When we last saw The Incredibles, the superhero family had defeated Syndrome’s Omnidroid and saved the citizens of Metroville. However, on their way out of the stadium where Dash has just earned a respectable — but not overwhelming — showing in a track meet, a new villain appears: the Underminer.

“I’m always beneath you, but nothing is beneath me!” he booms. “I hereby declare war on peace and happiness!”

Stand Back. Mr. Incredible gets ready to pound the ground using his super strength.

Unfazed, the Incredibles don their masks, ready for action. Mr. Incredible pulls open his shirt to reveal his supersuit —

— and then the credits roll. The movie’s legions of fans who anxiously wanted to see the popular superheroes take on their latest foe need wait no longer, thanks to the development team at Heavy Iron Studios and publisher THQ.

“We kept a film-like narrative. It’s like a buddy movie.”

- Steve Townsend, producer

A Buddy Game

“It made sense to continue where the film left off, as well as introduce Frozone as a playable character,” explains producer Steve Townsend. “We also wanted to explore his relationship with Mr. Incredible as they fight crime together.”

While Elasti-Girl, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack secure the situation topside, Mr. Incredible and Frozone hearken back to their early crime-fighting days as they head underground to pursue the Underminer. The movie gave us some insight into the relationship between Mr. Incredible and Frozone during the scene in which they save the residents of a burning apartment building, and The Incredibles 2 builds on that.

Fightin’ in a Winter Wonderland. Frozone unleashes his cool powers.

“Frozone and Mr. Incredible have new dialogue as they come across new enemies and further penetrate the Underminer’s lair,” Townsend says. “Those lines not only tell the players what to do but also give insight into the characters’ relationship.”

He adds: “We kept a film-like narrative. It’s like a buddy movie.”

Complementary Skills

Townsend’s development team worked closely with Pixar as they created the game. They received full access to the company’s archives, which brim with artwork and ideas that flesh out the characters’ back stories. Inspiration could come from anywhere — for example, some of the Underminer’s robots first appeared on an invitation Pixar sent out for the Incredibles wrap party.

“With the game’s script,” notes Townsend, “we’d come up with ways the characters communicate, and Pixar would say it was great, or maybe they’d say ‘Mr. Incredible wouldn’t talk to Frozone like that because they’ve known each other for a long time.’”

Dynamic Duo. Frozone and Mr. Incredible, partners in crime-fighting.

When asked why the game concentrates on Mr. Incredible and Frozone, Townsend replies: “We wanted to explore these two characters. Mr. Incredible’s brute strength is complementary to Frozone’s agility and ability to freeze, and the theme of teamwork is part of what The Incredibles is all about.”

Strategic Thinking

You alternate between controlling one character or the other as you progress through the game, an option that’s vitally important when, for example, you come to a chasm that can only be crossed with an ice bridge built by Frozone.

“Mr. Incredible’s brute strength is complementary to Frozone’s agility and ability to freeze, and the theme of teamwork is part of what The Incredibles is all about.”

- Towsend

You can direct Mr. Incredible to throw boxes, or even stunned robots, at enemies on the other side, buying Frozone a few precious seconds to put his freezing power to work. During another level, Frozone may need to freeze enemies so that Mr. Incredible has something to throw at control panels he must destroy.

“You can get through certain areas much faster by constantly switching between characters,” Townsend explains.

He adds that there’s a certain amount of strategic thinking you should apply if you want to make it past all the obstacles and discover the Underminer’s true plans for the surface world. Part of that strategy also lies in choosing the right time to tell the AI-controlled character to be more aggressive, guard a specific area while you scout out the situation ahead or closely follow you.

One-Two Punch. Mr. Incredible and Frozone travel deeper into the Underminer's lair.

While the action gets more intense and complicated with each new level, you get to compensate for that by upgrading the characters’ core powers. (See “Super Moves” for more information.) Armed with stronger power punches and freeze rays, Mr. Incredible and Frozone soon possess the ability to take on even deadlier enemies.

However, don’t forget to explore your surroundings between battles. Look for canisters you may find in out-of-the-way places. Collect them to unlock bonus menu items, including concept art, character sketches, a making-of video and more. You can also earn codes that unlock secrets, such as the ability to engage in unlimited super moves, which are normally usable only a certain number of times.

Chilly Reception. Frozone says “Hello” to the bad guys while Mr. Incredible gets ready to fight another adversary.

Grab a Partner

And when we say “You,” we mean not only those who want to play the game solo but also gamers who want to tackle the Underminer’s challenges with someone else. In two-player cooperate mode, you and your companion each control a character and work together to defeat enemies and overcome obstacles.

“We noticed that kids like playing with their parents, and parents really get into it,” Townsend notes. “There aren’t too many games where parents and kids can play together. And it’s a good thing not only for parents and children but also siblings or friends.”

So grab a partner and get busy saving Metroville. And don’t feel too bummed out when you reach the conclusion: odds are you haven’t seen the last of The Incredibles and the extended cast of colorful characters.

If you liked this game, check out:

• The Incredibles
• The Incredibles: When Danger Calls
• Finding Nemo
• Freedom Force
• Shrek 2
• Spider-Man 2
• X2: Wolverine’s Revenge