The Forgotten: The Adventures of Batman and Robin
July 06, 2006
Everyone loves an established video game franchise. After all, some of gaming’s best loved characters have been going on adventure after adventure for years, prompting players to line up to reserve the next installment of Super Mario, Link, Samus Aran, or Sonic the Hedgehog. Over the years, however, some games just haven’t struck gold; they’ve been overshadowed by more popular fare that shares the store shelf or are even passed over due to something as petty as unimpressive box art or an unusual premise. They deserve to be remembered and revived, but instead they are The Forgotten.
The Adventures of Batman and Robin
Developed by Konami
Released for Super NES (1994)
Batman has undergone many changes during his video gaming career, starring in generic adventures based on his comic book persona, so-so console games inspired by Tim Burton's take on the character, and even recent games taking cues from Batman Begins and Justice League. My favorite interpretation of Batman has to be the Batman: The Animated Series rendition of the character. In 1994 Konami brought the Dark Knight to the Super NES in a side-scrolling beat-'em-up title based on a handful of classic episodes from the TV series along with the stylistic noir animation visuals and orchestrated soundtrack that helped make the series so dynamic.
While Batman lives on, the Animated take on Gotham City has been put out to pasture in favor of new Bat productions. This Batman deserves a comeback mostly because the developers managed to capture the feel of the series. Over the course of the game players take on the Joker, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, the Penguin, the Scarecrow, the Riddler, Two-Face, Man-Bat, Clayface, and plenty of other figures from the famous rogues gallery. Punches and kicks are Batman's main offensive weapons, although batarangs and grappling hooks are always within reach. Adding to the challenge is that Batman cannot hurt innocent bystanders, so if a frightened witness happens to take a swing at Batman, all he can do is shake it off and move on. I'd like to see a revival of this Batman for the Game Boy Advance. It doesn't need slick 3D visuals or a touchscreen. Just give me that fluid 16-bit animation combined with familiar characters & sharp gameplay and I'll be a happy Batfan.