Hulk has been a staple of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since it first began, but he has never seemed to be able to spawn a great video game. Now, Bruce Banner has been joined in the MCU by his younger cousin Jennifer Walters through the Disney Plus show She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. This will further grow Hulk's presence inside the franchise, and She-Hulk will also become a prominent character. Both characters will become household names eventually, and that would make them perfect candidates for video games.
The name of the game when it comes to Hulk and She-Hulk is strength and destruction. Both characters become large green monsters that can cause massive damage with the flick of a wrist. These power sets seem like they would fit right into a sandbox video game, but the industry has shied away from creating a Hulk-centric title since 2008. Instead, the character has been relegated to a supporting role while She-Hulk has been relatively absent from almost every Marvel-based video game.
Hulk has Had a Couple Video Game Appearances
Over the years, Hulk has played a starring role in a couple of different video games and a supporting role in many more. His first video game appearances was in 1984 in a small title known as Questprobe featuring The Hulk. It was a very basic game by today's standards, and it was the first times that players got to control Bruce Banner. Players would have to enter various commands to make Hulk progress through a mysterious lair. It does not hold up as well today, but it was received pretty positively by critics at the time.
The next time that players would be able to control the Hulk would be in 1994 with the side-scroller The Incredible Hulk. This time, the Hulk had to combat the Leader and his army to prevent him from taking over the world. Players would progress through various levels and beat back enemies through classic side-scrolling gameplay. The title also featured a couple of different endings based on the difficulty, and that rewarded multiple playthroughs. However, that would not be enough in the eyes of the critics and the game would go on to receive generally mixed reviews.
There were a couple of Hulk-based titles afterwards, but one of the best Hulk games came in 2005 with The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. It served as the sequel to 2003's Hulk and once again put players in control of the infamous Marvel superhero. The game offered the ability to free-roam in an open world that emphasized causing destruction. As players caused damage, the game would respond by sending military units to take on Hulk like the police of Grand Theft Auto. It also featured a decent story that saw Hulk face off against the Abomination.
SInce 2008, The Hulk has not been the focus of a video game. Instead, he has taken a more supporting role in larger Marvel ensemble titles. He has featured in games like LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, and most recently in Marvel's Avengers. While some of these games have let players feel the power of The Hulk, most of them have not been on the same level as the standalone titles.
Hulk and She Hulk Have Become Household Names
Hulk has been a part of the MCU since the beginning, and has gone through immense change since his introduction. His story is now further being expanded on in the brand-new Disney Plus show She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The show has also introduced a second member of The Hulk family with Jennifer Walters' She-Hulk. While she is not a household name like Hulk, she will most likely become one as her corner of the MCU grows larger.
Unlike Bruce Banner, Jennifer Walters has never starred in her own video game. Instead, she has always been on the sidelines, with her most recent appearance being in Marvel's Strike Force. While she has been a part of the comics since the 1980s, she has never gotten major attention from the video game industry, However, all of that should change now that she has made her MCU debut and will most likely spike in popularity as more people discover her story for the first time.
Hulk and She Hulk Deserve Video Games
Hulk is one of Marvel's most popular characters right now, and She-Hulk is quickly gaining a new fanbase outside the comics. The video game industry should take advantage of this popularity and create another standalone Hulk game, or the first ever standalone She-Hulk game. Both titles would be very different experiences, but they could be a lot of fun for superhero fans.
A new Hulk game would have to focus heavily on the destructive nature of the character as that it was draws a lot of people to him. The criticism that the MCU has received for Smart Hulk shows that fans would rather have the destructive force of the uncontrollable Hulk, and a video game could deliver that, putting players in control of the green behemoth and let them cause destruction in an open-world sandbox like they could in 2005 with The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. Throw in a good story and Hulk fans may flock to it.
A She-Hulk game would have to take inspiration from the 2013 Deadpool game and deliver a hilarious fourth-wall breaking adventure. The character is far more comedic than Bruce Banner is, and her character is not focused on how much destruction she causes. The game would instead have to be a comedic superhero legal title with super powered antics mixed in. It would be harder to juggle, but the game could be a very fun and unique experience.
Both Hulk and She-Hulk are major parts of Marvel's roster, but they have been mostly relegated to side character status in Marvel video games. WIth the surge of popularity thanks to the MCU and She Hulk: Attorney at Law, now is the time for the industry to make another Hulk-centric video game. There has never been a better time for it, and Marvel fans would probably be thrilled.