The first movie I ever saw in theaters was Batman (1989). I was in love with the goofy caped crusader I saw on the Adam West show, and by golly, this absolutely must be the same character. The movie awed me and opened my young eyes to another Batman I never knew. Of course, there was also a tie-in video game. The Batman video game entranced me, but does it hold up?

Batman and the Nintendo Entertainment System

While this was not the first Batman video game, this was an improvement on the previous two games (which were created for consoles and computers before the NES came along). Developed by Ocean Software this game is based on the 1989 movie. Stages within the games recreate scenes from the movie (well, they at least tried), with the final stage taking place at the top of Gotham Cathedral.

The graphics are pretty solid overall. The opening title sequence and the cut scenes are great, though it's clear most of the graphics budget went into that. This is a typical side scroller with Batman punching his way through bad guys running around Gotham. While there is some detail given to the background in this game, the colors are muted as to not distract the player. The bosses you fight prior to the Joker are a little odd, and for some reason, Batman is comically smaller than the Joker. The music and sound effects are largely annoying, and the only reason to stick this game out until the end is for the cut scenes in the game.

An affordable game to buy

Since this game isn't rare, copies are easy to come by. The cartridge by itself typically sells for under $14, while a complete set will range from $55 - $100 depending on where you buy it.  If you're looking at this game as a possible investment piece, pass on it. This game was received well upon release, but that doesn't mean people are looking to spend an arm and a leg on it.

If you're looking to buy a copy to play on your (hopefully working) NES, this game is easy to digest and play. You certainly can't go wrong with purchasing for nostalgia's sake, nor would you be breaking the bank.

Other Batman video games?

As stated earlier, this is not the first Batman video game. This also was not the only Batman game for the NES. Batman: Return of the Joker and Batman Returns followed less than 3 years later. It has since seen countless video games, including the ever-popular Arkham series. Merchandise for Batman has been around longer than in-home consoles, and frankly, that's another topic for another day.

NECA did release a Batman 1989 video game action figure. Batman is decked out in purple hues (just like in the game) and is one of the cooler Batman figures I've ever seen.  The game may not be as celebrated today, but it's still an important game in the grand scheme of Batman video games. Have you played Batman: The Game? Let us know your thoughts on it in the comments below!