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Batman: Return of the Joker (NES)

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Title Screen

Batman: Return of the Joker

Also known as: Dynamite Batman (JP)
Developer: Sunsoft
Publisher: Sunsoft
Platform: NES
Released in JP: December 20, 1991
Released in US: December 1991
Released in EU: November 19, 1992


GraphicsIcon.png This game has unused graphics.
MusicIcon.png This game has unused music.
SoundtestIcon.png This game has a hidden sound test.
RegionIcon.png This game has regional differences.


Batman: Return of the Joker is a followup to the previous Batman NES game developed by Sunsoft, though this one is based more on the comic books than the movies. It's often considered one of the most graphically impressive games on the NES.

A rather lousy Genesis port was released as Batman: Revenge of the Joker. An SNES port was also developed but went unreleased.

Sound Test

Batman - Return of the Joker (U) -!--1.png

Hold A + Start at the title screen.

Unused Graphics

Batman return of the joker (NES)-unkicons0.png Batman return of the joker (NES)-unkicons1.png

Icons of unknown purpose. There doesn't really seem to be any place where they'd fit, either.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-unused level tiles.png

The game contains the whole 4kb chunk of the tiles for some unknown level. There is no level data for this kind of stage.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-light intro cutscene.png

This is found with the Batman light signal graphic used in the intro.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-Spiked ball stage 3-2.png

This spiked ball is present among the Stage 3-2 graphics, and resembles the spiked balls in Stage 1-1.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-rock chunks-stage 3-2.png

These rock debris are also present with the Stage 3-2 graphics. Huge rock chunks fall from the ceiling and create debris, but don't use these graphics. Instead, the debris uses graphics from the rock chunks.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-unused lvl3 boss projectile.png

A variant of the rock chunks seen during the Stage 3 boss, when lasers hit the ground.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-lvl51 water.gif

Unused (and maybe unfinished) animation for the water in Stage 5-1. In the final version, the water is drawn with another effect.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-unused enemy flight level.png

An unused enemy, probably meant for the flight stages.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-unusedenemy1.png

Another unused enemy, located in the same bank as the previous one.

Batman return of the joker (NES)-unused obstacle flight level.png

An obstacle meant for the flight stages.

Original Fixed
Batman return of the joker (NES)-pass used version.png Batman return of the joker (NES)-pass unused version.png

The Joker portrait on the password screen mistakenly uses a few incorrect tile indexes, affecting the right side of his hair. Thankfully the hair texture makes this somewhat difficult to notice.

Several overlay sprites are also placed eight pixels too low, causing the right side of his mouth to appear black instead of red.

Unused Music

Track 6 in the NSF file is not present in the sound test. The fact it loops suggests it might have been intended for a stage.

Regional Differences

Title Screen

Japan US Europe
Batman return of the joker (NES) (J)-Title screen.png Batman - Return of the Joker (U) -!--0.png Batman return of the joker (NES) (E)-Title screen.png

The only Japanese in the entire game, which translates to "Dynamite Batman", is "Return of the Joker" in the international versions. The US version also has "LICENSED BY NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC.", with the other text moved up one line. The European version removes "OF AMERICA INC." on the title screen.