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Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Developer	Raven Software Vicarious Visions Beenox Studios Barking Lizards Technologies
Publisher	Activision, Interchannel (Japan)
Engine	Vicarious Visions Alchemy
Released	Xbox October 24, 2006 October 27, 2006 November 1, 2006 PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 & GBA October 24, 2006 November 1, 2006 November 3, 2006 PSP October 24, 2006 December 1, 2006 December 6, 2006 Wii November 14, 2006 December 20, 2006 December 22, 2006 May 17, 2007 PS3 November 17, 2006 March 23, 2007 March 23, 2007
Genre	Action RPG
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer
Ratings	ESRB: Teen (T) (For Violence and Mild Language.) ESRB: Everyone +10 (E+10) (GBA version) (For Violence) CERO: B
Platform(s)	PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Xbox 360, Game Boy Advance, Wii
Media	CD, BD-ROM, DVD-ROM, UMD, GBA flash cartridge

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game released in 2006. It is set within the fictional Marvel Universe and features many of the superheroes, supervillains, and supporting characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.

Contents 1 Story 2 Features 3 Versions 3.1 Game Boy Advance 3.2 PC 3.3 Playstation Portable 3.4 Wii 3.5 Xbox 360 and PS3 3.6 PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits 3.7 Awards 4 References 5 External links

The heroes battle Dr. Doom and the group of supervillains known as the Masters of Evil. The missions across a range of interactive locations, including the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier; Omega Base; Atlantis; the palace of the villain the Mandarin; Murderworld; the realm of the demon Mephisto; Asgard; aboard a Shi'ar space vessel; a Skrull world and finally Castle Doom on a revised version of Earth.

Players can select teams of four from a range of more than twenty playable characters (although some characters are not initially available and need to be unlocked), allowing them to create their own superhero teams or recreate famous teams from the publications. Bonuses are also available if forming certain groups (e.g. the Avengers or the Fantastic Four). The game also has alternative endings, dictated by the number of optional missions the player completes. Also included are trivia, artwork and "simulator discs". The discs unlock non-story related missions for characters and pit them against a variety of villains. Each character also has a variety of costumes that offer various advantages.

The game is available through several gaming systems, with a graphical engine that looks different on its various platforms.

"Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" has been altered for the Game Boy Advance port and has become a side-scrolling fighting game with minor RPG elements, such as the ability to alter your characters' stats. The graphics are simplified for this system and the selection of characters has also been reduced. Some additional gameplay modes were added into this version of the game including a S.H.I.E.L.D. Simulator, Time Challenges, Scavenger Hunts, and a Survival mode. Teams for this port consist of three characters and a striker, a non-playable fourth character who can be summoned to perform a powerful attack directed toward on-screen enemies.

Playable characters include Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iceman, Blade, Captain America, Deadpool, Elektra, Ms. Marvel, Thor, The Thing, and Ghost Rider. Special characters included in the game are Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, Iron Man, Dark Phoenix, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and Vision. Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Iceman are the game's starter team but as the game progresses, characters become unlocked as more missions are completed.

The PC version, like most PC games, is customizable, and many characters and their skins can be obtained from modding sites for play within the game. Also, the PC version's graphics vary depending on the customization of a user's settings. At maximum settings and shaders with premium hardware, the PC graphics will be similar to or better than the 7th generation console versions. The PC version also features "intuitive mouse controls" ^[1] and works with a gamepad.

The PSP version features simplified graphics, different characters, and extra features including the four exclusive playable Marvel characters Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Hawkeye and Ronin. Other things unique to this version are 6 exclusive comic book missions including one which contained Swordsman, an exclusive prequel mission, and three exclusive single-player gameplay modes. Added features include online play, microphone support (voice chat) and online-recordable player statistics.

The Wii version has a few features unique to its version including specific motion-sensitive controls for normal moves, Motion-sensitive controlled Special attacks, unique for each character, and access to any special move at any time. For this version there is no online play, but there is a normal multiplayer mode in which up to four players may play at once. It also features the characters Moon Knight and Colossus.

The Xbox 360 version and the Playstation 3 version are virtually identical, with no major differences apart from the PS3's SIXAXIS controller. Both versions feature the characters Moon Knight and Colossus.

Activision released 8 additional downloadable characters on the Xbox 360 via the Xbox Live Marketplace on April 26, 2007 in a set of packs: a hero and villain pack, both costing 500 Microsoft points each. However, if desired, the user may download both in a bundle pack, slightly reducing the overall cost of both separate for 800 Microsoft points. Four heroes are included, being Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Hawkeye, and the Hulk. There are also four villains - Magneto, Sabretooth, Venom, and Doctor Doom. ^[2]

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance: Gold Edition was released for the Xbox 360 on May 22, 2007. ^[3] It has all eight downloadable heroes and villains that were originally available only on the Xbox 360 through download on Xbox Live.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance: Special Edition (Platinum Hits) was released for the Xbox 360 on September 25, 2007. ^[4] The feature set includes all of the Gold Edition extras and a bonus DVD.

On August 19, 2007, a Special Edition Greatest Hits version was released for the PlayStation 2, including the game in its original form and a "bonus" DVD containing a making-of featurette.

Initially Playable Characters
Captain America U.S. Agent Deadpool Elektra Human Torch	Iceman Invisible Woman Iron Man War Machine Luke Cage	Ms. Marvel Sharon Ventura (human form) Mr. Fantastic	Spider-Man Scarlet Spider Spider-Woman Arachne Spider-Girl	Storm Thing Thor Beta Ray Bill Wolverine
Unlockable Characters	PSP	Next-Gen consoles (* last 8 for 360 only)		GBA Only (Non-Playable Striker)
Black Panther Blade Daredevil Dr. Strange Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) Daniel Ketch Western Vengeance Nick Fury General Nick Fury Silver Surfer	Black Widow Yelena Belova Captain Marvel Mar-Vell Hawkeye Ronin	Colossus Moon Knight Cyclops* Nightcrawler* Hawkeye*	Hulk* Magneto* Xorn Venom* Angelo Fortunato Mac Gargan Dr. Doom* Kristoff Vernard Sabretooth*	Jean Grey Namor Vision
Non Playable Characters
Ancient One Balder Black Bolt Corsair Clea Crystal Dum Dum Dugan	Edwin Jarvis Gambit Gorgon Hank Pym Heimdall Hermod	Jean Grey Karnak Lilandra Neramani Lockjaw Medusa Namor Namorita	Odin Professor X Senator Kelly Sif Triton Tyr Uatu the Watcher	Valkyrie Vision Volla Weasel Wong Wyatt Wingfoot
Villains
Arcade Attuma Baron Mordo Blackheart Bullseye Byrrah Crimson Dynamo Destroyer Deathbird	Dragon Man Dr. Doom Electro Enchantress Executioner Fin Fang Foom Galactus Gladiator Grey Gargoyle Hussar	Kraken Krang Kurse Lizard Loki Mandarin Mephisto M.O.D.O.K. Mysterio Neutron	Radioactive Man Paibok Rhino Scorpion Shocker Skrulls Starbolt Super-Skrull Swordsman (PSP Only) Thunderball	Tiger Shark Titannus Ulik Ultimo Ultron Winter Soldier Warstar The Wrecking Crew Ymir
Dark Superheroes
Dark Captain America Dark Colossus Dark Cyclops Dark Human Torch Dark Invisible Woman	Dark Mister Fantastic Dark Psylocke Dark Spider-Man Dark Thing Dark Thor
Seen briefly in cutscenes
Beast Emma Frost Gambit Psylocke Shadowcat

• Received the GameSpot Award Best Use of a Creative License in 2006
• Received the Video Game of the Year award from Wizard Magazine issue 183.
• Received the IGN Award for Best Story on PlayStation 3 in 2006.
• Gaming Target - "52 Games We'll Still Be Playing From 2006" selection. ^[5]

• Marvel Ultimate Alliance's official site
• MarvelDatabase:Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
• http://www.gamefaqs.com/
• MarvelMods.com Fan-created mods for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and X-Men Legends I & II
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance at IMDB.com includes the full list of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance's voice actors.