Batman

aka: Batman: The Movie
Moby ID: 3848
Amiga Specs
Included in See Also

Description official descriptions

Based on the 1989-Batman movie. The game consists of five different parts, each resembling well-known game types. Part one, the chemical plant: Hunt down Jack Napier who has raided the plant (typical platform action, climb ladders or use "Bat"-rope and shoot at some enemies...). Part two, "Batmobile" (...the car): Joker is chasing you and have to escape to the "Bat"-cave. Avoid obstacles like police blocking the road and others. Part three, "Bat"-cave: A puzzle game where you have to find a certain item (belonging to Joker) amongst other items. Part four, "Batjet": Cut the ropes of the balloons which are filled with poisonous gas. Part five, the cathedral: Hunt down Joker. This part plays like the first one. Finally you will confront the Joker in a fight that decides the fate of Gotham city.

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Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Amiga version)

9 People

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 81% (based on 28 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.6 out of 5 (based on 50 ratings with 1 reviews)

Ocean at its licensing best.

The Good
Despite the flak that Ocean took on its time for stockpiling licenses like casino tokens, I happen to think they did some superior work on its time. There was the occasional mediocrity, like the "Rambo - First Blood Part II" or the first "WWF Wrestlemania" game, admitted, but they also delivered some of the best movie conversions of the 8 bit era, such as "RoboCop" or, yes, "Batman - The Movie". Seriously, think of it. Of all the film licenses that fell into other hands, how many of them can you remember?

Ocean's trademarked idea of translating key scenes from the film into very different types of sub-games, at the same time a compromise to be faithful to the original film and a great way to add variety to the gameplay, was already very refined by the time they launched this game. The mix is not as happy as it was in "RoboCop", but the magic is still there. The game is bookended by two wonderful platform-style stages, Axis Chemicals and the Cathedral, and in the middle there are two pretty good driving stages, one driving the coffin-like Batmovile and the second the Batwing, and a puzzle scene which is easily the worst of the lot. In all of them, graphics, sound and level design, no matter differences between versions, are top notch.

The Bad
As much as I like the game, I think that at 5 stages it is a bit too short. There were many other scenes and scenarios from the movie that could have made good levels, such as Batman's entering into the Art Museum, or the fight between Batman and some of the Joker's goons in an alley.

Maybe the fault is on "RoboCop", a previous Ocean licensed game which treated us with 9 levels and set the bar too high. And it needs to be said, in favour of "Batman - The Movie", that its 5 stages are much longer than the ones in "RoboCop".



The Bottom Line
Anyway, most CPC users remember this game as one of the best they ever played in this platform, and there are reasons. As old fashioned as side-scrolling action / platform games are, the first and last levels of the game are still masterful in its level design, gameplay and music. Not even the CPC+ version could add much to the mix.

The two (also side-scrolling) driving levels are not as good (never liked the idea of having to guess which lane would stay free of traffic), but are nevertheless impecable. And the puzzle level... well, that's just filler, but it won't take you much time to figure it out.

So yes, it's kind of a mixed bag, but the two platform style levels are so brilliant that in the end it's difficult to give the game less than a 5/5.

Amstrad CPC · by Neville (3554) · 2008

Discussion

Subject By Date
Misplaced awards in the trivia 1xWertzui (1135) Jul 31, 2017

Trivia

Release

The game was bundled with Amiga 500 computers between October 1989 and September 1990. The Batman-themed box contained also games The New Zealand Story and F/A-18 Interceptor as well as a bitmap graphics editor Deluxe Paint II.

Awards

  • Commodore Force
    • December 1993 (Issue 13) – #69 “Readers' Top 100”
  • ST Format
    • Issue 01/1991 – #4 Best Platform Game in 1990 (Atari ST)
  • Zzap!
    • January 1990 (Issue 57) – 'The Best Games of the 80's Decade' (Stuart Wynne)

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Related Games

The Batman: Batarang Battle
Released 2005 on Dedicated handheld
Batman: The Video Game
Released 1989 on NES
Batman: Justice Unbalanced
Released 2003 on Windows, Macintosh
Batman: Toxic Chill
Released 2003 on Windows, Macintosh
Batman: Return of the Joker
Released 1991 on NES, Genesis
Batman Returns
Released 1992 on Dedicated handheld
Batman Forever
Released 1995 on Game Boy, Game Gear
Batman: The Video Game
Released 1990 on Genesis
Batman: Arkham City
Released 2011 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 3848
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Rebound Boy.

Amiga added by John Scott. Commodore 64 added by Kabushi. Amstrad CPC, Atari ST added by Martin Smith. ZX Spectrum added by Terok Nor. MSX added by koffiepad.

Additional contributors: Dan K, vedder, Patrick Bregger, mailmanppa, 1xWertzui, Jo ST, FatherJack.

Game added April 18, 2001. Last modified March 15, 2024.