Batman Returns (GG, 1992)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-7.5 Control-7.5 Challenge-7 Story-6
Level Design-7 Frustration-6.5 Fun-7 Originality-6
Overall Score-7
+
Choose your own path - two different routes for each level (the two routes are very similar though and the final level only has one)
Grapple hook (lets you swing kind of like in Bionic Commando here)
Good mid-air control
Pretty good cutscenes
Decent variety
Some pretty good bosses (cat woman, rock giant) and one good one (final boss (the penguin) - three phases)
Some large and detailed bosses
The lower resolution doesn't affect playability much here (the game was first designed for GG so most sprites are also smaller)
Compared to SMS ver.:
Added health bar (die in one hit on SMS) and some health items - OTOH you find a lot more extra lives on SMS
Added smart bombs (triggered via the menu)
Choose between three attack types (long/weak, normal/in-between or short+strong main attack via the pause menu) - on SMS you upgrade it with found items instead and it reverts to normal after death
Improved colors (brighter too which makes it easier to tell things apart)
Some boss fights that don't have backgrounds on SMS have them here (makes the third boss (giant) a bit better here too since it makes you use the grapple)
+/-
Weapon inventory is in the pause menu
It might've been better to make the strong attack a longer charge attack instead considering the variety of enemies with ranged weapons
No mini-bosses
Short first level
Hover jump (also in the MD game; Pac-Land, Wonder Boy in Monster Land) - however you can only use it after falling for about half a screen and holding the button down so it's not that useful
No dodge or block move (cat woman 2nd encounter is more agile than Batman)
Unlimited continues
No cutscenes in-between levels so you only get a depiction of the intro and ending to the movie
No password save
Compared to SMS ver.:
Restart the sub level/boss fight instead of on the spot after dying here - restart the level after a game over
Route 2 isn't rally harder on GG (just different) - on SMS it has much harder platforming
Somewhat harder first boss here (faster)
Slightly different level design in the A routes as well
-
Some control issues (have to fully retract the grapple hook while hanging onto a ceiling to be able to jump up to the next floor - breaks flow a bit, retracting the hook is also a bit slow, slight pause in forward movement right before jumping, can't attack up- or downwards)
No sub weapons and no melee attacks - see the MD games (Batman having some melee attacks feels more accurate)
Can't go back and play the other route during the same playthrough
Some trial & error (boss patterns, some traps, some enemies can't be hurt while somersaulting, can't hit the rocket shooting penguins at all, the grapple hook is also a weapon - needed if you run out of bombs for the penguin's second phase)
Kinda long invincibility times for regular enemies and sometimes arbitrary ones for bosses during which the smart bomb has no effect (oddly the rock giant boss has none so you can hit it several times per throw)
The long attack reaches a lot further on SMS
Short at only 5 levels - less than 40 mins if you're good
No difficulty options (Route B/2 is only slightly tougher)
Lacks hidden items
Compared to SMS ver.:
-Can't start swinging from stand still while hanging
Bugs:
-The bomb throwing enemies occasionally kill you in one hit (happened near the beginning of level 2A)
Level Design-7 Frustration-6.5 Fun-7 Originality-6
Overall Score-7
+
Choose your own path - two different routes for each level (the two routes are very similar though and the final level only has one)
Grapple hook (lets you swing kind of like in Bionic Commando here)
Good mid-air control
Pretty good cutscenes
Decent variety
Some pretty good bosses (cat woman, rock giant) and one good one (final boss (the penguin) - three phases)
Some large and detailed bosses
The lower resolution doesn't affect playability much here (the game was first designed for GG so most sprites are also smaller)
Compared to SMS ver.:
Added health bar (die in one hit on SMS) and some health items - OTOH you find a lot more extra lives on SMS
Added smart bombs (triggered via the menu)
Choose between three attack types (long/weak, normal/in-between or short+strong main attack via the pause menu) - on SMS you upgrade it with found items instead and it reverts to normal after death
Improved colors (brighter too which makes it easier to tell things apart)
Some boss fights that don't have backgrounds on SMS have them here (makes the third boss (giant) a bit better here too since it makes you use the grapple)
+/-
Weapon inventory is in the pause menu
It might've been better to make the strong attack a longer charge attack instead considering the variety of enemies with ranged weapons
No mini-bosses
Short first level
Hover jump (also in the MD game; Pac-Land, Wonder Boy in Monster Land) - however you can only use it after falling for about half a screen and holding the button down so it's not that useful
No dodge or block move (cat woman 2nd encounter is more agile than Batman)
Unlimited continues
No cutscenes in-between levels so you only get a depiction of the intro and ending to the movie
No password save
Compared to SMS ver.:
Restart the sub level/boss fight instead of on the spot after dying here - restart the level after a game over
Route 2 isn't rally harder on GG (just different) - on SMS it has much harder platforming
Somewhat harder first boss here (faster)
Slightly different level design in the A routes as well
-
Some control issues (have to fully retract the grapple hook while hanging onto a ceiling to be able to jump up to the next floor - breaks flow a bit, retracting the hook is also a bit slow, slight pause in forward movement right before jumping, can't attack up- or downwards)
No sub weapons and no melee attacks - see the MD games (Batman having some melee attacks feels more accurate)
Can't go back and play the other route during the same playthrough
Some trial & error (boss patterns, some traps, some enemies can't be hurt while somersaulting, can't hit the rocket shooting penguins at all, the grapple hook is also a weapon - needed if you run out of bombs for the penguin's second phase)
Kinda long invincibility times for regular enemies and sometimes arbitrary ones for bosses during which the smart bomb has no effect (oddly the rock giant boss has none so you can hit it several times per throw)
The long attack reaches a lot further on SMS
Short at only 5 levels - less than 40 mins if you're good
No difficulty options (Route B/2 is only slightly tougher)
Lacks hidden items
Compared to SMS ver.:
-Can't start swinging from stand still while hanging
Bugs:
-The bomb throwing enemies occasionally kill you in one hit (happened near the beginning of level 2A)