Common Sense Media Review
By Brett Molina
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bland movie-based action game -- awkward controls.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
What's It About?
IRON MAN is based on the 2008 movie of the same name. The game's story picks up in the Middle East, where multimillionaire Tony Stark is finishing up a prototype of the first Iron Man suit. After using his crude creation to escape a pack of militants, Stark dons an updated version of the armor and sets to destroy all the weaponry created by his international corporation.
Controlling Iron Man is complicated, especially when flying. A half-pull of the left trigger sets him in hover mode, while a full press lets you gain altitude. The shoulder button, meanwhile, allows him to fly. Iron Man comes armed with a handful of attacks, including beams from his chest and hands, as well as heat-seeking missiles. If you prefer to take the fight up close, you can punch or even pull apart big vehicles. As you complete missions, you'll earn armor upgrades that improve your speed and arsenal.
Is It Any Good?
At times, manipulating this "one-man army" is gratifying. Catching and tossing back missiles is an especially fun moment. But the satisfaction is short-lived between boring missions and sub par visuals. The star of the game looks menacing, but the environments and enemies are bland. When you learn the auto-lock feature, targeting enemies becomes way too easy. Computer intelligence is questionable at best. Near the end of one battle against a heavily-armored helicopter, the vehicle made zero effort to dodge attacks or even turn to target the player. Iron Man will entertain briefly, but you're better off tossing this game in the pile of disappointing movie tie-ins
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about games linked to blockbuster films. Is it better to stick to the film's story or create a plot independent of the movie? Which comic book characters would you like to see in a video game?
Game Details
- Platforms : Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , PSP , Nintendo Wii , Nintendo DS , PlayStation 2
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Sega of America
- Release date : May 2, 2008
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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