Episode #47 - In case you’re curious, EGM reviewed a total of twenty 8-bit games that were based on movies. There were more on the Game Boy, but for this list we’re going to focus solely on the console games, all of which ended up being on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Perhaps knowing how bad most movie games are, EGM wisely skipped over a lot of the more questionable titles, like Platoon, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hudson Hawk, which was apparently big enough to put on the cover, but not big enough to review. What we’re going to do today is count down the best and worst 8-bit movie games using Electronic Gaming Monthly’s own words and scores. There’s no editorializing here, we’re going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. So, go and grab the biggest, saltiest, butteriest box of popcorn and enjoy the show, because this is EGM’s Top 20 Movie Games (8-Bit Edition).

Episode #7 - What do the games Evergrace, Stupid Invaders and The Bouncer all have in common? These three terrible games were all released in 2001, but they were NOT that year’s worst games. At least, not according to NEXT Generation magazine, who gave all three of these stinkers two stars out of five. As crazy as it sounds, NEXT Generation gave 25 different games a lower score than The Bouncer. I’m talking about the dreaded one-star, and today we’re going to go through all of these reviews and read the meanest, nastiest and snarkiest quotes from all 25 of these supposedly awful games. This is NEXT Generation’s One-Star Reviews, and these are the 25 worst games of 2001 (and a little of 2002).

Episode #10 - As expected, The Batman cleaned up at the box office this weekend, taking home around $130 million in the U.S. alone. It seems that fans love it and the critics were impressed with Robert Pattinson's first time out as the Caped Crusader. That got me thinking: What are the best reviewed Batman games of all time? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly to see where they came down. The result is a list of twenty games they reviewed between 1989 and 2009, right before the world got its first taste of Batman: Arkham Asylum. Join me as we see what the Review Crew thought of the Dark Knight's earliest adventures in this episode of Electronic Gaming Monthly Ranks the Batman Series!

Episode #155 - This weekend marks the triumphant return of the Bat, the Cat and the Penguin. Wait, why does that sound familiar? Perhaps it's because that was the tagline for Batman Returns, Tim Burton's 1992 sequel starring Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer. This was a massive box office hit that spawned a shocking amount of video game adaptations, including a side-scrolling platformer for the Genesis, a beat 'em up for Super NES, a pack-in game for the Lynx and even a driving game for the Sega CD. But instead of talking about any of those popular versions, I want to focus on the one that almost nobody talks about these days -- the Batman Returns point and click adventure game on PC. While the console versions had fast action and excitement, this computer game was forced to rely on great graphics, a moody atmosphere and strong writing. To help The Batman hitting theaters this weekend, I want to take a look at this forgotten 1990s gem. Turn back now if you don't want to know what happens next, because today we're going to spoil the story and ending for Batman Returns on PC. This is Game Over: The Early Years!

Episode #154 - The criminals of Gotham City better watch out, because in less than two weeks, a brand-new Caped Crusader will be cleaning up the streets. To help celebrate the first new stand-alone Batman movie in a decade, I wanted to spend the next couple weeks spoiling some of his greatest video game adventures, starting with Batman: Revenge of the Joker. Or is it Return of the Joker? Actually, it's both. First released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991 and then later remade (and renamed) for the Genesis, this reunites the Dark Knight with his most popular foe. Turn back now if you don't want to know what happens next, because today we're going to spoil the stories and endings for Batman: Return of the Joker and Batman: Revenge of the Joker. This is Game Over: The Early Years!

Episode #11 - Look out! It's the penultimate episode of Super Play's Top 600, the only show on YouTube committed to counting down every single review published in Super Play magazines in the 1990s. This almost-last episode is full of big Super NES hitters, including Final Fight, F-Zero, Wild Guns, Chrono Trigger, Rock 'n Roll Racing, Illusion of Gaia, Mega Man X, Earthbound, Jurassic Park, Super Star Wars, Zombies Ate My Neighbors and yet another Addams Family outing. Who knew they made so many games based on The Addams Family in the 1990s? You won't want to miss this action-packed episode of Super Play's Top 600!

Episode #4 - Everything is completely off the rails in Super Play's Top 600, the only show on YouTube committed to counting down every single review published in Super Play magazine in the 1990s. This episode is filled with aggressive sports games, middling brawlers, Mega Man spin-offs, terrible role-playing games, simulators best suited on computers and, yes, a lot more games based on movies and TV shows. We're a third of the way through the list in the newest episode of Super Play's Top 600!

Episode #30 - The year is 2003 and, apparently, I am the cheeky boy and these are the cheeky girls. This was also the year when the space shuttle Columbia crashed, Two and a Half Men started a depressingly long run at CBS and we got not one, but two terrible Matrix sequels. But we're not here to watch CGI Keanu fight a bunch of CGI Agent Smiths, because today we're counting down Electronic Gaming Monthly's Worst Reviewed Games of 2003. You were right, it was inevitable.

Episode #26 - The year is 2001 and things are not looking good for the Dreamcast. This was also the year when Mariah Carey decided that she can act, Fear Factor dumped a bunch of roaches on Stephen Baldwin and Nickelback broke into the mainstream with How You Remind Me. But we're not here to talk about how I never made it as a wise man and couldn't cut it as a poor man stealing, because today we're counting down Electronic Gaming Monthly's worst reviewed games of 2001. Are we having fun yet?

Featuring: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, KISS Pinball, The Powerpuff Girls: Bad Mojo Jojo, The Powerpuff Girls: Paint the Townsville Green and Who Wants to Beat Up a Millionaire.

Episode #20 - The year is 1998 and Bill Clinton definitely did not have sexual relations with that woman. This was also the year when The X-Files decided to Fight the Future, Pamela Anderson became a V.I.P. and Jimmy Ray was mean-a, lean-a and definitely not an in-between-a. But we're not here to ask if you're Sting Ray, Slim Ray or Paid Ray, because today we're counting down Electronic Gaming Monthly's worst reviewed games of 1998. Who wants to know? Who wants to know?

Featuring: Deadly Arts, The Fifth Element, Judge Dredd, James Bond 007, Batman & Robin and Mike Piazza's Strike Zone!

Episode #4 - Welcome to Great Moments in GamePro, the show where we chronicle the silliest, craziest, punniest and most baffling GamePro quotes of all time. In this episode, we're going to continue our trek through the year 1991 with a look at the May, June and July issues, featuring legitimate classics like Sonic the Hedgehog, Double Dragon III, Power Blade, VICE: Project Doom, Valis II and the Genesis version of Batman. So get those fancy shoes ready, because we're about to induct a few of the Great Moments in GamePro.

Episode #1 - Today we're going to embark on a long-running series where I pull some of the silliest, craziest, punniest and most baffling GamePro quotes of all time. You see, GamePro had this weird habit of trying to end each review with a pun or a joke, most of which are pretty cringy. It's actually something I find to be incredibly endearing. So, forget about the full reviews or even the scores, because I'm just going to pull out the best bits from a wide variety of games we usually don't talk about. I hope you brought your fancy shoes, because we're about to induct a few of the Great Moments in GamePro.

Episode #3 - 1991 was the year when Silence of the Lambs swept the Oscars. It's one of only three movies that won the Big Five categories, that is actor, actress, writing, director and best picture. Another sweep happened at the Grammys, when Natalie Cole took home statues for Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. Speaking of unforgettable art, Cheers won its fourth Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. But what about the video game awards? If you've ever wanted to know what old school games took home the top prize, then you've definitely come to the right place. Today we're going to recreate Electronic Gaming Monthly's Best and Worst of 1991 awards show, featuring 31 different categories ranging from Hottest Game Babe to Best New Console to Best Music in a game. So let me cue up the VCR and introduce you to the greatest televised awards show to never be broadcast. Fade to black.

Episode #169 - Welcome to the tenth episode of 23 Endings: The Early Years, the show where we put old school video game endings into proper context. Today we're going back in time to talk about three different adaptations of Tim Burton's version of Batman. Which system had the better ending: Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis or PC Engine? Find out now when you watch this brand new episode of 23 Endings: The Early Years!

Batman - The Telltale Series wrapped up earlier this week and I want to talk about it. But warning, this review is chock full of spoilers for the entire series, including the season finale. If you haven't finished the game, then I recommend you turn away right now. Go pick it up, I enjoyed it and gave it a strong review. For everybody else, including the people who have no intention of ever playing it and just want to hear about the story, welcome to a spoiler-filled review of Batman - The Telltale Series.

Episode #15 - Gamers have always had a love/hate relationship with movie game adaptations. While we love the idea of playing as one of Hollywood's biggest action heroes, it's common to hate the finished games. It's because most movie games are cynical cash-ins that a lot people know to avoid. Today we're going to be talking about the 8- and 16-bit movie games that don't suck, at least according to Nintendo Power. Join me as I count down Nintendo Power's Top 10 Reviewed Movie Games.

Episode #11 - The year is 1994. Ace of Base had just seen The Sign, Forrest Gump ate a box of chocolates and Friends began its run on NBC. But I don't care if your job's a joke, you're broke or your love life is D.O.A., because today we're counting down Nintendo Power's top reviewed games of 1994.

Episode #1 - Using the scores found in Nintendo Power, today we're going to count down the top ten games of 1989. With mostly third party games on the list, I guarantee you'll never be able to guess the ten games in question. Don't believe me; see for yourself as we list Nintendo Power's Top 10 Games of 1989.

Episode #9 - Welcome back to another exciting episode of YOLO, the show where we see how far Cyril Lachel can get in a single life. Today we're taking a look at Batman Returns for the Atari Lynx. This was not only one of Atari's most popular portable games, but a pack-in for the system. How far can Cyril go beating up circus freaks? Find out now on this brand new episode of YOLO.

Episode #4 - Take a trip back in time as Defunct Games rates the best and worst Electronic Gaming Monthly covers of 1990. From Batman to Strider to Bart Simpson, 1990 was a year full of big names and even bigger games. It also had a lot of questionable cover art. See if you agree with this list of the best and worst EGM covers of 1990.

Episode #48 - If the streets have been a little less violent than usual, it could be because the Caped Crusader is on the prowl. This is Batman week, a time for us to see what old school magazines thought of Batman. We flip through old issues of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Super Play and CVG to see what the critics thought of Batman: The Video Game (NES), Batman: Return of the Joker (NES) and Batman (Genesis). See for yourself if the critics fell in love with the Dark Knight.

Episode #64 - Released two years after the Caped Crusader wowed movie goers, Batman was one of the most hyped Genesis games of all time. Kept from the United States for over a year, this 16-bit action game quickly became the most talked-about game in magazines covering the Sega Genesis. But was this Sunsoft game worth the wait, or was it yet another disappointing movie tie-in? We flip through old issues of GamePro, Sega Force, Raze and Electronic Gaming Monthly for the answer.

Episode #63 - Batman is back, and this time he's going head-to-head with the Joker ... again. Return of the Joker is the 1991 sequel to Batman: The Video Game, the well-received NES action game based on the popular Tim Burton movie. Were critics happy to see the caped crusader once again? We dig through old issues of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Nintendo Power and Nintendo Magazine System to find the answer.

Episode #62 - Long before every summer was filled with big-budget comic book adaptations, there was Tim Burton's Batman. With an all-star cast that included Michael Keaton, Jack Nickolson and Kim Basinger, this adaptation of the Dark Knight set box office records and kickstarted an era full of comic book films. But what about the video game? Were critics interested in the Nintendo Entertainment System game back in 1990? We dug through old issues of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power and GamePro to find the answers.

Episode #2 - Rest in Pixels #2 - Between movies and video games, we've seen a lot of the Dark Knight in the last two decades. But that wasn't the case in 1990, when Sunsoft released Batman: The Video Game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. We all knew the caped crusader could kick the Joker's butt, but who knew he would have such a memorable death? This is how Batman dies.

Jed is back with another classic review. This time he's looking at The Adventures of Batman & Robin on the Super NES. While game critics in the 1990s loved this game, Jed isn't so sure. Find out what he thought of The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the Super NES in this full review!

Episode #3 - It's time once again for Simple Thoughts with Die Hard Game Fan, the most relaxing video of the week. It's the only video game article that is guaranteed to heal the soul. Today we're looking at Batman Returns for the Super NES. Now take a deep breath, click the video and relax.

Episode #32 - 34 Theme Songs of Christmas (Day 32) - We're back with day thirty-two of the 34 Theme Songs of Christmas! Only two more days to go until Christmas! Today we're helping Batman fight crime on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Actually, we're just listening to his theme song. Hey wait ... this isn't Danny Elfman's score. Find out what our music critics think when you read the 32nd episode of the 34 Theme Songs of Christmas!

Episode #10 - Nintendo Power Uncovered (Ep. 10) - Welcome to the 1990s! That's right, our journey through every Nintendo Power cover has brought us to the January/February 1990 issue. And what better way to celebrate the 1990s than to put a picture of Batman (the biggest star of 1989) on the cover. Good thing there's an explanation for this weirdness. Unfortunately, the cover still sucks. See what I mean when you read another exciting episode of Nintendo Power Uncovered!

Episode #8 - Nintendo Power Uncovered (Ep. 8) - We're a full month into our lonely journey to review every single Nintendo Power cover. Today we're looking at Duck Tales, which could have been an excuse for the cover department to fall asleep on the job. Thankfully they didn't! Duke Tales is yet another solid cover from Nintendo Power, and now you can see for yourself when you read our full review of the September/October issue of Nintendo Power!

It's not a very deep game, but LEGO Batman 2 manages to charm with its open world and large roster. Fans of DC will love how many characters show up, while everybody else will have a good time taking down the Joker once again. Best of all, this game sets things up for the far more interesting LEGO Justice League adventure that is bound to be announced any time now!

Batman Forever for the Sega Genesis is the perfect movie adaptation. It's an ugly game with horrible production values, a miserable plot, stiff characters, bad design and a complete lack of original ideas. I didn't enjoy a single minute of it, instead finding it to be a grueling experience from start to end. In other words, it's exactly like the Batman Forever movie.

The Joker is back and this time it's going to take a bigger, stronger and tougher Batman to send him scurrying to Arkham Asylum. Good thing that's what you get in Batman: Return of the Joker, SunSoft's pseudo-sequel to their 1989 classic. Find out what Cyril thinks when you read his full review of Batman: Return of the Joker for the Nintendo Entertainment System!

Batman is back and he's brought a new toy ... a gun?!? It turns out that Bruce Wayne has gone Wild West in this bizarre Game Boy adventure. But don't worry; you still have the trusty Batarangs to make things feel at home. Find out what Matt thinks when you read his full review of Batman: The Video Game for the Nintendo Game Boy!

Batman is ready to put down the Catwoman and defeat the Penguin, regardless of whether that means 2D platforming or 3D racing. This bizarre racing/action hybrid has something for everybody ... assuming you like platforming or driving. Find out what Cyril thinks when you read his full review of Batman Returns for the Sega CD!

Much like the movie it's based on, Batman offers big action scenes to make up for a shallow premise. This game is too afraid to delve as deep as the movie, which in turn only scratched the surface of what made Batman such a compelling character. Find out what Cyril thinks of Batman for the Sega Genesis!

Episode #37 - It's the week we've all been waiting for; the week when Christopher Nolan ends his epic Batman trilogy. Will Bane be the one that kills Batman, or will he live the rest of his life in love with Catwoman? I guess we'll find out this Friday. In the mean time you can check out our tribute to the Dark Knight. This week we're looking at five classic Batman games. We have handheld games, 8-bit games and even one that features digital motion capturing. It's the Week the Dark Knight Rises!

How good is Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition? So good that the stellar single-player storyline makes me completely forget about the lackluster additional content on disc 2. This may be the most comprehensive version of last year's must-own comic book game, but that doesn't mean that this two-disc package is better!

Episode #30 - 32 Endings (Ep. 30) - It's the 30th day on our trek through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! With the recent success of Akrham City and the hype surrounding The Dark Knight Rises, Batman couldn't be hotter. While it may not be as ambitious as Rocksteady's recent work, SunSoft's 8-bit Batman game quickly became one of the best superhero games of its era. Unfortunately, it had an ending that seemed to go against everything the Caped Crusader stood for. Find out what I mean when you punch out another episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

The Dark Knight is back and ready to clean up the streets of Arkham City. This time around Professor Hugo Strange, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Ra's al Ghul and even the Joker are ready to rid the city of Batman's meddling. When not battling a non-stop parade of well-known baddies, Batman is piecing together a mystery that will have you guessing until the very end. Arkham City is not just one of the best games of the year, but also one of the greatest comic book games of all time!

Episode #54 - There's a lot to like about Batman: Arkham City! Unfortunately, there's one big thing to hate about this must-own game: The pre-order/store exclusive bonuses. With so many different exclusives to choose from it's only natural for a few to slip through the cracks. Here are my picks for the five worst Arkham City pre-order bonuses. Do yourself a favor and stay far, far away from these retail outlets.

Episode #8 - Level 1 (Ep. 8) - Sit down, press start and get ready for Level 1. We're jumping from one NES classic to another! This week we're taking on the first level of Batman, one of Sunsoft's best 8-bit games. What could this one level possibly tell us? Find out now when we boldly go where pretty much everybody has gone before, Batman's first level!

He has a big budget action game on the way and stars in the second highest grossing movie of all time. But not every Batman game has been worth playing. When you read Cyril review you'll see why this classic 8-bit release bucks the trend and gives us one of the most compelling action games on the NES.

Batman Returns is a surprisingly decent 2D action game for the Game Gear. Now, this solid experience isn't going to make up for Batman Forever, but it does show that you can make a halfway decent portable game out of a movie. Find out what Cyril thinks when you read his full review of Batman Returns for the Game Gear!

Episode #88 - In case you haven't noticed, 2008 is over and done with. We've been to a post apocalyptic Washington, D.C. and survived the Extreme Conditions of Lost Planet ... again. We've done just about everything we could have done, so it's time to move on and start looking forward. Unfortunately it's hard not to be a little depressed about our future. It's not just the stock market woes and our rising unemployment; it's also the slim pickings we have to look forward to this year. Let's face it; Every Game This Year is Going to Suck!

Who knew that the Mortal Kombat universe and the DC universe would make such a good pairing? Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe isn't perfect, but it's a lot better than most people expected. There are plenty of worthwhile characters, some fantastic graphics, creative special attacks and a story that fits right into both universes. Even if you already own the other big fighting games on the Xbox 360, this game is still worth checking out. Find out what Cyril thinks when you read his full review of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe for the Xbox 360!

Episode #151 - On Running Feuds (Ep. 151) - Pop quiz: Is 1942: Joint Strike a remake or a reboot? Don't bother looking it up, because chances are the website you go to will give you the wrong information! In this controversial new On Running Feud, Defunct Games attempts to right the inaccurate information and set the record straight. We guarantee that by the end of this episode you will know if 1942: Joint Strike is a remake or reboot!

Episode #69 - Generally Thursdays are dedicated to this week's retro releases, but the Defunct Games staff is at E3! So instead we are running a very special episode we like to call This Week in Defunct Games: Do They Hold Up? In this episode we check in with some of my favorite 20 year old games, including Tengen's Tetris, Batman, Duck Tales, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, Mortal Kombat, and more! That's right; we're letting you know if these games held up or if they're a relic of the past. Find out what we think in this very special episode of This Week in Defunct Games!

Episode #16 - They Said WHAT?!? (Ep. 16) - It's been awhile since we've checked in with EGM's gossip guru, Quartermann. So why not see what he's up to in a brand new episode of They Said WHAT?!? That's right; this is the show where we debunk each and every one of the Q-Mann's rumors. In this episode we talk about Batman, a Mother compilation, World of Mana and Dragon Quest for the Wii. This is one episode you won't want to miss ... especially if you're a big fan of making fun of Electronic Gaming Monthly!

Episode #51 - It's Thursday and that can only mean one thing ... it's time for another episode of This Week in Defunct Games, your number one stop for reviews and thoughts about all of the retro games released over the week! Unfortunately some weeks are better than others, and this week flat out sucks. Nintendo has decided to give us only one Virtual Console release, an obscure shooter called Super Turrican. And the rest of the show involves us talking about weird GameTap releases. It's a boring episode, but we're hoping you'll read it any way!

Batman has been in a lot of really bad video games, but none are as tragically unhip as this PC Engine game. Instead of offering us a really exciting 2D side scrolling action game, this version of Batman is a Bomberman clone. That's right; it plays almost exactly like Bomberman ... but with Batman characters. Still interested, perhaps it's time you watch Cyril rip this game apart in his full review of Batman for the PC Engine!

Episode #80 - On Running Feuds (Ep. 80) - People hate Electronic Arts for a whole bunch of good reasons, but there's one thing we can all agree on: their comic book games are atrocious! In our 80th episode of the On Running Feuds we offer a full report on EA's inability to make quality superhero games! We look at the past, present, and future, as well as try to reason with them to give Superman Returns to another developer! All in one very special Feud!

Episode #74 - On Running Feuds (Ep. 74) - What do Lynda Carter, Adam West, and Richard Dean Anderson all have in common? They are among the elite group of Hollywood actors finding success as game voices. Should we be concerned, or is this our industry's way of giving back to fallen stars? For our 74th episode of the On Running Feuds, Defunct Games is here to expose a trend of washed up actors using games to get their career back on track!

Episode #30 - There is a case to be made for Night Trap, and Defunct Games is just the website to make it! Forget for a moment that we gave the Sega CD version a bad score, calling it one of the most useless games of the era. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy speak honestly about it and the uproar over it. We hate the game, but we're going to do our best to defend it!

Episode #14 - These are the continuing adventures of The Cover Critic, the grumpy gamer who seems to hate every cover. This week one of these games tries to cheer up The Cover Critic: Devil May Cry, Batman: Vengeance, Castlevania Chronicles, Monsters Inc and Boxing Fever.