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    Batman

    Game » consists of 1 releases. Released Oct 12, 1990

    A PC Engine outing for the Caped Crusader saw him in Bomberman-esque levels.

    Octurbo: Batman

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    Mento

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    Edited By Mento  Moderator

    More superhero shenanigans here on Octurbo. Today we visit the foreboding Gotham City to see what ol' growly's up to on the TurboGrafx-16. There are... quite a few strange things about this particular adaptation. The chief of which is that this game was never released outside of Japan, even though it's based on an American comic book and has no Japanese text in it. Oh, but the oddities don't end there.

    Honestly, Batman might be the strangest game I've covered yet in Octurbo. I know Lady Sword set a high bar to surpass, but...

    Have You Ever Danced With Clyde in the Pale Moonlight?

    Welcome to Batman! Safe to say that this is inspired by the 1989 Burton movie. Actually, it's not safe to say that at all.
    Welcome to Batman! Safe to say that this is inspired by the 1989 Burton movie. Actually, it's not safe to say that at all.
    Gotham's a very ecological city. They're all using those green lightbulbs.
    Gotham's a very ecological city. They're all using those green lightbulbs.
    If you guessed this was a maze action game where you run around picking up the Joker's garbage, congratulations! You're certifiably insane.
    If you guessed this was a maze action game where you run around picking up the Joker's garbage, congratulations! You're certifiably insane.
    The Joker's goons are everywhere, but can be dispatched (temporarily) with Bats' batarangs.
    The Joker's goons are everywhere, but can be dispatched (temporarily) with Bats' batarangs.
    Really, the only goal is to get to the various Joker objects (I assume they belong to the Joker; why else would his minions be prowling around?) as quickly as possible. There's a generous time limit, but hanging around makes it easier for these guys to get the drop on you.
    Really, the only goal is to get to the various Joker objects (I assume they belong to the Joker; why else would his minions be prowling around?) as quickly as possible. There's a generous time limit, but hanging around makes it easier for these guys to get the drop on you.
    These blue guys start showing up around the fourth or fifth level. They start moving pretty damn fast if they spot you.
    These blue guys start showing up around the fourth or fifth level. They start moving pretty damn fast if they spot you.
    I should really start making a few animated gifs. The ripple effect here of the river is pretty cool. It reminded me a bit of the animation found in Bitmap Brothers games. Almost a little claymation-y.
    I should really start making a few animated gifs. The ripple effect here of the river is pretty cool. It reminded me a bit of the animation found in Bitmap Brothers games. Almost a little claymation-y.
    Some levels are broken up into smaller areas, and you have to collect all the items in one area before this arrow appears.
    Some levels are broken up into smaller areas, and you have to collect all the items in one area before this arrow appears.
    Which then leads you onto the next part of the level.
    Which then leads you onto the next part of the level.
    These gun-toting henchmen don't move from their spots, so you have to quickly get in, throw the 'rang and get out before they shoot you.
    These gun-toting henchmen don't move from their spots, so you have to quickly get in, throw the 'rang and get out before they shoot you.
    A few levels later, and they're sticking me on busy roads. Suffice it to say, getting hit by one of those vans hurts a lot.
    A few levels later, and they're sticking me on busy roads. Suffice it to say, getting hit by one of those vans hurts a lot.
    The result of collecting a bomb - it eliminates every enemy on the level, sending them all flying. They'll respawn in a few seconds, though, so it's debatable how useful these collectibles are. Some days you just can't not pick up a bomb.
    The result of collecting a bomb - it eliminates every enemy on the level, sending them all flying. They'll respawn in a few seconds, though, so it's debatable how useful these collectibles are. Some days you just can't not pick up a bomb.
    Holy crap, how many more of these stages are there?
    Holy crap, how many more of these stages are there?
    Stage 12 introduces these little arrow points which cause Bats to swoop away on his grappling hook and appear elsewhere in the level. Did the Riddler rebuild Gotham while I wasn't looking?
    Stage 12 introduces these little arrow points which cause Bats to swoop away on his grappling hook and appear elsewhere in the level. Did the Riddler rebuild Gotham while I wasn't looking?
    Ah, finally! Something's happening!
    Ah, finally! Something's happening!
    Oh, the Fluegelheim! That's from the movie! So this is a movie adaptation? Like a really loose one?
    Oh, the Fluegelheim! That's from the movie! So this is a movie adaptation? Like a really loose one?
    So now I'm waltzing around the museum after hours, taking down Joker goons dressed as policemen.
    So now I'm waltzing around the museum after hours, taking down Joker goons dressed as policemen.
    And my task this time is to... clean the graffiti off of the exhibits. Okay. I think we're done here.
    And my task this time is to... clean the graffiti off of the exhibits. Okay. I think we're done here.

    So I have no idea what the deal is with this game. I'm going to assume the following:

    The lead designer assigned to this project had never heard of Batman before. He's seen pictures - the studio sent over several shots of the movie to provide a basis for the art teams - but the finer details about what Batman is and what he does elude him. However, the team down the hallway is busy at work on the NES version of the game and he's determined not to be shown up by his rivals. He quickly does some reconnaissance and discovers that Batman's mostly concerned with "cleaning up the mean streets of Gotham". "Ah," he thinks, "so he's some kind of overly elaborate costumed janitor?" Inspired, he quickly gets to work on a game that accurately depicts the adventures of the Caped Sanitation Worker.

    That's probably entirely fallacious, but I can't imagine what lead to re-imagining Batman as a 16-bit Pac-Man clone. Maybe SunSoft wanted to create two very different games to give Batman fans a reason to buy both? There's a lot of cross-pollination between the two, with their similar graphical styles (the game looks excellent, for all its problems) and music (this game has a remixed version of Streets of Desolation, one of the best NES tunes ever composed). It's well crafted, though so weirdly incongruous to what a Batman game should be.

    Why the hell is Batman picking up boxes and cleaning graffiti?

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