Batman The Movie - Spectrum review

We are going to review the Spectrum video-game Batman The Movie, based on the movie Batman from Tim Burton in the year of 1989.

Batman's Spectrum splash screen

The game music on the Spectrum 128K is awesome!!!

The first level is a platform game where Batman is in the Axis Chemical factory where Jack Napier will become the Joker. The game is super cool and you can throw batarangs to your enemies. If you go against the enemies you will kill them at the cost of loosing a small portion of your energy bar, however if you jump on top of them you will kill them and you don't loose any energy. There are two types of enemies - some gun men with pistols and some guys that will trough grenades at you. Be careful to not be caught by those evil chemical acid drops it will make you loose energy. Their energy bar is the Batman face changing to the Joker's. The end of this level is when you it Jack The Napier with a batarang on top of a platform into a tank full of liquid acid waist who will change Jack into the Joker.



   Always felt gutted when I didn't have an Amiga on Level 2. On the Spectrum version is a 2d sided scrolling race car game and on the Amiga you have 3d. Back on the days that was awesome but you can't have it all and the Spectrum version has is unique charm and amazing playability. The Amiga 3d was a bit dodgy to be fair. In this side-scrolling game in which you will drive the Batmobile trough the roads of Gotham-City running away from the Joker's van full of thugs who is chasing you after the incident in the museum with Vicky Vale. Vicky Vale is inside the Batmobile with you according to the movie but in this Spectrum version you can't see it. The music in the 128K of this level really goes well, is up beat and gives you a drive to complete the level as quick as possible. However you will find several adversities until you reach your final destination which would be the Batcave.


Level 2 - The Batmobile

One way to make the turns is with the help of a cable, the Batcable just like in the movie when the Batmobile throws some wire so he manage to make turns in 90 degrees. You hit fire just before the turn so the cable can be fired against one of the street corners and if you succeed doing that you will turn really fast other wise if you just turn without being wired you will slide and loose time. There's also an arrow blinking in front of the Batmobile showing you the right direction to go to the Batcave. If you miss a turn more then 3 times you will have the police cars blocking the road and if you go against them you will loose energy, but don't worry you can always turn back even when the Joker's van is right behind you. Please try not to loose the turns and do not go against other cars cause you also loose energy and if you die you will have back to the beginning of the level however there's a safe point when you pass it and then you die you don't go to the beginning of the level but you start somewhere in the middle. I like the fact that on the end of this level you get out of the Gotham-City into the woods until you reach the Batcave, which the entrance is an holographic picture of a rock that you will have to get in there to finish this level and move for the next one. Almost forgot to mention that if the time runs out you will loose one life so you beta hit the accelerator on that Batmobile.

Level 03 - Crack The Joker's Code

The third level is based when Batman and Vicky Vale are in the Batcave for the Joker's crack code. Here in this level you have to figure it out the right combination among hygiene/cosmetic products to reveal the Joker's evil chemical weapon smilex. Once you combine three of the products you will finish this level. Mind this is a time limit level / task and if you don't crack the code you will loose one life straight away. Life is not easy for Batman.

Next level is with the Batwing, very similar to level 2 but this time you have to collect the balloons with smilex from the roads of Gotham-City. If you smash one of the jokers helicopters you will die so you better avoid colliding with them at all costs. This level ends with the Batwing going down outside Gotham Cathedral, in the movie you see the Joker pulling a huge pistol and shooting the Batwing with one shot. One of the most memorable moments on the film.

Level 5 is inside Gotham Cathedral. You will have to save Vicky Vale from the claws of evil Joker. This level is similar to the first one but this time you have to go to the top of the cathedral where the Joker plans to escape by helicopter. Be careful with the rats and places that collapse with your weight. After all you can't go by stairs cause the Joker destroyed pretty much them by knocking the cathedral's bell with some acid flower of his. Do make sure that when you reach the top of the Cathedral and you find the Joker escaping by chopper, you fire a diagonal batarang to hit the Joker and finish the game otherwise you will miss him and he will succeed escaping and you will loose one life. You will start the level from somewhere from the middle which is ok.