The Incredibles E3 2004 Preshow Impressions

Nobody ever said being a superhero was easy--but when you're forced into early retirement by a bevy of lawsuits from the very people you've saved over the course of your heroic career, it doesn't get much rougher than that. This is the premise for Pixar's latest computer-animated feature film, The Incredibles, which will hit theaters this winter. The film centers on a family of superheroes who have been put into a witness protection program following the onslaught of litigation and must try to lead normal, nonheroic lives. Of course, an old enemy coaxes the family back into the superhero game, and action ensues once again. To coincide with the film's release, THQ, along with developer Heavy Iron Studios, will be releasing an action game adaptation of The Incredibles. Shortly before E3, we had the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the game to see how it was coming together.

The Incredibles is looking to be a healthy mix of platforming and beat-'em-up gameplay, letting you beat up plenty of nasty robots and otherwise unpleasant characters while also providing plenty of jumping and level-specific puzzles for the platforming fan. In the demo we saw, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl (the patriarch and matriarch of the game's superhero family, respectively) were the only playable characters, though it was alluded to that the children of the family--Violet, Dash, and Jack Jack--will be playable as well. The characters in the game have unique superpowers and gameplay styles that go along with them. Mr. Incredible, due to his immense size and strength, is primarily good at busting up anything that gets in his way, whereas Elastigirl, due to her Mr. Fantastic-like stretching abilities, can stretch up and reach higher ledges or otherwise inaccessible objects. Every character will have specific levels, each tailored to fit the style of powers for that character.

The Incredibles will play out the exact same plot as the movie but with several new areas and extra pieces of the story to enjoy along the way. All of the same voice talent from the movie will reprise their roles for the game, adding an additional air of authenticity to the experience. The game will feature roughly 20 different levels, each with unique boss fights at the end. Currently, the game is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC, and Game Boy Advance. We'll be sure to get more hands-on time with The Incredibles from the E3 2004 show floor.