The Big Game Idea: Level 4 Middle - A 1UP classic from Oct 11, 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.

Talk about a sudden turn of events! Are you wondering where the Hulk went? Why is the Maestro rampaging on the east coast? Who will stand up to him? Read on true believers!

CINEMA: Spider-Man is unconscious and Luke Cage is badly bruised and holding his ribs. The Maestro is standing over both of them and not even breathing hard. Police swat vans show up, the police swarm out of the vans with machine guns and open fire on the Maestro.

"No!" Yells Luke Cage.

The Maestro laughs and stomps his feet. The shockwave sends the vans tumbling and exploding. He stomps the ground again and another shockwave causes a military shield generator to collapse. The police go running for cover. He turns and smiles at Luke Cage. He crouches and leaps towards downtown.

In the air he is hit in the head by a golden mace. He crashes to the ground.

"Verily did I smite the coward with one blow?" Hercules laughs while holding his golden mace over his shoulder.

"Bruce, what's wrong with you?" The She-Hulk goes over to check on him. "Why are you doing this?" The Maestro jumps up. "What?" She is punched and knocked through a building.

"FOUL BEAST! You will rue the day you struck the jade princess!!!" Hercules charges the Maestro.

Level 4 Middle
Location: New York City Midtown
Objective: Defeat Hercules and the She-Hulk.
Learn: How to deflect ranged attacks.
Unlock: Quick rebound and attack from a down position.
Level Design: The buildings here are taller than in the previous level. We can now see the skyscrapers off in the distance but are still a ways from the heart of downtown. As with the previous level, all of the buildings can be destroyed. Street signs and lamp posts can be used like a club by the Maestro and he has to face off against random military weapons while fighting the heroes of the Marvel U.

Both the Hercules and She-Hulk are very strong characters. Like the Hulk, the She-Hulk has grown stronger over the years. She is stronger than Hercules now (but don't tell him that.) She is more than proficient in hand-to-hand combat. She was trained by Gamora, who was an understudy of the galactic travelers Adam Warlock and Thanos. Gamora is called "the most dangerous woman in the universe." As a pupil the She-Hulk is a force to be reckoned with. Her healing factor is not as fast as the Hulk or Maestro's though and she does not increase in strength the angrier she gets. For the sake of the game I would place her strength just a hair under the Juggernaut's, however she is much faster.

Hercules should need no introduction. This is the god of ancient Greek mythology. His strength and fighting ability is amazing. He can out-wrestle just about anyone in the Marvel U and if the Maestro tries to beat him with grappling moves he will find them getting reversed and used against him. Hercules is gifted in combat and can use any weapon but his favorite is a golden mace, it is as indestructible as Thor's enchanted hammer. His strength, combined with his fighting prowess and weapon help turn him into the rare hero that can actually go toe-to-toe with the Maestro. With the She-Hulk as his partner from the Avengers this will turn out to be one of the hardest battles in the game.

The first thing I wanted to do here is a redesign of Hercules and his golden mace. I've never, ever, been a fan of the Hercules or even Hercules II designs in Marvel comics. Honestly, the golden mace looks like a goblet and what exactly were in all those little pouches on Hercrcules II? These costumes always seemed odd and not realistic for the mythological hero. Other demi-gods in the comic look more traditional. So when redesigning Hercules I tried keeping it traditional and ended up with was a look that was part Marvel and part Kratos.

This game is my answer to God of War after all. People want to know how a fight between Kratos and the Hulk would go down, this is their big chance to see it. Special thanks to Pitaman for giving me the heads-up on paint brush techniques in Illustrator. These brushes were used in making the outlines on Hercules.

The She-Hulk is a great character and it's about time she turned up in a videogame, sorry that it had to be fighting against her. With a law degree she's probably the smartest woman ever featured in a game. She's bulletproof, fireproof and super-strong unlike a certain tomb raider... she'd make a hell of a great character for a solo project, assuming that game programmers want to create a woman character with more than big boobs and a gun.

Hercules and She-Hulk have some good fighting chemistry in the comics. For the game this translates into some of the best double-team moves you'll ever be hit with. At the same time this level really requires the player to learn some strategy. Two of the strongest characters in the Marvel U are a force to be reckoned with, add the military and this battle becomes complex. Players that go in swinging without trying to split up the forces will be pressing the continue button many times. Players have to learn how to deflect ranged attacks, not only from Hercules throwing his mace but also from the tanks shooting their rounds. Perhaps there is a way to deflect tank rounds into Hercules and the She-Hulk?

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!