| Batman: Return of the Joker | |
|---|---|
 North American NES box art | |
| Developer | Sunsoft[a] |
| Publisher | Sunsoft |
| Designers | Yoshiaki Iwata Tadashi Kojima |
| Programmers | NES H. Suzuki Hirokatsu Fujii Game Boy Michio Okasaka Genesis Chris Oke |
| Artists | Genesis Lance Hutto Karen Finch Klee Miller Chris Oke Simon Finch Ed Ringler |
| Composers | NES Naoki Kodaka Game Boy Manami Matsumae Genesis Tommy Tallarico |
| Series | Batman |
| Platforms | NES,Game Boy,Sega Genesis |
| Release | |
| Genres | Run and gun Platform (Game Boy) |
| Mode | Single-player |
Batman: Return of the Joker[b] is a 1991run and gunvideo game, the follow-up toSunsoft'sfirst Batman game on theNintendo Entertainment System. Unlike that game, which was based on the1989Batman film directed byTim Burton,Return of the Joker is entirely self-contained and based more on themodern comic book iteration of Batman, but theBatmobile and theBatwing are featured from the 1989 film. A remake ofReturn of the Joker, titledBatman: Revenge of the Joker, was released on theSega Genesis by Ringler Studios in 1992. ASuper NES version ofRevenge of the Joker was completed but never officially released; a ROM image surfaced online in later years.[6]
A completely different version of the game was released on theGame Boy in 1992.
InBatman: Return of the Joker, the titular hero is on journey to the Joker's secret hide-out after called by Gotham City to find metals stolen by the Joker, one of which is highly toxic and used to build explosives for missiles.[7] The NES version ofBatman: Return of the Joker consists of seven stages, each of which have two sub-levels (except for the last stage) and a boss level (except for the second and fifth stages); from beginning to end, they are the Gotham City cathedral, the Joker's warehouse, a snowy mountain, a refinery, an underground conduit, an ammunition base, and the Island of Ha-Hacienda.[8] Although Batman has three lives, the game has unlimited continues[9] and stage passwords that can be accessed by pausing the game.[10] The game's five bosses include the Ace Ranger, a Minedroid, the Master C.P.U. of the refinery, and two battles with the Joker;[8] for regular levels, Batman's health is represented in increments, but in the boss stages, both Batman and the boss's life meters are represented in numbers.[11]
Return of the Joker is a side-scrollingrun and gun platformer.[12][13] Batman's weapon is a wrist projector[14] which the player change its type of ammunition by collecting icons throughout the levels: "C" icons for the crossbow, which shoots arrows that makes an enemy explode, "B" icons for "Batarangs", where its direction follows the movement of on-screen enemies, N for "Sonic Neutralizers" that shoots two patterns of Batarangs in a criss-cross shape, and "S" for "Shield Stars" that shoots three darts going separate directions.[15] Batman can slide by pressing the A-button and down on the D-pad, a move that is also an attack (although it only works against some enemies).[14] Batman can also collect energy capsules that, if eight are obtained, will make him become invincible for a few seconds.[15]
The Game Boy version, unlike the NES version where the character shoots, is only a platformer.[13]
| Publication | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | NES | Sega Genesis | |
| AllGame |   [16] |  [17] | |
| Computer and Video Games | 79%[18] | 59%[19] | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 29/40[c] | 29/40[c] | |
| GamePro | 17/20[d] | 3/5[23] | |
| GamesMaster | 68%[24] | ||
| GameZone | 78/100[25] | ||
| Jeuxvideo.com | 15/20[26] | ||
| Nintendo Power | 3.6/5[f] | 3.85/5[e] | |
| Official Nintendo Magazine | 78%[29] | ||
| Total! | 86%[31] | 64%[30] | |
| Zero | 90/100[32] | ||
| Game Zero | 50.5/100[33] | ||
| Nintendo Acción | 2.75/4[g] | ||
| GB Action | 83%[35] | ||
| N-Force | 82%[36] | ||
| Mega | 67%[37] | ||
| Mega Drive Advanced Gaming | 78%[38] | ||
| Mean Machines Sega | 68%[39] | ||
| MegaTech | 75%[40] | ||
| Sega Force | 60/100[41] | ||
| Sega Pro | 84%[42] | ||
| Sega Zone | 81/100[43] | ||
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Nintendo Power | Game of the Year (nominee)[44] |
Dave Cook ofNintendo Life wrote that whileBatman: Return of the Joker was "fun and challenging it doesn't feel as revolutionary as its predecessor despite being a commendable effort".[45]
Syfy Wire, in 2017, ranked the NES version ofBatman: Return of the Joker the fourth most essential DC Comics video game adaptation to play.[46]Den of Geek ranked the Game Boy version the 22nd most underrated Game Boy game, praising its return of wall-jumping and beat 'em up mechanics of the 1989Batman NES title, although complained about its limited continues.[47]
In 2019,IGN ranked the game's final boss the third best video game portrayal of the Joker of all-time.[48]
The Gamer, in 2020, claimedReturn of the Joker to be the best-looking NES game ever, reasoning that the "sprites are fluid, the game's color palette is moody & atmospheric, and the backgrounds are as fleshed out as can be for an NES game".[49]Yacht Club Games artist Nick Wozniak has named the game's Batman sprite as one of his all-time favorite in games: "As an adult, I was in shock at what I was seeing… There's only ever one or two humanoid enemies on screen because they are completely bombing the NES with the graphics. They give him a powerup where he turns gold and he shoots a bunch of guys. It's like Super Batman. They don't care".[50]
The Gamer has also called it one of the best all-timeBatman video games: "The graphics are surprisingly spritely for an early 90s game, with entertaining gameplay and an intriguing storyline helping make this game an enjoyable experience".[12] It has also been ranked the ninth-bestBatman game byUproxx[51] and the tenth-best byIGN Spain.[52] In a worst-to-best list of Batman video games byThe Things,Return of the Joker came in number 12: "Almost everyone who reviewed it remarked on how amazing the graphics and backgrounds were. This was 16-bit quality on 8-bit machines. The gameplay wasn't as good as the priorBatman game, but only just. Building off the '89 game, combat-focused from attacks to gadgets, giving players greater variety. A better difficulty curve was also introduced".[53]
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