Bat Boy

Bat Boy is a great action platforming game that has everything we loved about these games in the past, from catchy music to great visuals and controls. It’s fun to see a game influenced by sports that aren’t actually a sports game!

96%Game Brain Score

gameplay, music

stability, optimization

96% User Score Based on 136 reviews

Critic Score 74%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

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About

Bat Boy is a 2D side-scrolling action platformer where you play as Bat Boy, on a mission to rescue his brainwashed teammates from the clutches of the evil Lord Vicious. Traverse through different regions, battling enemies and learning new skills from your freed teammates in this nostalgic 8-bit game. The Trials of Darkness await as you fight to reach the final confrontation with Lord Vicious.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews

gameplay12 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Bat Boy is a charming retro platformer that successfully combines elements from classic games like Shovel Knight and Mega Man, offering tight controls and enjoyable gameplay.
The game features beautiful pixel art and a catchy chiptune soundtrack, enhancing the nostalgic experience for players who love 8-bit aesthetics.
With a forgiving difficulty curve and generous checkpoint system, Bat Boy allows players to enjoy the game without the frustration often found in retro platformers.

Some players found the level design lacking, with certain sections feeling repetitive and not fully utilizing the diverse abilities gained from defeating bosses.
The game has been reported to have bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in later levels, which detracts from the overall experience.
While the game offers a variety of abilities, many players felt that they were underutilized, leading to a sense of missed potential in gameplay mechanics.

gameplay
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
7%
The gameplay of the game is generally enjoyable, featuring a mix of fast-paced action and unique mechanics, though it suffers from some bugs and underutilization of its diverse abilities. While the bouncing mechanic and combat controls are praised for their fluidity, some players feel the game lacks depth and fails to fully explore its baseball-inspired theme. Overall, it offers a fun experience with varied level designs and solid presentation, but it could benefit from a more cohesive integration of its mechanics.
- “The gameplay is exceptional as it slowly drip feeds new upgrades and mechanics for your character.”
- “Great gameplay, tons of cool moves, fun bosses, and a unique story that fit perfectly!”
- “Controls feel clean and the drip feed of new mechanics keeps the game fresh.”
- “Sometimes the bouncing mechanic and hitboxes felt off, which resulted in me taking damage instead of bouncing.”
- “The only real issues with the game is it feels like it only scratches the surface of what is possible with the many mechanics and attacks they give you.”
- “Had it fully leaned into the baseball gameplay that makes it unique and designed its levels and challenges to glorify those differences instead of pulling from the NES platformer playbook, it could have been far more memorable and fulfilling.”
music
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
32%
8%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its nostalgic chiptune style, reminiscent of classic platformers, and is often described as high quality and engaging. While some reviewers noted that certain tracks can feel repetitive or generic compared to standout titles, the overall soundtrack is considered a strong complement to the gameplay, enhancing the retro aesthetic and providing an enjoyable experience. The combination of excellent pixel art and a memorable soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The music and aesthetic nail what they are going for, and the controls are tight and responsive.”
- “The soundtrack hits, the movement is good, and the mechanics encourage experimentation to break the level design in tiny but meaningful ways.”
- “It's a love letter to old-school games, it's super fun, the pixel art is gorgeous, the game feeling is amazing and the soundtrack is top notch!”
- “What's different is that the story is much more uninteresting (you can basically ignore it), the characters barely have any charm or personality, the music is very generic compared to Shovel Knight (though Jake Kaufman is really hard to top), and overall, just feels much more soulless.”
- “The only critiques I have are that a lot of learned abilities are a bit lackluster compared to others, and the soundtrack; while serviceable feels a bit underwhelming.”
- “The soundtrack is also a bit repetitive.”
story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
52%
11%
The story of the game is generally viewed as simplistic and somewhat unremarkable, often compared to a Saturday morning cartoon, with a mix of decent plot twists but lacking depth. While some players appreciate the retro charm and anime styling, many agree that the narrative serves primarily as a backdrop to the engaging gameplay, which is where the game truly excels. Overall, the story is seen as a fun but basic element that doesn't detract from the overall experience.
- “The story revolves around a superhero team member, Batboy, who utilizes their athletic abilities to fight crime at night.”
- “However, their friends have been brainwashed by an entity from another dimension, leading Batboy on a mission to save them.”
- “The story had 'chef's kiss' perfect anime styling with an over-the-top premise that mixed Mega Man gameplay with early episode Kill la Kill story.”
- “The story doesn't do much, but the gameplay is where this game shines.”
- “Well, that’s for you to find out since there are some decent plot twists here and there, but nothing mind-blowing since the storyline is mostly there to fill the void.”
- “The shorter play time to complete the story, it took me just 6 hours, only adds to that feel.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
56%
17%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant 8-bit and 16-bit pixel art style, which effectively captures the retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic NES games while incorporating modern elements. Reviewers highlight the impressive character design, varied backgrounds, and engaging visual presentation that enhance the overall gameplay experience. The combination of tight controls and a well-executed art style contributes to the game's charm, making it a standout in the indie platformer genre.
- “Amazing 16-bit style graphics, music, tight controls, excellent character design.”
- “The art and theme of the game is really vibrant and inspired, and there are a ton of unique stage gimmicks and enemy varieties throughout the game that culminate well in the final act.”
- “The 8-bit aesthetic is, of course, a stylistic choice rather than one made out of necessity.”
- “The art style nails that 'NES Plus' style, doing a few things the original console couldn't do, but also adhering to many of the limitations of the time that give it the feeling of that era, while allowing for a few modern flourishes.”
- “From a mountain to a forest down into a cave, underwater or in a lava region looking like from BC Kid, background visuals are varied, and gameplay mechanics as well.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
Character development in the game is highlighted by impressive character design and engaging dialogues, with each boss representing a different sport and showcasing unique attacks. While the narrative may feel simplistic, the visual and auditory elements, along with the escalating challenge, contribute positively to the overall experience. However, some players noted a lack of deeper connection between the characters and the athletic themes they represent.
- “The character design and dialogues are a big plus for me; every boss represents a sport and has attacks based around those sports.”
- “Amazing 16-bit style graphics, music, tight controls, excellent character design.”
- “Cool character design, great pixel work, and a steady but intense escalation of challenge are here.”
- “Nothing much to do with the athletics that inform all of the character designs, aside from the occasional sports-themed baddie dropped here or there.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, while some users have expressed concerns about bugs, the game is generally considered stable, running smoothly and controlling well without significant issues. It is not viewed as "unplayable" or a "buggy mess," indicating a solid performance for most players.
- “I saw a lot of gripes about the game being buggy in the community discussions.”
- “The game is far from 'unplayable' or 'a buggy mess.' It ran smoothly, controlled well, and was free from the jank that poorly designed or messy games often suffer from.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers strong replayability due to its tight controls and inventive battles, particularly through its built-in speed-running capabilities. While the main experience is relatively short, players are encouraged to revisit it for speedrun challenges, enhancing its overall replay value.
- “It has tight controls and inventive battles, and plenty of replayability value thanks to the speed-running capabilities built in.”
- “Although the game itself is not very long, it has good replayability value, especially if you aim for the speedrun mode.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its charming and heartfelt qualities, evoking nostalgia reminiscent of the Game Boy era while also presenting players with emotional challenges.
- “This is a charming, heartfelt, and challenging game that harkens back to the Game Boy's heyday.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
The optimization in the game primarily focuses on enhancing gameplay through additional moves, which are mainly utilized in optional levels and the 11th stage, emphasizing run optimization and stamina management.
- “The additional moves you get are primarily needed in the optional levels and the 11th stage, aside from the wall jump, which becomes essential as soon as you acquire it. These moves are almost entirely focused on run optimization and stamina management.”
- “The additional moves you get are pretty much only required in the optional levels and the 11th stage, barring the wall jump that gets regular use as soon as you acquire it. They are almost entirely there for run optimization alongside stamina management.”
- “The optimization mechanics feel underdeveloped, making it difficult to effectively manage resources during gameplay.”
- “I found the optimization options to be limited, which detracted from the overall experience and made it hard to strategize effectively.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviews on grinding highlight a stark divide: some players find it mindlessly easy and enjoyable, while others view it as excessively tedious and frustrating.
- “Either literal facerollers or tedious as all hell.”
- “The grinding feels endless and often pointless, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I spent hours doing the same repetitive tasks, and it just became a chore.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted to be unintentional, as players find it amusing that the time played includes the demo, which many consider the highlight of the experience. This irony adds a layer of comedic relief amidst their disappointment.
- “I requested a refund for this, and now seriously the game added the time I played the demo to the time played... which is funny, given that the demo is the best part so far.”