'Batman: The Brave And The Bold The Videogame' Review: The Hammers Of Justice Land On The Wii

Over the last few years WayForward Technologies have established themselves as the go-to developer for developing licensed games if you want the end product to actually be enjoyable, especially if it's on one of Nintendo's platforms. While most licensed titles generally fall into the category of shovelware, WayForward has done an impressive job crafting games that are enjoyable across the board, whether you're a fan of the source material or not. Their streak has continued with their latest release, "Batman: The Brave and the Bold The Videogame," a classically influenced, 2D sidescroller based on the Cartoon Network show of the same name.

The Basics

"Batman: The Brave and the Bold The Videogame" follows the Caped Crusader as he teams up with other superheroes to stop crime. The game is a classic 2D sidescrolling beat 'em for up to three players. The main gameplay features the Dark Knight as a playable character in each of the game's four "episodes" alongside another hero from the show's diverse roster.

The Highs

It's Just Like The Show
"Batman: The Brave and the Bold" may be a relatively new entry into the Batman Universe (it's only in its third season), but it definitely feels like it stands out on its own. Instead of the usual dark portrayal of Gotham's most tormented billionaire, "The Brave and the Bold" takes a slightly more humorous look at Batman as he teams up with other familiar faces from DC, and the game feels like a true extension of the show. Instead of tweaking characters or dialog, WayForward kept everything essentially the same, creating an interactive experience that feels like it could be part of the cartoon, instead of a re-envisioned version of it. The game even goes so far as to start each episode with its own boss fight, much like the show does before the opening rolls (which also happens in the game at the beginning of each episode).

Classic Gameplay
Being an animated show, "The Brave and the Bold" really feels like it exists in a 2D world, and the game recreates that feeling perfectly by being a simple sidescroller. While some might think it to be an outdated genre, it’s a perfect fit for this title, creating a game that doesn't feel forced in anyway, whereas jumping to 3D might have thrown off some fans of the series.

DS Connectivity
Like one of the many gadgets that Batman packs in his utility belt, players that have "The Brave and the Bold" for the DS have a trick up their sleeve that the villains in the game might not see coming. This is one of the very few Wii titles to take advantage of the DS connectivity functionality offered by the system, allowing players to sync their two devices together to unlock a third playable character, Bat Mite, at any point in the gameplay. While Bat Mite might not be able to directly attack enemies he can provide power ups for the two heroes that are battling, as well as drop a destructive anvil or bomb on their foes.

The Lows

Punch, Punch, Punch
It's a flaw of the genre, but through the ages beat 'em ups tend to be really repetitive, so much so that they encroach on boring. "The Brave and the Bold" doesn't do too much in the way of working the genre out of that rut, but it does offer a few options to break up the gameplay a little bit. However, looking for hidden items and playing as different characters (with the same basic move set as Batman) doesn't go too far to hide the fact that this is another brawler in the most traditional sense.

Only One Character Per Level
"The Brave and the Bold" is designed to be a two-player, co-op title. However, in a single-player game, it seems like one function that is missing is the ability to readily switch between the two on-screen characters (something that's possible in the DS version). Each character has unique abilities, weapons and attacks that would be fun to have full access to, but once you make your character selection at the beginning of the level, you are stuck with them through until the end.

Motion Controls
The motion controls in this title seem a bit out of place for the play style. The game isn't saturated with them, placing most of the controls on the face buttons, but there are some attacks that require a swing of the Wii Remote. While you can play through just about the entire game without using these controls, it seems like everything that's accomplished with the motion controls could have been mapped to buttons on the Classic Controller, and it would have only enhanced the experience. At the very least, offering the Classic Controller as an option would have been a welcome addition to the title.

The Verdict
While there are a few things worth complaining about in "Batman The Brave and the Bold The Videogame," for the most part, the good far outshine the bad. The game is a tight, fun experience that holds very true to the source material. Even thought the gameplay is a bit repetitive, both fans of the show (young and old), and fans of Batman in general should enjoy all of the game's episodes, as long as they aren't expecting it to be "Arkham Asylum 1.5."

Tags batman, batman the brave and the bold the videogame, dc comics, wayforward, Wii