Batman Returns: Black Edition

Batman Returns is another of those classic movie tie in games that ended up being multiple totally different experiences depending on which console you had. Instead of a single port, you got several separate games developed by different studios, all sharing the same Tim Burton aesthetic and snowy Gotham vibes. The KONAMI developed versions for Nintendo consoles leaned hard into the beat 'em up genre, while SEGA handled their own side with a more platformer focused approach. It's wild looking back 'cuz beating one just opens the door to a whole new experience with the others. Let's break down the big three.

The NES version has six levels, each ending in a boss fight, you've got your standard punches, sliding attacks, drop kicks and this cool 360° cape slash that looks sick but drains your health bar. The Batarang and grappling hook add some variety, you can use the hook to grab flying enemies, pull yourself up to higher platforms or even climb into windows. There are also two vehicle sections where you control the Batmobile armed with machine guns and bat discs and the Batskiboat, didn't knew that was a thing. Plus, the graphics are cool for the NES with huge sprites that look more like a comic book than the movie. The biggest knock? By stage three, you're basically doing the same thing over and over and even the driving sections can't save it from feeling a bit stale. Still, it's a solid brawler that follows the movie's story pretty closely and offers different endings based on how fast you beat it. There's also the Black Edition hack which makes it the definitive way to play, MetHy fixed missing face sprites, tightened up the punch delays and landing lag, made the old copy protection hard mode a proper toggle and DarthVaderX darkened the whole palette for that extra moody feel.

Then there's the SEGA CD version. Instead of a beat 'em up, it's more of an action platformer that relies heavily on the grappling hook to get around tricky gaps. The CD format let them add some fancy cutscenes, a completely different soundtrack and the real highlight, these sprite scaled pseudo 3D Batmobile combat stages that showed off what the SEGA CD could do. The driving sections are easily the best part, with smooth animation and that scaling effect that goes way beyond the SNES's Mode 7 stuff. But the platforming is rough, the controls have an annoying delay when you land from a jump and you can't immediately turn around, which means you'll eat punches to the back of the head constantly. The grappling hook timing is finicky too requiring serious practice before you stop falling into pits. The graphics in the action stages look identical to the Genesis cartridge, but the music is pure ear candy. It nearly doubles the game's length compared to the cartridge version, and honestly it's a real showpiece for the SEGA CD hardware.

The SNES version is the one everyone remembers and for good reason, KONAMI went all out on this, delivering a beat 'em up that plays similarly to the SNES port of FINAL FIGHT. The sprites are huge and detailed, Batman actually looks like he walked straight out of the film. The combat feels chunky and satisfying with moves like grabs, throws and that cape spin attack, you can even bash two bad guys together, the music adapted from Danny Elfman's film score sets the mood perfectly and there's even a Batmobile driving sequence thrown in using Mode 7 graphics. The main criticism? It's short and the difficulty can be brutal at times, but honestly, it's easily the best of the bunch since it's so close to the source material while still being genuinely fun to play. Even without a run button, the pacing is brilliant.

NES

SNES

SEGA CD