Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Batman: Vengeance on the GBA delivers a surprisingly varied gameplay experience by splitting its action into four distinct types of levels. In the classic side-scrolling stages, you guide Batman through rooftops and alleyways, using punches, kicks, batarangs, smoke bombs and a grappling hook to clear obstacles and defeat waves of henchmen. The combat is straightforward but satisfying, with gadget management adding an extra layer of strategy to encounters.

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The Batmobile segments switch things up with a top-down perspective and a ticking clock. You must navigate busy Gotham streets, avoid traffic and clear barricades using the Batmobile’s onboard gun. These sections introduce a welcome sense of urgency and momentum, forcing you to balance speed with precision as the timer counts down.

When it’s time to take to the skies, Robin and Batgirl pilot the Batplane in side-scrolling shoot ’em up levels. Armed with a rapid-fire gun and a temporary energy shield, you weave through waves of drone enemies and environmental hazards. These aerial missions feel distinctly different from the street-level combat, offering a fast-paced challenge that keeps the action fresh.

The puzzle levels, starring Robin, add yet another dimension to the gameplay. Viewed from above, you push crates, collect key cards and passwords, and deploy the remote-controlled Batcrawler to reach tight spaces. With enemies peppered throughout the maze-like areas, these stages blend Sokoban-style challenges with light combat, rewarding patience and careful planning.

After conquering Story Mode, Advance Mode unlocks to test your mastery. Here, you race against the clock to collect data disks or destroy Joker’s hidden “Pyro toys” before time runs out. The redesigned layouts and stricter objectives give veterans a reason to revisit each level, extending the game’s replayability.

Graphics

For a Game Boy Advance title, Batman: Vengeance boasts crisp sprites and detailed backgrounds that capture the dark, gothic atmosphere of Gotham City. Character animations are fluid, with each punch, jump and gadget deployment appearing smooth and responsive. The level of polish is impressive given the hardware’s limitations.

The game incorporates stills from the console version’s rendered cutscenes to convey its story beats. While these static images lack full motion, they effectively showcase key moments, such as the Joker’s fall from the Gotham Bridge, and help tie the portable game to its bigger-budget counterparts. The text boxes and dialogue fonts are clear and readable, making the narrative easy to follow on the GBA’s screen.

Colorful yet appropriately moody palettes reinforce the game’s comic-book roots, borrowing heavily from the 1990s Batman animated series aesthetic. Subtle lighting effects—like the glow of the Bat-signal or the icy sheen in Mr. Freeze’s lair—add depth to each scene. Background details such as crumbling gargoyles and industrial pipelines give levels a lived-in feel.

Despite occasional sprite flicker when too many enemies appear on screen, the performance remains stable, and frame rate dips are minimal. Menu screens and HUD elements are neatly laid out, ensuring that your gadget inventory and health status are always visible without distracting from the action.

Story

The plot of Batman: Vengeance kicks off with a daring break-in at the Gotham Museum, orchestrated by the Joker. After a chaotic confrontation, the Clown Prince of Crime plummets off the Gotham Bridge—apparently to his death—setting the stage for a power vacuum among the city’s rogues gallery. It’s a fast-paced introduction that immediately hooks you into the mystery.

With Joker presumed gone, familiar villains like Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy see an opportunity to seize control of Gotham’s underworld. Each boss brings their unique brand of mayhem: from Freeze’s ice-chilled lair filled with slippery surfaces and environmental puzzles, to Poison Ivy’s overgrown botanical domains teeming with deadly flora. These encounters are woven into the storyline, giving each chapter a distinct flavor.

Batman is not alone in his crusade. Robin and Batgirl make regular appearances, stepping into the Batplane for aerial support or tackling puzzles solo. Their presence feels organic, and the shifting focus between characters prevents the narrative from becoming too one-dimensional. Dialogue exchanges and mission briefings feel authentic to the animated series inspiration, complete with quips and banter that lighten the mood.

While the story stays true to its cartoon roots and offers no radical plot twists, it delivers a satisfying arc that spans Gotham’s darkest corners. The use of still images and minimal voice snippets ensures the tale remains cohesive, even if it lacks the cinematic flair of its console counterparts. For fans of the animated series, the faithful adaptation of familiar characters and locales is a major draw.

Overall Experience

Batman: Vengeance on GBA manages to pack a console-style adventure into a handheld cartridge, delivering varied gameplay, solid visuals and a faithful cartoon-inspired narrative. The mix of side-scrolling combat, top-down driving, shoot ’em up flights and puzzling mazes ensures that the pace never grows stale. Each level type feels thoughtfully designed to showcase different aspects of the Dark Knight’s arsenal.

Controls are tight and responsive across all modes, whether you’re timing a grappling hook swing or weaving through traffic in the Batmobile. Difficulty ramps up steadily, with later stages demanding quicker reflexes and sharper puzzle-solving skills. The addition of Advance Mode extends the challenge for those who crave speed runs and 100% completion.

While the static cutscenes and occasional sprite flicker remind you that this is a GBA title, the overall presentation remains polished. Fans of the 1990s Batman animated series will appreciate the authentic character designs and atmospheric music cues. The game balances lighthearted moments with genuine tension, capturing the spirit of Gotham City’s eternal struggle between hero and villain.

In the end, Batman: Vengeance offers a robust portable experience that stands on its own merits. Its combination of gameplay variety, graphical charm and straightforward storytelling makes it a worthwhile addition to any GBA collection—especially for players who want to don the cape and cowl on the go.

Retro Replay Score

6.6/10