About this game
Batman: The Video Game is a 1990 Game Boy action platformer developed and published by Sunsoft, releasing alongside the wave of tie-ins to Tim Burton's massively successful 1989 Batman film. Unlike the NES and other platform versions — which were distinct games — the Game Boy Batman featured its own level design, enemy set, and boss encounters, while retaining the cape-and-grapple action that defined Sunsoft's Batman games. Sunsoft was known for delivering high-quality licensed games, and the Game Boy Batman was praised for tight controls and strong visual composition given the hardware's limitations.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Tim Burton's Batman (1989) was one of the highest-grossing films of its decade, and game publishers competed intensely to develop licensed games across every available platform. Sunsoft earned a strong reputation in this era for producing high-quality licensed titles — their NES Batman was widely considered one of the best NES action games of the period, and the Game Boy version maintained that reputation on the handheld. The game arrived in 1990, during the Game Boy's first full year of availability, establishing Sunsoft as one of the strongest third-party publishers on Nintendo's handheld.
Tricks & Tales
Sunsoft developed entirely separate Batman games for different platforms — the NES version, the Genesis/Mega Drive version, and the Game Boy version are all distinct games, not ports of each other. The Game Boy version is specifically notable for its use of the Batarang as a projectile weapon and the grappling hook for vertical traversal, which became the defining mechanics of Sunsoft's Batman interpretation. The game's soundtrack, composed for the Game Boy's four-channel audio, is considered one of the better Game Boy soundtracks of the early 1990s.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Released in Japan and North America in 1990. The game is a licensed title tied to the 1989 Batman film. Content is equivalent across regional versions. The game is frequently found loose (without original box or manual) — complete boxed copies are more desirable for collectors.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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