Marvel Super Hero Squad
Preview
Proving being small is still super!
by IvorySoul
previewed on PSP
Fuxing your perception
When you hear the name Marvel you probably think about all your favorite childhood and/or recent favorites. Most of us love Wolverine with his atamentium claws that can shred to steel. Some of us think of The Incredible Hulk with his big green massive build that can just utterly flatten a city in hours. Some may think of the great Spider-Man who can swing from building to building delivering his punchy dialogue. One thing we never think of is how small they are. Most Marvel super heroes are between average height and towering above the regular human, and that is where Marvel Super Hero Squad scrambles our perception and brings our minds to a lower child like level. While this may not be so bad, it does make us wonder how tiny little super heroes can do so much damage.
To infinity and bey...wait wrong series...
The first thing that can make or break any super hero game is the roster because that is what people first look at right? Is my favorite hero in here? Is he going to be good? What's he going to look like? What did they change or take away? These are perfect questions to ask for a game that has been set on the level of the Lego series games. You will see all the major and most known super heroes in the roster and that is 20 to be exact. You will see the likenesses of Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Silver Surfer, Falcon, Ms. Marvel, Dr. Doom, Mole Man, and Magneto just to name about half. Now don't go away just yet! Marvel promises to include content for hardcore fans such as hidden costumes, inside jokes, as well as less known characters such a U.S. Agent, Spider-Man 2099, and Captain Britain. Yes, I have no idea who those are, but the fortunate ones reading can now get that giddy warm feeling inside saying "Thanks Marvel thinking about us". Since this game has multiple mash-ups they are thrown into a single locale known as Super Hero City, but popular iconic locations are present as well such as The Daily Bugle, and the Rainbow Bridge to Asgard.
Ok that sounds good...how does it play?
Great question Marvel fans! There are two play modes: Adventure and Battle Mode. While adventure mode is quite self explanatory is allows the ability for jump in and jump out co-operative play with a friend via Wi-Fi ad-hoc (infrastructure has not yet been confirmed, but I highly doubt it will make it), or switch between the other character on the fly. The game has you beating evil villains up via a simple combo attack and special abilities.
If the adventure mode is starting to grind on your nerves hop into battle mode with three other friends, in what looks like a Super Smash Bros. type game style and that isn't a bad blueprint to follow in my books. Each and every super hero is being play tested and balanced specifically for battle mode so PSP's are less likely to break.
Cuteness
While three different studios are handling various versions of the game Mass Media is handling the PS2 and PSP versions. This promises these versions of Marvel Super Hero Squad will feel and look just as amazing as the definitive Wii version. If you are still turned off by the cuteness of the game well er... go play X-Men Origins: Wolverine and slice some heads off, or be a detective in Batman: Arkham Asylum... wait that's not Marvel. Oh well.
