Marvel releases mobile game, content for Iron Man movie

By Mickey Alam Khan

May 1, 2008

Iron Man in a velvet glove

Comic book publisher Marvel Entertainment Inc. has launched a mobile game and personalized content for “Iron Man” to coincide with the movie’s May 2 release.

Created by Hands-On Mobile, the game and content is available on select wireless carriers worldwide. Hands-On previously developed mobile games for “X-Men: The Last Stand” and “Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” both part of the Marvel franchise.

“The Iron Man mobile game and personalization content is another way for fans to experience Iron Man on-the-go, whether it is personalizing their phone with what’s hot or enjoying a few minutes of fun, easy-to-play, action-packed game play,” said David M. McCaman, director of marketing at Hands-On, San Francisco.

Hands-On is also creating a mobile game and content timed to launch around the newly formed Marvel Studios’ upcoming movie, “The Incredible Hulk.” Distributed by Universal Pictures, that movie releases June 13.

The Iron Man game is in the vertically scrolling shoot-‘em up style. Players take control of the Iron Man while fighting through four levels of action based on the movie featuring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard.

Stark Wars

Equipped with repulsor rays and unibeam, players can visit locations, including those from the movie, and blast at enemy forces with weapons that Tony Stark had developed.

In the game, Iron Man must collect power-ups to grow the effectiveness of each weapon and destroy waves of enemy units on the way to a final fight with Tony Stark nemesis, the dreaded Iron Monger.

U.S. consumers can text IRON to 46966 to download the mobile game. Marvel Mobile content is also available on the site at http://www.marvelmobile.com.

The Iron Man mobile game targets Marvel’s target audience of males age 14-34.

Paramount Pictures releases the Iron Man movie tomorrow.

“Working closely with Marvel, we wanted the game to be accessible for a mass-market audience,” Mr. McCaman said.

“Iron Man continues that rule of thumb as it is an easy pick-up-and-play game using details of the movie to emphasize objectives,” he said.