Superman got a movie! And that movie got a videogame! Eventually! At least it was available in time for the DVD release…
Superman Returns
2006
Electronic Arts Tiburon
Xbox, Xbox 360, Playstation 2, Nintendo DS
Available Superpowers:
- Invincibility
- Flight (unlimited)
- Super Speed
- Super Strength (can lift stuff)
- Heat Vision (limited, but charges)
- Freeze Breath (limited, but charges)
- Super Breath (limited, but charges)
Noted Opponents:
- Bizarro
- Mongul
- Overkhast (that was the big guy)
- Metallo
- Mr. Mxyzptlk
- Riot
- Lex Luthor
- Tornados
Is Superman Invincible?
Yes! Holy crap yes! Superman can only be stunned at the absolute most, but will never “die” or be KOed. However, the tradeoff is that you are responsible for the health of Metropolis, and have to be careful with living in a world of cardboard. Also, in the early “arena” battles, you are still invincible, but will fail if Superman loses the favor of the crowd. Dude is very self-conscious.
Is Superman Homicidal?
Only if you want him to be. Superman is distinctly punished for doing damage to Metropolis citizens (thanks to that whole “city health” thing), but there is nothing stopping him from tossing ambulances over the horizon. His opponents all seem to be aliens, robots, or mutants, at least.
Is it any fun?
Surprisingly so! This is the first Superman game that really does allow for “playing” as Superman across Metropolis. It might not quite be on the same level as Grand Theft Auto or Saints Row, but this did lead to one of the most enjoyable Superman nights.
Charm Point
Bizarro Mode allows for wholesale destruction, and even features a Superman with exactly reversed powers. It am the most bad!
Even Worse Streams Presents Superman
Night 7
April 30, 2024
Random Notes:
- Even Worse Streams Returns with BEAT, fanboymaster, Cassandralyn, and I making fun of Bob Iger as we Wish for Superman.
- “Is sympathetic anesthesia a thing?”
Caithness joins to confusion over console graphics. This is an Xbox 360 game, but it is very much an OG Xbox game, too.- The appearance of Mongul means we must discuss the hierarchy of Darkseids.
- AJ Vark joins briefly to MCU discussion/dissection. Nothing here is woke.
- “Lex Luthor steals the Popemobile is a comic that should exist.”
- We examine (now lost to us) RWBY, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, and tsunderes.
- “Abbey Road that motherfucker!”
- I get a shame achievement and then decide to screw around with Superman. This is the most fun we have had in weeks.
- “Superman? Did you blow up a hospital again?”
- Blade: The Game is the only Marvel product fanboymaster is looking forward to.
And then Superman Returns quasi-freezes and has to be reset back to… The battle tutorial. Dammit!- We beat Mongul (again) as we discuss various live action Supermans and Lex Luthors. The CW has given us a lot over the years.
- Back to Metropolis! And Bizarro!
- As we wrap up the evening, we admire the weird geography of this Metropolis. How many citizens fall off of this city?
- “Very few things have Magog in them.”
On the next thrilling edition of Justice League: Clark lets some other supers have super fun.
