Batman: The Animated Series

Hang onto your Grappling Hooks! Batman has returned, and now he's battling his way through Gotham City's sleaziest crime lineup. Batman means business, and he won't rest until the bad guys are behind bars.

Gaped Fear

In Batman: The Animated Series, you start off as Batman, and, of course, you're on the lookout for superviliains. With your trusty Grappling Hook firmly attached, you use your fists as weapons and scour the levels, knocking off various henchmen while trying to keep your cape wrinkle-free. At the end of each stage you meet a boss, and the whole crew is here, including the Joker, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, and the Riddler.

Along the way you find weapons, like Batarangs and Slingshots, and some much-needed help from the Boy Wonder, Robin. In some stages, you control him while Batman goes off to fight other, presumably more important, battles.

The Good, the Bat, and the Ugly

Batman usually impresses with his deadly speed and cunning mind, but (most importantly tor this small screen), he also impresses with crisp graphics. The 'Man looks sharp, and he moves fluidly without slowdown. Even the details in the backgrounds and the foregrounds are clean and clear.

The familiar Bat theme music haunts every level at first, but you'll soon grow tired of it. There are few other sounds to interfere with the action, and that's definitely for the better.

The controls, on the other hand, require plenty of patience, it helps to have a good bat-itude, especially when you must use the Grappling Hook to jump from wall to wall. No bats about it, the going gets tough.

Well Done, Master Wayne

Although there isn't a lot to do here but run, jump, and punch, this game's action and graphic details stand out. It's a Batman's challenge to make it to the bosses, but only the worthy deserve to survive to that point anyway. You'll find yourself going back for more and more. What else are you going to do, Bat-fans, hang around?