Batman: The Brave and the Bold Review for Nintendo Wii

System: Wii, DS	Review Rating Legend
Dev: WayForward Technologies	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Warner Bros. Interactive	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Sept. 7, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-2	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Making matters worse is the attacks are not mapped to the Wii-Mote and Nunchuk well. For example, the jump button being tied to the B button (when it is so often tied to the A or Z buttons) takes some getting used to. It also seems curious that in a combat-driven title, where button mashing is an important facet of the gameplay, the classic controller was not offered as a control option. Although the Wii-Mote and Nunchuk controllers provide a responsive enough control scheme, the classic controller would have felt like a more natural option and would have been great to include.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold screenshot

Another big qualm I have with Batman: The Brave and the Bold is its length. Each episode only takes little more than an hour to play through, which gives the game about five hours worth of playtime. There are no extra modes or unlockables, and once you have completed the game, there is no reason to go back. I wish they would have fleshed out the game in this regard (or added some multiplayer modes), as a five-hour game (even at the Wii's $50 price point) can be a tough sell.

Still, despite my issues with the control scheme and the game's replayability, Batman: The Brave and the Bold has quite a bit going for it, especially in terms of production values. It is so rare to see a Wii game pull out all the stops in terms of technical value, but this title knocks it out of the park. The game's cinema scenes all feature hand-drawn animation, and the game footage itself features the same hand-drawn look. The visuals are especially important to this game, particularly because anyone who has watch the Batman: The Brave and the Bold series knows the show has a distinctive look to it, and the game's look captures that essence. This helps the immersion level even more and furthers the "interactive episode" feel the game seems to be going for.

Overall, I was impressed with Batman: The Brave and the Bold. While it certainly isn't the best Batman game ever made, I will say it is the best based on a Batman animated property, and it continues the ongoing trend of great Batman games. Though this title skews younger than most, for what it is, it works perfectly well. The drop-in/drop out co-op makes this a natural choice for families who enjoy playing games together. If you are a fan of the Batman: The Brave and the Bold animated series and want a humorous title that is full of fun (if simplistic) action and some great production, this title is certainly worth your time.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.5

Graphics
The hand-drawn animated cutscenes are great, and the in-game visuals recreate the look of the animated series almost perfectly.

3.6

Control
The Wii and Nunchuk controls take some getting used to (especially the B-button jump) but work well overall.

4.5

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
There is plenty of dialogue, and it is never repetitive. Nearly all of the characters are voiced by their original voice actors from the television show.

3.3

Play Value
Despite the entertaining level design and dialogue, each "episode" is completely linear, and there isn't any real replay value.

4.1

Overall Rating - Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Team Focused Superhero Gameplay: Play along with family and friends in two-player co-op mode as Batman or one of his powerful allies including Robin, and call in the help of drop-in heroes such as The Flash.

Play the Show: Experience a true interactive adaptation of the cartoon classic with feature-quality character animation, many of the same VO cast as the show, and all the same great writing, humor, and action!

Cool Gadgets and Unlockables: Use Batman’s iconic gadgets including his Batarang, Jet Booster, belt sword, and more to complete missions. Unlock and upgrade new gadgets and team up with new heroes as you fight your way to justice.

Journey to Foreign Lands: Battle through four unique environments including Gotham City, London, Science Island, and Planet Oa.

Fight Dastardly Villains: Just like the show, kick off each game episode mid-battle, followed by epic boss encounters with villains such as Catwoman, Gorilla Grodd, and Gentleman Ghost.

Wii/Nintendo DS Interconnectivity: Link the Nintendo DS version to the Wii version to unlock Bat-Mite as a playable character that can be controlled with the Nintendo DS. Be helpful or mischievous while fighting alongside the heroes.