I cannot tell you how much I loved the movie The Incredibles. Brad Bird's modern-day take on superhero legacies was gut-busting with laughs and chock full of action, culminating with a breathtaking battle against a gigantic droid rampaging through the city of Metroville. To that extent, THQ came through with a game based on the film that wasn't half bad, an adventure that utilized all four Incredibles' family members, from Dash's speedy stages to Elastigirl's ability to swing across poles and take out enemies with distant attacks. It was a bit lacking in terms of unbalanced difficulty, but it's worth dropping $20 on nowadays.

Now THQ is back, working alongside their developer Heavy Iron Studios as well as Buena Vista Games and Pixar to produce a game-only sequel, The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer. The game follows on the final events of the movie, where a new foe by the name of the Underminer has risen out of the ground, ready to wreak havoc on Metroville. It's up to Mr. Incredible and his cohort Frozone to stop the Underminer and his robotic minions from tearing up the town.

The game has less gameplay styles this time around, as the rest of the Incredible family takes a break while Mr. Incredible and Frozone handle the action. However, THQ and Heavy Iron have employed a new co-op mechanic that comes into play quite well, allowing you to choose between Mr. Incredible and Frozone almost instantly. You can also have a computer or a second player join in to take control of your helper, and even ask them for assistance in situations. This'll add some points to the game, as both characters come in handy in spots with their powers. Mr. Incredible's brute strength will allow for some quick destruction, while Frozone's freezing abilities can create paths to new areas and stop enemies cold.

Another neat feature in Rise of the Underminer is the ability to upgrade your characters. As you work your way through the game and bowl over enemies with ease, you'll find experience points added on to your score. You'll be able to apply these points to your special powers to increase their versatility and strength, allowing you to get the upper hand. You'll need it, too- Underminer's robotic army grows tougher and tougher as you venture further underground to stop his plans.

Although an actual movie of Rise of the Underminer isn't in the works, THQ is working with both BVG and Pixar to assure the quality of the effort. The design should be very faithful to the original film, complete with character animation and level design that pops right out of the screen just like the original game did. Sound should also be faithful, with a heroic score from the film and a few quality voice-overs that sound just like the actors from the movie. Who knows? Maybe THQ can work out something to actually get Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, and John Ratzenberger to fill in their roles. This hasn't been finalized yet, so we'll see.

The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer should be a lot of fun for fans of the film and those eager to get into another superhero platforming adventure. We'll have more coverage on the game when it arrives this fall.