Batman Returns is a Beat 'em Up game released for the Sega Genesis by Sega in 1993. A Sega CD version was also made, which include driving segments from the Batmobile and Batboat.
While the mechanics are the same with most of the other BR games that have Beat 'em Up segments, this game has some fighting mechanics unique for the Genesis version. It also has, with some of the Sega-made variants, some differences in terms of levels and parts of the story.
The Genesis version of Batman Returns contains examples of:
- Absurdly Spacious Sewer: Stage 4 is the Gotham sewers. Being a video game, it is obviously plagued with Mooks, platforms and green sewage as dangers to Batman and Gotham's public sanitation services.
- Adaptational Early Appearance: The Ice Princess, who later died, appeared only at the title sequence before the rest of the game started.
- Barrage of Bats: Batman has at his disposal the weapons in his utility belt. Aside from the traditional Batarangs and other doohickeys, he can cast a swarm of bats from inside his cape to attack his enemies.
- Circus of Fear: In stage 3, Batman takes the fight to the Red Triangle Circus gang home turf, their circus.
- Deadly Droplets: In the first stages, which takes place across the Gotham City rooftops. Some parts of the rooftops have green effigies that spew fire drops
. - Flying Flightless Bird: Some penguins parachute through Gotham's rooftops carrying explosives on their backs. Batman must avoid them, otherwise the bombs will go off and hurt him.
- Indy Escape: The second Penguin boss fight starts off with him dropping a giant ball, which chases you down several flights of stairs. You have to keep ahead of it, and then finally jump a gap which the ball will then fall into before you can fight against Penguin.
- Living Statue: The bosses of section 2 of the first stage are a pair of giant statues that operate levers to toss gears at Batman.
- Monster Clown: While not necessarily a monster, a clown on a monocycle appears as a type of Mook, starts spinning on his axis and shooting at Batman. A group of them are also the mid-Stage 3 bosses.
- Our Gargoyles Rock: Stone gargoyles come to life and attack Batman in section 1 of Stage 1 (Gotham's gothic urban rooftops) and section 3 (the cathedral).
- Outside-Genre Foe: In Act 1, Batman can fight gargoyles. They're not connected to the Red Circus Triangle Gang.
- Recurring Boss:
- The Penguin is the stage boss in all stages, save for stage 3.
- Catwoman recurs as a mid-stage boss in section 1 of stage one (Gotham's rooftops) and section 2 of stage 2 (inside Schrek's department store). She also appears in The Stinger: Batman/the player can defeat Catwoman as the credits roll.
- Rooftop Confrontation: The first section of Stage 1 occurs throught the rooftops of Gotham. Catwoman appears as its boss. She also appears in The Stinger: Batman/the player fights Catwoman again on a rooftop as the credits roll.
- Slippy-Slidey Ice World: Stage 5, Penguin's Lair, is a sewer-like level with slippery ice-covered platforms.
- Steam Vent Obstacle: There are annoying steam vents throughout the collapsed building level in the latter part of Act 1.
- Updated Re-release: The Mega CD/Sega CD version is still, in essence, the Mega Drive/Genesis version, albeit with driving sections added.
