Superheroes That Desperately Need Quality Video Games

I am well aware–probably more than most people–that there are a ton of comic book superheroes with relatively faithful video game adaptations.  Some even have franchises.  But as one of the many nerds who grew up reading comic books, I feel there are still a wealth of heroes that could use their own games.  Preferably good ones.  Not all of them are even heroes.

Obviously, I don’t mean the heroes who already have some very popular games already.  No X-Men games  on this list, no Batman, no TMNT, and none of this Marvel vs. Capcom b.s.  I’m talking one property or character with a decent translation into video game form.

Silver Surfer

It’s been over two decades since the Surfer has had his own game (which is up there with Battletoads on many “hardest games” lists), and I say Galactus’ herald is about due for another one.  A good one.  One that has absolutely nothing to do with a certain movie which I won’t even bother naming.  There might have been a number in there, I dunno (ed: I think he’s talking about Spider-Man 3…).  I’m not talking about games with large Marvel character casts, or other superhero teams featuring the Surfer, either. I mean his own game, with his own villains.

Look at it this way, he has a space opera for an origin story (he keeps his planet from being eaten, for crying out loud).  He has a rich supporting cast (Galactus, Thanos, Mephisto, every other herald ever, every other cosmic hero ever, I can keep going), and basically the entire Marvel Universe to fly around and attempt to save.  Because that’s the kind of guy he is.  I would also not be opposed to cooperative play with Adam Warlock (just throwing that out there).

I’m not even picky as to what type of game, as long as it makes sense for the Surfer.  Which means no racing, no card games, and if I’m very lucky, no rhythm action crap.  I would, however be partial to them borrowing heavily from the more recent Ratchet & Clank games.  Planetary exploring combined with space battles and the like.

Green Lantern

The Corps needs it’s own game.  I don’t care if it’s Hal, Kyle, or Kilowog, but these guys need a solid game.  I’d even settle for Guy Gardner or Alan Scott.  Hell, throw the whole Corps in there and let the players sort them out.  The only video game Lanterns we’ve seen so far have been part of an ensemble Justice League cast, when the franchise deserves its own game.  Hopefully one not slapped together just for the movie (yeah, you heard me).

While many of my arguments for making a Silver Surfer game also apply to the Lanterns, they also have some things that make them stand out.  The Surfer is one guy.  The Lanterns have numerous iconic characters, fully capable of carrying a game in their own right.  Not to mention hordes of their own villains; and you can’t tell me that exploring Oa wouldn’t be amazing, especially if they used as much lens flare as the last Star Trek movie.  Okay, maybe a little less.  My point being that if they can make a GL game as pretty as most games are capable of being now, I’d be satisfied.  That, and include  Larfleeze, please and thank you.

The other twist a Green Lantern game could take, and that I’d be very okay with, is the opportunity to slap your own recruit together, get trained by all the aforementioned Corps luminaries, and face off against its enemies all on your own.  I know I’ve always wanted cosmic powered jewelry, how about you?

Booster Gold and Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)

Ted is the best Beetle ever.  If you disagree you can just skip down to the next hero, I may get ranty.  Now that that’s out of the way, Booster and Ted would make for a great co-op superhero game.  They’re fun, witty, and not all broody like Batman is.  Not that brooding is bad, but sometimes you need something a bit lighter.  Hence, Booster and the Beetle.  Probably with some Skeets thrown in, as well as maybe Fire and Ice.  Maxwell Lord should probably be a given, along with Brother Eye.

This game could get interesting, especially if Ted’s death comes at about the halfway point.  Forcing the player to go solo as Booster,  team up with Rip Hunter, maybe?  And then team up with a past version of the Beetle all over again.  I’d probably cry more about Ted dying than I ever did over Aeris…  Aerith… whatever.  However the game would wind up playing out, Ted and Booster would make for a great buddy comedy game, and I feel they’ve been ignored for long enough.  Blue and Gold need a game.

Morbius, the Living Vampire

I figured since Soul Reaver‘s Raziel isn’t around anymore to fill the tortured-monster-as-protagonist niche, we might as well give Morby a shot.  He drinks blood, he drops soliloquies, and tortures himself with every splash of plasma on his stylish black leather outfit.  Bonus: he doesn’t sparkle.  He’s also got some interesting allies which can double as enemies, like Blade, Werewolf by Night, Ghost Rider, Spider-Man, and Daimon Hellstrom.  Not to mention the actual villains, Lilith, Dracula, Vic Slaughter, Simon Stroud.  Any of Spidey’s villains would also work.

I can imagine a Morbius game unfloding much like a Spider-Man game, except for one thing:  Morbius can actually fly.  So replace webslinging with gliding and hovering, and I’d say you’re good to go.  Blood Omen‘s blood meter would also not be completely out of place, and the same goes for feeding.  Feeding on muggers, bank robbers, or innocent bystanders if the game wants to be generous.  Biting people and turning them into your little vampiric minions could also be fun.

Doctor Doom

Okay, so he’s not exactly a hero.  But this is Victor Von Doom we’re talking about.  While Morbius could easily take over for Raziel, Doom would be a more than adequate substitute for Kain.  Egomaniacal, overconfident, and obsessed with destroying his enemies.  I know I’d find it immensely satisfying to slap Reed Richards around in his own lab, send out hordes of Doombots, and pay visits through time to Morgan LeFay or Kang the Conqueror.

A game like this could also be fun if it stole parts from Summoner 2 and Fable 3, with Doom administrating certain day to day activities in Latveria.  Taxes, construction, technological advances, all at your (Doom’s) control.  Just like he likes it.  Such a game would also require dialogue befitting Victor’s opinion of himself, which is to say overblown, megalomaniacal, and over the top as only Doom can do it.  And then there’s the Fantastic Four.  Finding ways to neutralize them, whether it be gadgets, spells, or manipulating other simple-minded heroes into fighting them would be incredibly entertaining.  Once they’re out of the way…well, he always did want to rule the world.

Taskmaster

Taskmaster can learn pretty much any move anyone else can do just by observing it in action.  If that doesn’t mesh well with videogame mechanics, I don’t know what does.  I also realize he isn’t a hero either, but since he briefly worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., and fights Deadpool a lot, I’m willing to cut the guy some slack.  Speaking of Deadpool, he’d make a great boss.  Or multiplayer character.  Or narrator, for that matter.  Actually, as long as Deadpool is annoying Tasky in some capacity, I’m happy.

Obviously, this would be a combat heavy game.  Fighting, fighting, and oh, maybe some more fighting.  Especially fighting enemies you can learn moves from, possibly leveling up ones you have, like a combat with RPG elements.  Or an RPG with a heavy combat system–I forget how these things work now.  Taskmaster vs. Initiative recruits, vs. S.H.I.E.L.D agents, vs. Deadpool, vs. anyone, really.  You could probably cobble together a story that would work no matter what due to how varied Tasky’s work is.

This is just a smattering of comic characters that have been overlooked when it comes to designing video game properties.  I could have easily gone on for another few pages, listing off the Young Avengers, the Outsiders, the Doom Patrol, the Super Skrull, Ronan the Accuser-see?  I’m doing it right now.  I didn’t even get into comic characters that don’t belong to Marvel or DC.

My point is there is a wealth of comic books that could benefit from decent games.  Key word there is decent. I’d even be okay with some great ones.