Um, who else wouldve noticed this?
When it comes to nerds, comic book fans may be the most quantifying. They keep track of first appearances, costume changes, how many times a character has died and returned. With all that cataloguing of continuity, youd think a fanboy such as myself would always appreciate when game adaptations recreate every little detail from a comic universe. But sometimes even I think, Was that really necessary?
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions strange love for Spider-Man 2099
In 1992, the far off year of 2099 felt like a mystical dream world, a future that deserved to have its own wallcrawler. Spider-Man 2099 was the core title of the short-lived 2099 imprint, and its futuristic hero was virtually unseen after the series was cancelled in 1996. Then, in 2010, the cyberpunk Spidey returned as a co-star of Shattered Dimensions, an incredibly comprehensive Spider-Men team-up. And, despite feeling like Im the only person that read the book back in the day, Shattered Dimensions dedicates a shocking amount of detail to the series' world.
Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis got all the facts and none of the fun
Aquaman has been a joke to the world at large for years, though DC has been trying for decades to make the Prince of the Seas into a badass. Years before his makeover as Jason Momoa, Aquaman became a grim and bearded malcontent who had his freaking hand eaten by piranhas. That 90s reboot is certainly a far cry from talking to dolphins, but it was a bit morose for some fans. Battle for Atlantis would go down as one of the worst things ever put on disc, though it shouldve helped the hook-wearing Aquaman cement his legacy. Though you cant say it got the character wrong.
The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga's random love for demigods
The Hulk is at his best when hes smashing everything in his path, fully embracing the power fantasy thats made him such a memorable character. His greatest game, Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, understood that, and the 32-bit era Pantheon Saga gets it on a certain level. The green machine certainly breaks a lot of fuzzy-textured boxes, but not before fighting a half-dozen forgotten X-Men wannabes.
Justice League Heroes rogues gallery is accurate, but in the wrong decade
I miss the Marvel Ultimate Alliance games, because they featured pretty much every notable hero and villain that Marvel ever hosted. DC Comics attempted to do the same with Justice League Heroes, and the one-off couldve been the start of something grand. Superman, Batman, and the rest came together to stop the ultimate embodiment of evil in Darkseid. The only problem is that Darkseid is backed up by a team of villains that were about seven years out of date.
Ultimate Spider-Man was actually canonical (briefly)
I dont think any game before or since works has worked nearly as hard to reflect comic book continuity as Ultimate Spider-Man. The 2006 title doesnt just share a name with the Marvel comic book. The game shares the same writer (Brian Michael Bendis), Mark Bagleys distinct artistic style (with added cel-shading flare), and is officially set after the events of Ultimate Spider-Man #71. What a lot of work for Activisions annual Spider-Man release.
Scribblenauts Unmasked is part kids game, part Wikipedia
The Scribblenauts games have always been intriguing for their summon anything approach to puzzle-solving. Want to see if a T-rex can fix a car? Write it down and give it a shot. The child-friendly series certainly has its grown-up fans, but Unmasked's dogged devotion to the DC Comics dictionary may be lost on its intended audience. Virtually every DC character ever can join Scribblenauts hero Max on his journey, but how many tykes taking a break from Cartoon Network will notice?
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 made sure to add Wolverines bone claws
Theres a simple recipe to Wolverines endearing popularity: hes got attitude, hes an unkillable brawler, and he has claws that can cut anything. But from 1993 to 1999, that last key element of the character was missing following Magneto's forcible removal of the adamantium covering Logans bones. For years Wolverines sleek metallic blades were replaced with unsightly bones, but that fact was rarely recognized outside comics. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is the only game that actually bothered to redesign the calcified stabber.
The Death and Return of Superman bothered to include the Underworlders
Even just considering big bads like Lex Luthor, Braniac, and Zod, Superman has some of the crappiest bad guys in comic history. Beyond geeks like Toyman or The Prankster, Clark Kent has run afoul of also-ran misfits like the Underworlders. Theyre a pack of freakish experiments gone wrong that live beneath Metropolis, and are about as dangerous to Superman as a marshmallow is to anyone without diabetes. Somehow, those gross idiots ended up in the Kryptonians best game, The Death and Return of Superman.
