World's Cutest Batman Returns in Classic Remake

Tom Goldman

Crying on the inside.
Aug 17, 2009
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World's Cutest Batman Returns in Classic Remake



Batman is anything but the Dark Knight in a new remake of his classic ZX Spectrum game.

After almost 4 years, a team of Batman fans has completed a modern remake of the caped crusader's first commercial videogame that was released by Ocean Software on various platforms such as the ZX Spectrum and MSX computers back in 1986. The aptly titled Batman had very advanced graphics for its time, and somewhat frustrating gameplay, both of which are reflected in the remake.

For some reason, Batman's early videogame years were spent collecting the pieces of his Batmobile so he could go and rescue a captured Robin. Why the Batmobile was disassembled, in nice, even pieces no less, and scattered about the Batcave, which has a way more labyrinthine feel than it does in the comics, is still a mystery to this day. I'm also not sure why Batman didn't just take another car.

Anyway, in Batman players must collect seven pieces of the Batmobile from the very dangerous Batcave to win. The game plays out in an isometric perspective, but instead of the basically two-toned graphics [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyaFewVoR2Q] of the original title, the remake's graphics are fully colored and mini-Batman is as cute as a button.

You won't find any thugs or villains like the Joker in Batman though, as the only enemies are strange Yeti, floating heads, and weird rotating machines. A simple touch from any of these will result in Batman's death, along with rubbing up against certain blocks or falling onto spikes. Batman was a fragile creature in the mid-1980s.

Frustrations aside, it's not hard to see why Batman was lauded in its day. It has a Metroidvania feel, with players having to collect certain objects to perform abilities, such as collecting Bat Boots to jump. Other collectible items will speed Batman up for a limited time, or provide him with a shield. The remake lets you save your game at least once, which is very handy on a good run. If you'd like to get a taste of some classic, challenging gameplay in a modern and very cute shell, the remake can be found here [http://retrospec.sgn.net/game/batman].

Source: GameSetWatch [http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/12/way_cute_batman_remake_release.php]

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HobbesMkii

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Jun 7, 2008
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Tom Goldman said:
After 14 years, a team of Batman fans has completed a modern remake of the caped crusader's first commercial videogame that was released by Ocean Software on various platforms such as the ZX Spectrum and MSX computers back in 1986.
Wait... do you mean the fans spent 14 years working on the remake, or was that supposed to be a 24?
 

Tom Goldman

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Aug 17, 2009
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HobbesMkii said:
Tom Goldman said:
After 14 years, a team of Batman fans has completed a modern remake of the caped crusader's first commercial videogame that was released by Ocean Software on various platforms such as the ZX Spectrum and MSX computers back in 1986.
Wait... do you mean the fans spent 14 years working on the remake, or was that supposed to be a 24?
Supposedly they have been putting together the remake for 14 years :)
 

Covarr

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May 29, 2009
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HobbesMkii said:
Tom Goldman said:
After 14 years, a team of Batman fans has completed a modern remake of the caped crusader's first commercial videogame that was released by Ocean Software on various platforms such as the ZX Spectrum and MSX computers back in 1986.
Wait... do you mean the fans spent 14 years working on the remake, or was that supposed to be a 24?
Well, the game's download page says it was started in 2007. So I'm assuming that should be a 24.

P.S. Thanks
 

Tom Goldman

Crying on the inside.
Aug 17, 2009
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Covarr said:
HobbesMkii said:
Tom Goldman said:
After 14 years, a team of Batman fans has completed a modern remake of the caped crusader's first commercial videogame that was released by Ocean Software on various platforms such as the ZX Spectrum and MSX computers back in 1986.
Wait... do you mean the fans spent 14 years working on the remake, or was that supposed to be a 24?
Well, the game's download page says it was started in 2007. So I'm assuming that should be a 24.

P.S. Thanks
I think some wires got crossed and it should have been 4 years then? I've updated the post.
 

Canid117

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Oct 6, 2009
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Even when adorable batman can still shatter your collar bone effortlessly. Remember that guys.
 

Geo Da Sponge

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May 14, 2008
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I remember playing this as a kid! And yes, I can definitely say it was a very tricky game! Man, I am really looking forward to playing this again and seeing if I can finally beat it.
 

Geo Da Sponge

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May 14, 2008
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************! I just played two games of this and it's as painfully tough as I remember it to be! You know how 'I Wanna Be The Guy' will randomly pull dick moves on you to piss you off? It has nothing on this game! You see that block? The one that looks just like all the others? Except when you step on it it disappears and drops you into a spike pit! All you people who say games should be harder than they are now should try playing this, and see how much fun pure difficulty really is.

I'm still quite enjoying it though.
 

Cogwheel

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While I can't say I'm impressed by the game, the graphics of the original are, yes, pretty amazing considering its age.
 

ZakCanard

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Oct 17, 2007
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This was a classic back in the day, and the chaps at Retrospec certainly don't do a hash job when it comes to their remakes. I shall have to pick this up when I finish work later and relive my gaming past.
 

thetragicclown

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May 29, 2008
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This game. This damn game.

I lost hours and hours to this bloody thing when I was a kid, along with "Batman - The Caped Crusader" (a side-scrolling beat-em-up/adventure affair). I could only ever find one, maybe two pieces of the damn Batmobile before getting hopelessly lost, stuck, dying on some spikes or to a weird giant head thing.

Maybe I'll succeed where my 12 year-old self failed so bloody miserably.
 

geldonyetich

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Aug 2, 2006
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While I suppose I can appreciate the historic significance of this undertaking, I can't say I'm big into the frustrating by design platformer genre of games.
 

Erana

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Feb 28, 2008
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Geo Da Sponge said:
I remember playing this as a kid! And yes, I can definitely say it was a very tricky game! Man, I am really looking forward to playing this again and seeing if I can finally beat it.
There's an emulator for the ZX Spectrum on the iTouch/phone/pad if you happen to have one of those lying around. You seem like you'd appreciate it.