BATMAN: THE MOVIE 

 This arcade game has received almost universal acclaim. I don't
mean to be contrary, but all I can say is, "Why?" Of course, it's
tied in with one of the biggest marketing successes of the past
decade, but that type of commercial relationship certainly didn't
help INDIANA JONES: THE ARCADE GAME. (This review is based on the
Amiga version; Atari ST and Commodore 64/128 version notes follow.) 

 Before I carp too loudly, though, let me say that BATMAN: THE MOVIE
(not to be confused with Data East's BATMAN: THE CAPED CRUSADER) is
nicely implemented: The graphics are solid, detailed, and smooth, 
and the soundtrack is full of really funky music and great digitized
voices. Game control is uncomplicated, and each of the levels is
quite large. 

 Ultimately, though, BTM is nothing more than the all-too-familiar
platform-and-ladders game combined with the typical 3-D
racing/flying arcade-style game. Oh -- there's a rudimentary
pattern-matching game thrown in, too, but at least it provides a
nice break. 

 The first section puts you in the Axis Chemical Factory, up against
Jack and his henchmen. You have to counter bullets, thrown knives, 
and thrown bombs with your batarang. You can also use the batarang
to rappel from platform to platform (instead of using the ladders, 
where they're available). This technique is one of BTM's more
innovative elements, smoothly programmed into the design. There are
nicely drawn details (all taken from the film), but the section is
basically repetitious in both appearance and play. Certain portions
of the Factory are much harder to get through than others, but on
the whole, the process is rather straightforward (and to the
right). 

 In section two, you get to hop into your Batmobile and do a _film
noir_ version of OUT RUN. This portion of the game features a really
nice, semi-digitized graphic background of the city, against which
are highlighted your Batmobile, other cars, and an incredibly
fast-scrolling road. You use your batarang to turn sharp corners at
high speeds; if you fail to make a particular turn after more than
three tries (i.e., the turn comes up two more times in subsequent
blocks), you run into a police barricade and the game's over. The
road is a fun, slick rollercoaster ride (your car goes flying into
the air when it hits a few particularly steep bumps), but nothing we
haven't seen before. 

 In section three, you have to defeat Jack again by figuring out
which three consumer items have been combined to make the deadly
poison; each time you select an item, a number indicates how many of
the selected items are correct. You never know which of these are
right, so it takes a little concentration to figure out what you're
doing. The whole process is timed, and when time runs out on you, so
does your luck. 

 In the next section, you rush on to the big party Jack throws for
Gotham City in your Batplane, and have to cut the ropes holding the
balloons filled with poisonous gas before they explode. There are 99
balloons to begin with, and it takes quite a long time to cut all
those ropes. If, in the process, you hit the birthday cakes to which
the balloons are attached, you damage your plane a bit; do enough
damage and you go down in flames. On the other hand, if you hit a
balloon, you release poisonous gas over the city. This section looks
a heck of a lot like the Batmobile section (though the basic task is
different), but it's nevertheless nicely animated and designed. Once
again, the 3-D bit-mapped graphics scroll quite smoothly and
rapidly, and the balloon sprites are designed to extend from far to
near perspective without a flicker or a hitch. 

 Breathless from all this, yes, you finally get to climb to the top
of the Cathedral for your final confrontation with The Joker. This
part of the game is a clear reprise of the opening
platform-and-ladders design, with slightly different enemy sprites
and a moderately different combination of platforms and ladders to
handle. Still, if you liked the Axis Chemical Factory game, you'll
also like the Cathedral game, although it may seem even _more_ 
endless than the Factory. 

 BTM comes on one copy-protected disk, which can be left
write-protected if you don't want your high score saved. It requires
a joystick for play, and runs on A1000s, A500s, and A2000s. It's not
hard-disk installable and does not multitask. 

 The game isn't really bad, as you can tell...just nothing new. Most
of the action sections are a little more exciting than their
cinematic counterparts, which could be one reason the game's such a
hit: It fulfills the promise held out by some of the less successful
portions of the film. And I suppose identification with the
much-beloved comic-book characters keeps things interesting. 
Finally, game control and difficulty level are pitched right. 
Nevertheless, as with the film, the excitement generated by BATMAN: 
THE MOVIE is fundamentally incomprehensible to me. Maybe I just
don't respond to hype as well as I should.... 

 ATARI ST VERSION NOTES 

 BATMAN: THE MOVIE for the Atari ST offers excellent graphics and
animation, five scenarios, joystick control, and copy protection. 
You'll need 512K and a color monitor. 

 BTM is a fine game, great-looking and easy to learn. It's fun to
play but tough to master, regardless of how many times you might've
seen the film. Depending on your point of view, its impact will be
enhanced or blunted. Why? Because Data East will no longer be
supporting the Atari ST: BTM, along with NORTH AND SOUTH and
DRAKKHEN, are Data East's last releases for this machine. Why? Too
many Amigas and too much ST piracy. So it goes. 

 As mentioned in the main review, five scenes from the film form
BTM: the Axis Chemical Factory, the Streets of Gotham City, the
Batcave, Gotham City's 200th Anniversary Carnival, and the
Cathedral. 

 The ST screen display consists of the current scenario: Axis
Chemical scrolls in all directions, according to the Dark Knight's
movements, and has brick walls, platforms with railings, dripping
acid, and ruptured steam pipes; the Cathedral is similar. The
Batmobile and Batwing screens move in the manner of road races; and
while in the Batcave, cosmetics appear on the Batcomputer, and you
must select the three that contain the Smilex elements. 

 Below the action screen are high Batscore, current Batscore, 
Batlives remaining, a Battimer, and a graphic of Batman's face. You
begin with three Batlives. As Batman absorbs Batinjuries, the
Batface graphic alters to become The Jokerface graphic; when Batman
is gone, so is a Batlife. 

 BTM is controlled with a joystick. In both Axis Chemical and
Cathedral scenarios, the stick alone makes Batman walk left and
right, and climb and crouch; with the button held, the stick throws
Batarangs, jumps Batman down a level, and spits out the Batrope, 
which can be throw diagonally (and on which Batman can Batswing). 

 In the Batmobile, the stick steers, accelerates, and brakes, and
the button fires the Batrope, which is helpful for cornering. In the
Batwing, the stick moves the craft left and right, and lifts and
drops the nose; with the button held, the stick steers, 
accelerates, and brakes. 

 The game package comes with one copy-protected disk and an
instruction manual. There is no save option. 

 BTM looks great on the ST: Items appear as items (rather than
iconic representations), JokerGoons look like JokerGoons, and the
scenery is marvelous. Animation is smooth and lifelike, and sound
effects are sparse but effective. The joystick worked perfectly. 
BATMAN: THE MOVIE is difficult, but nowhere near as tough as
BATMAN: THE CAPED CRUSADER. 

 BATMAN: THE MOVIE is an excellent game, both to look at and to
play. Too bad for us that Data East has given up on the ST. 

 COMMODORE 64/128 VERSION NOTES 

 The Commodore 64/128 version of Data East's BATMAN: THE MOVIE is
more or less identical to the Atari ST version described above. 
Although the overall quality of the graphics is lower (not
unexpectedly), BTM on the C64 looks just fine. Everything is clear
and understandable, and the characters are nicely animated. 

 The joystick works the same in both versions. The C64 package comes
with one copy-protected disk and an instruction manual. 

 BATMAN: THE MOVIE on the Commodore 64 is a fine game. The added
bonus is that Data East plans to continue its C64 support. 

 BATMAN: THE MOVIE is published and distributed by Data East. 

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