Overview and Gameplay
The Joker has seized Gotham’s bicentennial celebration and kidnapped Vicki Vale, sending Batman through locations inspired by the 1989 film. This Sega Genesis version is a platform-specific Sunsoft production, not a port of the NES or Game Boy games. Six stages mix side-scrolling combat and platforming with auto-scrolling Batmobile and Batwing shooting sequences. Batman fights through Gotham streets, Axis Chemicals, the Flugelheim Museum, and Gotham Cathedral before confronting the Joker.
Controls And Mechanics
- Move, crouch, jump, punch, sweep, and use an aerial attack to handle enemies and hazards.
- Throw limited Batarangs, block projectiles, and use the vertical grappling hook to reach platforms above Batman.
- Batman emblems add ammunition, hearts restore health, and Batman-head pickups award an extra life.
- Vehicle stages use Vulcan cannons and limited homing missiles against enemy formations.
- Normal and Hard settings are available, with adjustable starting lives and up to four continues.
Version Notes
The North American release uses the title Batman: The Video Game; Japanese and European releases are generally titled Batman. No major gameplay changes are documented for the USA version.
Release And Credits
- North American release: 1991
- Developer: Sun Electronics Corp. (Sunsoft)
- Publisher: Sun Corporation of America
- Music: Naoki Kodaka
- Players: Single-player only
