In this corner we have Batman, the Nintendo Entertainment System game based on the blockbuster movie by Tim Burton. In the other corner, it's also Batman, this time as a Genesis game that almost didn't come to the United States due to Nintendo's draconian licensing stipulations. These two games fought it out in the early 1990s to see which system was the real home of the Caped Crusader. But what did the critics say 35 years ago? Was it a hotly contested battle or was there a clear winner in this Batman v Batman match-up? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Mean Machines and more classic magazines that reviewed both of these Dark Knight games back when they first came out. There's no time to wonder where he gets those wonderful toys, because this is going to be the episode of Magazine Match-Up that Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now.”


Of all the magazines covering Batman in the early ‘90s, Electronic Gaming Monthly was one of the biggest cheerleaders for the release of the Genesis game. From various previews to Quartermann flat-out begging Sunsoft to find a way to bring Batman to America, EGM was intertwined in this whole saga from the start. Perhaps that's why it's not all that surprising to see the two games receive almost exactly the same score, but which one comes out on top?

Let's start with the 8-bit version, which scored an average of 7.75 out of 10. Jim was the only critic to not give the game an 8, arguing that “Batman is without a doubt one of the best action games to appear in a long while. The graphics are detailed, but a little dark, and the different weapon power-ups are a nice touch that increase involvement. The game gets repetitive, however, with new backgrounds the only real change in each round.”

Fourteen issues later, when EGM reviewed Batman on the Genesis, they booted out the naysayer and gave the 16-bit version an average of 8 out of 10. “A great title that almost never made it to the Genesis legitimately. Great graphics and incredible music make this one of the best action carts available. Perfectly follows the movie's story and even has Batmobile and Batwing scenes, as well as cinema displays. A bit too easy though.”

With only a quarter of a point separating the two games, this is one of the closest battles of the day. The Genesis version takes this first round, but don't worry, Nintendo fans, we're just getting started.

When it comes to GamePro, the magazine chose to review the Nintendo Entertainment System version two different times. The first was when it initially came out in late 1989, and the second was about a year later, after they had adopted their well-known rating system. As a result, they gave the 8-bit version a score of 4 out of 5, raving that “Batman's definitely a winner! The cart's graphics are terrific with great animated sequences between levels and a dark overall look that really captures the mood of the movie. The only reason you'll finish this cart in a few days is because you won't be able to stop playing. Any way you look at it – comic, movie or video game – Batman's a classic.”

One year later, it was the Genesis's turn to wow the critics, and it did not disappoint. Much like EGM, GamePro actually preferred the 16-bit game, giving it a perfect 5 out of 5. “Batman's a great action cart that every Genesis street-fighter must take on. If you're bats for Batman, get this cart! Batman doesn't throw anything new at you, but even though you may have done it all before, it's never looked this good. Even the music and sounds stand out. Batman's a winner. Has the Joker finally had his last laugh? We hope not.”

In a surprise twist I certainly didn't see coming, the Genesis game is up 2 to 0. Will the NES version be able to catch up? Let's see what Mean Machines has to say.

Leave it to Mean Machines to be the first magazine to really focus on the technical enhancements of the Nintendo Entertainment System version. Giving the 8-bit cart an impressive 87%, they explained that Batman sports an extra chip which allows for better graphics: “Batman is a visual treat. The backgrounds are somber-looking, but give the game a dark and brooding atmosphere so prevalent in the film. And it's not just a pretty face. The gameplay is platform-based, with loads of baddies to kapow and extra weapons to collect. There are twenty levels to beat, but the difficulty level is very nicely balanced and the gameplay is addictive enough to keep you coming back time and time again. Batman is expensive, but it's a first-class cart that's deserving of any Nintendo owner's collection.”

Unfortunately, the Genesis version did not fare as well, only scoring a 70%. That's the biggest gulf between the two games we've seen thus far. Jaz liked a lot about this game, but discovered its one fatal flaw: “The game is very pretty, with moody and gloomy graphics that go quite some way to capturing the mood of the film. The action is also smart, with extra weapons to contend with and a bat-rope that lets Batman swing from the rafters. But it's way too easy for committed and experienced platform gamers, and only offers good value to novices.”

And with that, the NES version is finally on the board. It's still 2 to 1 with a Genesis lead, but getting that first point was important.

You think a 17 point difference between scores is a big gap? ACE wants you to hold its beer, because there's nearly a one-hundred point gulf between the Genesis and NES versions of Batman. Of course, that's because ACE is one of the very few magazines to incorporate the utterly ridiculous one-thousand-point scale. That's why they gave Batman on the Genesis a score of 776 out of 1000, noting that the “arcade puzzles lack the original twists and quirks that are necessary in every new arcade game if it is to hook you for long, though this is compensated for initially by the sound and graphic attractions. Sheer Bat appeal keeps you hooked, but not long enough for the asking price.”

As it turns out, they liked the NES version even more, giving it a score of 890 out of 1000. “The game play is taxing and pretty to look at. However, the whole appeal of the game is highly reliant on being a Batman fan. You are unlikely to regard the game as a classic in its own right if you are not a Batfan. That said, it is tough and will take a lot of playing to clock it. Once it's done, though; that's it.”

And there we have it, the score is all tied up. Two for the NES and two for the Genesis. We'll see if magazines like Raze and GameZone can break the tie when we come back from this commercial break.

While many magazines reviewed the two games months or years apart, Raze was nice enough to feature both games in the same issue. In fact, it's their debut issue, published in November of 1990. Let's once again start with the NES version, which they gave an impressive 82%. “There are loads of weapons to collect, even though the levels are rather short. Many of the enemies that attack look as though they've been hijacked from other games. For instance, I'm positive there are ninja turtles lurking in the game. The game is very good and here are some stunning graphical effects – particularly where batman dies in a burst of flame.”

When it comes to the Genesis (or, in this case, the Mega Drive) version, they weren't nearly as impressed. Giving the 16-bit take a 79%, they concluded that “Sadly, the Mega Drive's potential has been grossly underused. The graphics are large and the sound effects adequate, but the backdrops are monotonously plain and nothing clever has been attempted. The action occurs over a large area – however, the enemy onslaught is not very effective.”

Although only three points separate these two games, the reviews are night and day. Raze clearly preferred the NES version. This breaks the tie, but there's still plenty of magazines to go, so it's anybody's game.

And then there's GameZone, which not only has a stupid six-point rating system, but also has short and quippy reviews that don't understand how analogies work. Don't believe me? Check out their review of Batman on the 8-Bit Nintendo: “More action than a very action-packed thing. You play the caped crusader in his one-man mission to clean up Gotham City. Smart game.” More action than a very action-packed thing. That's not how analogies work. And what's crazy is that this isn't even the first time they've done this. When they reviewed ESWAT they said that it looks “as dated as a very old thing.” I swear, it's just the worst writing.

Okay, now that I got that out of my system, let's see what they thought of Batman on the Genesis. Giving it a 3 out of 6, they wrote that “Brill timing from Sega means that just as the second Batman film comes out, they release the licensed game for the first. Nice one guys. Okay beat ‘em up game that follows the film quite closely, but fails to add that extra ping that makes a game outstanding.”

I guess that means that the NES picks up another point. That's as exciting as a very exciting thing. God, I hate Game Zone. I think it's time for the lightning round.

As we speed through the lightning round, we head south to Brazil. Believe it or not, this is the first time we've featured the magazine VideoGame on Defunct Games, and they ended up giving both the Genesis and NES versions of Batman the same score of 5 out of 5. Don't worry, that's the only tie we have for this episode.

We're going to jump from VideoGame to Video Games, the German magazine that has definitely been featured in the past. Much like EGM and GamePro, they preferred the Genesis version, giving it a 71%. The NES version could only muster up a 63%, one of the lowest scores of the entire episode.

And finally, our final stop is Player One, a French magazine that hasn't been featured much on Defunct Games. They ended up loving both games, but once again, the NES version has the edge with a 95% vs. 90% for the Genesis.

And with that, there's a clear winner – the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System version. Although the Genesis took an early lead, there was just too much support for the NES game, leading to a 6 to 4 win. Of course, both games scored well, but your best bet is to check out the 8-bit game. It's fantastic.