Batman Returns (Sega CD) Playthrough
518A playthrough of Sega's 1993 licensed-based platform game for the Sega CD, Batman Returns.
Batman Returns was an amazing follow-up to the 1989 Burton Batman film. It wasn't typical in the early 90s to have a good game tie-in with a movie, let alone several, but the NES, SNES, Genesis, Master System, Sega CD, and PC games were all good. The Lynx one was not.
The Genesis game (which you can see here: https://youtu.be/tcRXgByRnss ) is the base for the Sega CD version, and both share the same platforming stages. The CD version nearly doubles the length of the game with sprite-scaled Batmobile combat stages, some fancy cutscene work, and a completely different CD soundtrack.
Sega's Batman Returns feels much different than the Konami games, and is much more a platformer than it is a beat 'em up. It relies pretty heavily on the grappling hook to get around some of the tricky gaps it throws at you, and you get a whole set of gadgets to launch at stuff.
It plays pretty well, though the controls have some awkward delays in them - for instance, when you land from a jump, you can't immediately turn around (there's an odd delay before it'll allow you to), which makes for some annoying moments of getting punched in the back of the head. The grappling hook controls can be tricky in their timing - the whole mechanic requires some definite practice before you find yourself not regularly falling into pits, and the entire game requires some serious focus and memorization.
The new driving stages are the best part of the CD version of Batman Returns. They are just as difficult as the platforming stages, but the relatively smooth animation and framerate make for some fast and exciting moments that the rest of the game just can't match.
The driving stage graphics are the standout here, making use of the Sega CD's added hardware muscle to pull of the pseudo-3D sprite scaling effects that go way beyond what you'd see on the SNES in mode 7 racers.
The action stages look alright - the art style is fantastic, but the predominantly green-and-purple backgrounds look splotchy and gross, and the animation is pretty stiff. They look exactly the same as they did in the cartridge version.
The music in this one is top notch. It's not quite as moody as the cartridge's soundtrack was, but the tracks are more than awesome enough to make up for that. Those 90s guitars are pure crack for the ears.
Batman Returns was a real showpiece for the Sega CD hardware when it came out in the spring of 1993, and as long as you can get over the number of cheap hits the game throws at you, it's still fun to play now.
And it's super Christmasy, so it seemed perfect for today. Merry Christmas, everyone!
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
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