Batman Returns is a video game for various platforms based on the movie of the same name. The Sega console versions (i.e. Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Mega-CD, Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear) were published by Sega themselves while the NES and Super NES versions were developed and published by Konami. The DOS version was published by Konami and developed by Spirit of Discovery. The Amiga version was developed by Denton Designs, and also published by Konami. There is also an Atari Lynx version, published by Atari themselves.
The gameplay and graphics are very similar to the Final Fight games. The game takes the player through seven scenes featured in the film. Various members of the Red Triangle Circus Gang attack Batman throughout the game. Batman has a number of weapons and moves at his disposal, including the batarang. Each level ends with a boss character, which requires a little more effort and strategy to defeat. A number of levels are two-dimensional platform levels as opposed to the majority of the pseudo-3D levels where freer movement is permitted. The fifth level consists of driving the Batmobile in a chase scene where Batman must chase bikers and a heavily armed van from the gang. In order to defeat them, the Batmobile uses a machine gun.
The Mega-CD/Sega CD and Mega Drive/Genesis versions of the game are more or less identical. The CD edition of the game features improved music in the form of CD audio with a number of animations featuring original artwork (not film photos), and a number of then-impressive 3D racing levels that took advantage of the graphics hardware provided by the Mega-CD unit.
While different versions follow the movie's plot from start to finish, the Sega versions start after The Penguin kills the Ice Princess and puts the blame on Batman for killing her, as shown in the game's introductions.
The Mega-CD version was a bestseller in the UK.
