Honestly some of the best action to be found on the system. The beat-em-up / run-and-gun levels are so much fun-—tough as nails, but with exceptional moment-to-moment gameplay that keeps you coming back (it’s Batman meets Gunstar Heroes, and a more bizarre and delightful combo I cannot fathom).
Where the game falters most obviously is during its shmup sections, where Batman takes to the skies to combat a comical number of helicopters, missles, mad hatter mini robots, etc. These levels, though relatively few, are too long, too repetitive, and too easy when fully powered up—not to mention that the movement feels frustratingly slippery with inertia.
Nevermind, though, because the music in this thing? Holy shit. These tunes wouldn’t be out of place soundtracking the grisly, tense, arcade mass-murder of Hotline Miami, but here they are banging away inexplicably in a cartoony ‘90s licensed game. Don’t get it, but don’t care— it rules.
The appeal of Batman: The Animated Series was that it was darker, heavier, more violent, more thoughtful, than its Saturday-Morning counterparts. And while this game is far from those things narratively- or atmospherically speaking, its gameplay certainly exudes the same surprising depth and careful craft when compared to similar throwaway licensed 16-bit games. It’s a real hidden gem.
Where the game falters most obviously is during its shmup sections, where Batman takes to the skies to combat a comical number of helicopters, missles, mad hatter mini robots, etc. These levels, though relatively few, are too long, too repetitive, and too easy when fully powered up—not to mention that the movement feels frustratingly slippery with inertia.
Nevermind, though, because the music in this thing? Holy shit. These tunes wouldn’t be out of place soundtracking the grisly, tense, arcade mass-murder of Hotline Miami, but here they are banging away inexplicably in a cartoony ‘90s licensed game. Don’t get it, but don’t care— it rules.
The appeal of Batman: The Animated Series was that it was darker, heavier, more violent, more thoughtful, than its Saturday-Morning counterparts. And while this game is far from those things narratively- or atmospherically speaking, its gameplay certainly exudes the same surprising depth and careful craft when compared to similar throwaway licensed 16-bit games. It’s a real hidden gem.