylons jutting out of the ground. The atmosphere is very thin, we can see the shapes of planets and stars nearby, giant colorful gas clouds and an asteroid belt are on the horizon. In the distance is a kingdom underneath a magical shield, the shield whose energy flows over the surface in a myriad of colors like soap does over the face of a bubble. This is the target that the Hulk must reach. Between he and the shield are hundreds of Mindless Ones. These figures are large, strong and nearly-indestructible. Each one is far more powerful than Tyrannus' soldiers or the Moloids. Worse yet, they attack with far-reaching beams of energy.

The Hulk has a few things on his side aside from his speed and fighting ability. The Mindless Ones live for destruction and combat. If the Hulk throws them into each other then they will also fight amongst themselves. The Hulk can also create barriers between himself and his opponents by knocking down the stone pillars and arcs. Or he can pick up the pillars and throw them or use them like a giant baseball bat to swat opponents. The Mindless Ones do not stay down for long, they will eventually get up and begin walking towards the Hulk with a zombie-like pace. The Hulk is prompted to reach the magical barrier to end the first portion of this level.

CINEMA: The Hulk reaches the force field and begins punching it. Dormammu appears on the other side and mocks the Hulk. "That field will never be broken you green buffoon. Not by you, not by the Mindless Ones and not even by the collapse of this dimension." From behind the safety of the barrier the demons that inhabit the kingdom laugh at the Hulk.

"Then Hulk does not need to break the shield." He throws his hands to the side of the barrier and begins pushing. The Mindless Ones begin punching the Hulk in the back and shooting him with beams of energy. The Hulk roars in pain but continues pushing on the barrier. Dormammu and the demons laugh as the Hulk struggles without making any progress. "Do not laugh at Hulk... It only makes Hulk angry." The demons laugh harder.

"This was easily worth the claim on the mortal woman's soul. I was going to control you through it and make you my servant on Earth. Instead you will struggle here for all eternity and keep me entertained." Dormammu begins clapping.

Suddenly the ground begins shaking. The Hulk begins pushing the barrier forward. As he does so tremors go through the kingdom and begin cracking the ground. The demons run in terror as Dormammu looks in amazement. "This is impossible..."

"Betty does not belong to you." The Hulk says with eyes closed. He continues pushing and lifting the barrier. The kingdom begins to tilt. "If Hulk cannot break the shield then Hulk will turn everything upside down." The kingdom is now slanted many feet to the side and buildings begin collapsing like dominos. The Mindless Ones begin falling into the crevices created by the shifting ground.

"YOU FOOL!" Dormammu vanishes and reappears on the other side of the barrier. He begins shooting beams of magical energy at the Hulk. "Cease your brutish display and yield to me, the master of the Dark Dimension."

The second half of this level consists of a combat portion and a mini-game portion. The combat portion is knocking down the Mindless Ones while avoiding the beams of magic from Dormammu who is floating overhead. If a beam hits the Hulk it turns him to crystal the Hulk has to break out of the spell before the Mindless Ones smash him to pieces. The Hulk can throw Mindless Ones at Dormammu, which he turns to crystal mid-air. If the Hulk tries to target-lock and jump at Dormammu then he will disappear in a flash and return with a blast of energy. The mini-game portion of the level has the player returning to the magical barrier and rapidly pressing buttons to continue tilting the city inside. When the camera switches from behind the Hulk, to overhead, looking down from Dormammu's POV is it the cue to let go of the barrier and prepare for another wave of Mindless Ones. The level ends when the Hulk has managed to tilt the barrier and the city inside past a set point.

For those not familiar with Dormammu, he is the ruler of the Dark Dimension and an arch-enemy of Dr. Strange. The Hulk is a member of the Defenders, which includes Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer and Namor. They have all crossed paths with Dormammu at one time or another, most recently in the Keith Giffen / Kevin Maguire Defenders book. Dormammu knows that the Hulk would make an unstoppable servant if he could exploit his Achilles' heel, in this case it is the soul of Betty. Dormammu is bold enough to think he could control the Hulk and is willing to risk everything by laying a claim on Betty's soul.

Do you like the idea of jumping back and forth between the Maestro, and the Hulk between the stages? Which is your favorite battle so far. Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Level 4 End - A 1UP classic from Oct 12, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

The challenges for the game have gotten progressively harder. Do you think the challenges are logical? Does the progression make sense to you as a player? We have officially passed the halfway point of the game. I hope that you are not disappointed. Especially now that level four reaches it's conclusion.

CINEMA: "So much for family." The Maestro smirks as he stands over the defeated She-Hulk. Hercules is crawling in the background trying to prop himself up on a wrecked car. "A god? Hardly!" The Maestro turns and jumps away. In the air the Maestro suddenly comes to a stop as if hitting an invisible wall. He lands at an intersection. He sees the Fantastic Four flying in their Fantasticar.

"Hulk, this is Reed Richards talking. I am your friend. We're here to help you." Mr. Fantastic says as the airship hovers above.

"Incoming!" Ben Grimm, aka the Thing yells out as the Maestro leaps toward the Fantasticar and smashes it to pieces. Ben drops to the ground and prepares for battle. The Human Torch flies overhead as Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman float down. The Maestro lands on top of a building and looks down, laughing.

Level 4 End
Location: New York City Downtown
Objective: Defeat the Fantastic Four.
Learn: How to target multiple opponents for combo attacks.
Unlock: Rampage power.
Level Design: The buildings here are taller than in the previous level. We can now see the skyscrapers nearby. If the Maestro tries to target lock and use his mega jump to stomp and opponent he will hit an invisible barrier every time. Instead he must fight on the ground while the Fantastic Four can take shots at him from a distance. Players learn to break open fire hydrants so they can find the Invisible Woman and hit her with a thunderclap. Once she is out the Maestro can cut loose on the remaining members.

Reed attacks with an assortment of high-powered weapons, if the Maestro can get his hands on him then he can use the elastic Reed as a whip against the other members. If the Maestro target locks and jumps at the Human Torch then he can grab him and try to bring him down and throw him like a fireball at his family members. If the Torch becomes white-hot he'll slip through the fingers of the Maestro and fly off. The Thing is very strong and can fight the Maestro with his boxing skills or throw cars at him with ease. The four combined can slow the Maestro down and allow the military time to capture him with their stasis beam. Add a few combat warden robot suits and tanks and this level is not very easy.
END OF LEVEL 4
This is why we introduce the "Rampage" power in this portion of the game. From this point on in the game both the Maestro and the Hulk will be able to reach a super powered status, above their already incredible abilities. If the player can land many multiple hit combos without being damaged and destroy a good portion of the environment then they enter a rampage mode where they do more damage with every hit, recharge faster from "Mega" attacks and heal faster when injured. This may sound unfair but remember that reaching this level of power is difficult to accomplish, most players will be able to beat the game without reaching a rampage status.

The rampage is difficult to build-up against single super-powered opponents. Which is why there are four super-powered targets on this level and four chances to build up the Maestro's rage. If the player juggles his attacks between the targets and doesn't concentrate on taking out only one then their rage builds faster. This counters most game design as players are taught to focus their attacks on one opponent at a time. This title is more about frenetic action and spectacular combat than traditional action games.

Next week begins the best comic book challenges ever committed to a video game. Tune in if you don't believe me!

Did you ever think you'd get to fight so many Marvel heroes in a game? Which is your favorite so far. Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!