The Adventures of Batman & Robin

"This IS the cartoon."

No doubt one of the most popular and well-known superheroes ever in the comic book world, Batman remains a staple of the comic book industry. Before changing the comic book landscape in the mid 80's with ''The Dark Night Returns'', Bob Kane's master detective and crime fighter had a variety of movie serials and a cheesy 60's TV show to his credit. Justice was finally done to the character with the Tim Burton movie featuring Michael Keaton. The movie was so successful it spawned three (bad) sequels and an animated series.

''The Adventures of Batman and Robin'' for the Super NES is based on the acclaimed animated TV show that once ran on Fox (now retooled for the worse on the WB). Konami had to change the name from ''Batman: The Animated Series'' when the series changed names to account for the emergence of Batman's sidekick Robin as a regular character. Under any name, ''Batman and Robin'' does justice to the series and the Batman franchise. It featured some amazingly faithful graphics highlighted by superb fx. Sound is directly influenced by the cartoon, from the orchestral music down to Batman's grunts. All your favorite villins are there from Joker and Catwoman. This all is woven together with some spectacular gameplay to make for one of the best Batman games ever.

Graphics: (9/10) What Konami did for this game is nothing short of amazing. The colors, the character designs and the backdrops look like they were pulled straight out of an episode of the show. Animation is extremely fluid, right down to the little details in the enemy mannerisms. The game pulls some amazing special FX. Batman's battle with joker on the roller coaster is stunning; as the background shifts perspectives as you ride and battle the lunatic himself. Also of note is the amazing battle in the air with Scarecrow.

Sound: (8/10) Once again, Konami does justice to the cartoon in every way. The music seems to be right out of the cartoon, from the Batman theme to the level music. All the music is brilliantly composed, showing none of the limitations of the hardware. Another solid job by Konami.

Gameplay: (8/10) Normally when a company has a license to a hot property, it just quickly pushes the game through development, slaps a label on and sells it. As a result, the gameplay usually suffers. But Konami has had a tradition of doing its licenses right and making games with gameplay that matches the source material impeccable. Batman and Robin is no different. Gameplay is easy to grasp yet also challenging. You'll find yourself braving the same hazards as Batman does in the cartoon: street punks, bottomless pits, spikes and traps from his foes. Of course, you'll have all the lovely toys on Batman's utility belt to play with. And arguably Batman's most useful gadget, the grappling hook, is a major part of the gameplay. Konami does a great job of making you feel like you're ''playing the cartoon''.

Fun Factor: (7/10) The game is certainly a fun game to pick up and play for a few days, but its challenging gameplay will have you hooked for the long term. Fans of the cartoon will especially enjoy the game's authentic look, sound and feel for the series. As just like other Konami games with a license, the game challenges you to beat it on higher difficulty levels to get the best ending. Batman and Robin is certainly a fun platformer that will have fans addicted for a good while.

''Batman and Robin'' is another great example of the excellence that makes Konami one of the best game companies around. While Konami could have just sat on their laurels and made a cheap buck by releasing a cheaply produced game that's only appeal is the name on the box, the company made another superb product that does justice to the license. Batman and Robin's graphics, sound and gameplay create a complete gaming experience that effectively puts the whole show in your SNES.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/17/01, Updated 02/17/01