Batman

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • NTSC-U
  • NTSC-J
  • PAL

Batman Title.png

Batman MD JP title.png

Batman MD EU title.png

Batman
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sunsoft (Japan, US), Sega (Europe)
Developer:
Licensor: DC Comics
Sound driver: Sunsoft sound driver
Genre: Action[1][2]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
¥6,5006,500 T-15043
Sega Mega Drive
US
$49.9949.99[5] 15016
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1044-50
Sega Mega Drive
PT
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£39.9939.99[7][8] 1044-50
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Sega Mega Drive
AU

Batman (バットマン), known in the United States as Batman: The Video Game, is a Sega Mega Drive action beat-'em-up game developed by Sunsoft. Based on the titular 1989 film Batman, the game was first released in Japan, the United States, and Europe in July 1990, and was published by Sunsoft in all regions except Europe (where it was instead published by Sega).

While Sunsoft capitalized on the Batman license by releasing other identically-named games, each features different gameplay design.

Story

After witnessing his parents' brutal murder as a child, millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne fights crime in Gotham City disguised as Batman, a costumed hero who strikes fear into the hearts of evildoers. While stopping a raid at the Axis Chemical Factory, Batman knocks the gangster Jack Napier into a vat of chemicals. Napier is driven insane by his new deformed appearance and, calling himself "The Joker," seizes control of Gotham's criminal underworld.

Gameplay

The game is a beat-'em-up. Enemies continually pour in, and Batman must battle them as he makes his way to the end of the level. Batman moves with Left and Right and crouches with Down. He jumps with C. He cannot change direction while in mid-air. He can perform a somersault by pressing C again while holding Left or Right. He defeats enemies by punching them at close range with B or kicking them with Down+B. He can also punch in mid-air after jumping. Batman is also equipped with batarangs, which he throws with A. He can throw batarangs in the air or from a crouched position. Batarangs are ranged attacks that travel to the end of the screen and do more damage than punches and kicks, but they are limited in quantity.

Batman also has a grappling hook, which can pull him up to certain platforms. He shoots the hook by pressing Up+C. While continuing to hold Up, he jumps onto the platform after hooking by pressing C. He can jump back down from a platform with Down+C. If there is an enemy where Batman lands after jumping up or down a platform, the enemy is hit without damaging Batman.

There are also autoscrolling shooting segments played as Batman in the Batmobile or the Batwing. The Batmobile driving level is played on a pseudo-3D plane that allows some vertical movement. In these levels, the D-pad moves the vehicle in any direction, B fires the primary guns and A fires the missiles, which automatically seek out enemies. Batman's batarangs are exchanged for an equivalent number of missiles in these levels.

Batman's life is given by a bar in the status area at the bottom of the screen. He loses life as he takes damage from enemies. If he loses a life, he is revived in place with a brief period of invulnerability. He starts over with 5 batarangs regardless of how many he held before. Batman's health and batarang count are carried over from level to level. If the player runs out of lives, the game ends, but it can be continued from the start of the level. Each level ends with a boss encounter, during which the life of the enemy is shown by another bar above Batman's life bar.

Levels

Batman MD GothamCityStreet.png

Batman, Stage 1 Boss.png

Gotham City Streets

Batman, Stage 2.png

Batman, Stage 2 Boss.png

Axis Chemical Factory

Batman, Stage 3.png

Batman, Stage 3 Boss 1.png

Batman, Stage 3 Boss 2.png

Flugelheim Museum

Batman, Stage 4.png

Batman, Stage 4 Boss.png

Gotham City Streets 1

Batman, Stage 5.png

Batman, Stage 5 Boss.png

Gotham City Streets 2

Batman, Stage 6.png

Batman, Stage 6 Boss.png

In the Sky Over Gotham City

Batman, Stage 7.png

Batman, Stage 7 Boss 1.png

Batman, Stage 7 Boss 4.png

Gotham Cathedral 1

Batman, Stage 8.png

Batman, Stage 8 Boss.png

Gotham Cathedral 2

Items

Items are found throughout the levels. Items repopulate after moving off screen and returning to their location, which can be exploited.

Batman, Items.png
Heart
Fully replenishes Batman's life.
Batman, Items.png
Weapon
Gives Batman five more batarangs or (in the shooting segments) missiles.
Batman, Items.png
1-Up
Gives the player an extra life.

Production credits

  • Main Program: Yoshitaka Kawabe
  • Sub Program: Hiroaki Atsumi
  • Background Design: Yoshiaki Iwata, Kazutomo Mori
  • Character Design: Masayuki Aikawa, Yabu Chan
  • Sub Design: Rieko Sakai, Akira
  • Music: Naoki Kotaka
  • Sound Program: Shinichi Seya
  • Special Thanks: Hiroaki Higashiya, Kazuaki Okumura, A.T, Kazuyuki Sugiura, Masato Kawai, Kazumoto Kozawa, Hideo Yamamoto, Masaru Aoyanagi, Yumi Kurahashi, Noriko Ichikawa, Mihoko Okazaki, Hatsue Andoh, Yoshinori Homma, Kohichi Kitazumi, Jay Moon, Tomio Uchida
  • Producer: Kiharu Yoshida
Source:
In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Batman/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Suuri lelukirja FI 1992 Sega.jpg
FI advert (1992)
Suuri lelukirja FI 1992 Sega.jpg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #4: "April/May 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #6: "Fall 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Force (SE) #1992-02: "2/92" (1992-11-19)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Pixel (GR) #96: "Fevrouários 1993" (1993-0x-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
80
[13]
ACE (UK)
78
[14]
Ação Games (BR)
92
[15]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
93
[16]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
83
[17]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
83
[18]
Console XS (UK) NTSC-J
82
[19]
Cool Gamer (RU)
60
[20]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
80
[3]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
70
[21]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
60
[22]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
96
[23]
Games-X (UK)
88
[24]
Famicom Hisshoubon (JP) NTSC-J
60
[25]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
92
[26]
Joypad (FR) PAL
87
[27]
Joystick (FR)
87
[28]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
59
[29]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
70
[30]
Mega Action (UK)
83
[31]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
78
[32]
MegaTech (UK)
83
[33]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
77
[8]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
83
[34]
Player One (FR)
90
[35]
Power Play (DE)
73
[36]
Raze (UK)
79
[37]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC
50
[38]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
80
[39]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
85
[40]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
82
[41]
Sega Force (SE)
75
[42]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
86
[43]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
63
[44]
Supersonic (FR)
86
[45]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
62
[46]
Video Games (DE)
71
[47]
Zero (UK)
81
[48]
Sega Mega Drive
78
Based on
38 reviews

Batman

Mega Drive, JP
Batman MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Batman MD JP CartTop.jpg
Batman MD JP Cart Back.jpgBatman MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Batman MD JP Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US
Batman MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Batman md us cart.jpg
Cart
Batman md us manual.pdf
Manual
Batman MD US pcb.jpg
PCB
Mega Drive, EU
Batman MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
Batman MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Batman MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE (rental)

Mega Drive, AU

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 017410ae
MD5 5ae78355da64cf17755175e9cfe48405
SHA-1 ffa7ddd8ecf436daecf3628d52dfae6b522ed829
512kB 1991-05 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 61c60c35
MD5 c4bc694fcc7ee608bd4b857a5ad49f86
SHA-1 c7279c6d45e6533f9de14f65098c289b7534beb3
512kB 1992-01 Cartridge (EU)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 d7b4febf
MD5 b5b72e1157ace90aa9d0623a5687ecbc
SHA-1 7f96c72cc7bbdb4a7847d1058f5a751b2dc00ab5
512kB 1990-07 Cartridge (JP)

References

  1. File:Batman MD JP Box.jpg
  2. 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
  3. 3.0 3.1 Electronic Gaming Monthly, "June 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 20
  4. GamePro, "June 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 38
  5. VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "August 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 48
  6. 6.0 6.1 Sega Pro, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-16), page 7
  7. Sega Force, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-xx), page 47
  8. 8.0 8.1 MegaTech, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-20), page 54
  9. Sega Visions, "Summer 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 42
  10. Mega Play, "May/June 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 24
  11. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 75
  12. Sega Force, "1/93" (SE; 1993-01-14), page 2
  13. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 26
  14. ACE, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 88
  15. Ação Games, "Agosto 1991" (BR; 1991-08-xx), page 30
  16. Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume III" (UK; 1990-08-xx), page 100
  17. Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 27
  18. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 45
  19. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 127
  20. Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 35
  21. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 24
  22. Famitsu, "" (JP; 1990-xx-xx), page 1
  23. GamePro, "July 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 78
  24. Games-X, "14th-20th June 1991" (UK; 1991-06-14), page 34
  25. Famicom Hisshoubon, "1990-15 (1990-08-03)" (JP; 1990-07-20), page 15
  26. Hobby Consolas, "Agosto 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 30
  27. Joypad, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 158
  28. Joystick, "Septembre 1990" (FR; 1990-0x-xx), page 86
  29. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 90
  30. Mega Drive Fan, "October 1990" (JP; 1990-09-08), page 79
  31. Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
  32. Mega Play, "July/August 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 63
  33. MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 76
  34. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 137
  35. Player One, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-09-10), page 60
  36. Power Play, "10/90" (DE; 1990-09-14), page 136
  37. Raze, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-09-27), page 41
  38. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 52
  39. Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 39
  40. Sega Pro, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-16), page 64
  41. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
  42. Sega Force, "1/92" (SE; 1992-xx-xx), page 16
  43. Sega Force, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-xx), page 46
  44. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  45. Supersonic, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 9
  46. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 20
  47. Video Games, "8/92" (DE; 1992-07-22), page 93
  48. Zero, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-1x-xx), page 95


Batman

Batman Title.png

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Batman games for Sega systems / published by Sega
Sega Mega Drive
Batman (1990) | Batman: Revenge of The Joker (1992) | Batman Returns (1992) | The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1995) | Justice League Task Force (1995) | Batman Forever (1995)
Sega Game Gear
Batman Returns (1992) | The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1995) | Batman Forever (1995)
Sega Master System
Batman Returns (1993)
Sega Mega-CD
Batman Returns (1993) | The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1995)
Pinball
Batman (1991) | Batman Forever (1995)
Arcade
Sega Saturn
Batman Forever (1996) | Batman & Robin (unreleased)
PlayStation 5
Gotham Knights (2022) | Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024)