Another classic game from the 90s in which you play one of the most iconic superheroes of all time: Superman! Yes, I’m talking about Superman (1992 video game) on Genesis. The game is also known as Superman: The Man of Steel in Europe. It was developed by Sunsoft and released in 1992 for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, and later brought to the Game Gear and Master System by Virgin Interactive.
The game is based on the DC Comics character of Superman, who is on a mission to stop the evil Brainiac from destroying Metropolis and the world. The game is a traditional single-player side-scrolling arcade game where you control Superman through various levels, called rounds. Each of these levels is inhabited by a different supervillain boss at the end. You can punch, jump and kick on jump when going down. You can also use some of Superman’s superpowers by collecting items scattered throughout the level. These items let you use superpowers like heat vision, sonic punch and hype spin, but only for a limited time delimited by a gauge or for a specific purpose. For example, you need to use the sonic punch to break down obstacles, or the hype spin to spin through a section of certain floors.
The game starts with a front page of the Daily Planet announcing that some supervillain is wreaking havoc on the city, and then shows Clark Kent changing into his Superman costume in a phone booth. The game has six rounds, each with a different theme and setting. The first level is set in Metropolis, where you have to fight The Prankster and his goons. The Prankster apparently escaped from prison and seek revenge on Metropolis. To attein is evil scheme he captured all children of the city. The second level is set in an underground mine, where you have to face Metallo and his robots. Metallo has taken over a train and arrange to make it ride full speed against a building’s bank main frame. The third level is set over the sea, on a boat and a inside a cavern. The fifth level is set in outer space, where you have to dodge asteroids and meteors. The final level is set in Brainiac’s space station, where you have to fight all the previous bosses again and then confront Brainiac himself.
The game has decent 16-bit graphics and sound for its time, and it tries to capture the comic book style of Superman. However, the game also has some flaws and limitations that make it less enjoyable than it could have been. For one thing, the game is very hard and unforgiving. The last part of the underground mine once on the train is repetitive and you have to be very lucky to reach Metallo. It’s on the train that Mr. Mxyzptlk appears for the first time to throw bombs at Superman. There will be a giant spider on the roof of the train it throws smaller spider on the floor. These smaller spiders hit Superman and there’s no way to punch them, we can hardly avoid them. It’s on The later levels are even harder since you have to deal with multiple enemies and obstacles at once. The game also has a limited storyline and does not explain much about the villains or their motives. The game also restricts the use of Superman’s powers to certain items that you have to find and collect, which makes him feel less powerful and more dependent on items. The kicks are unavailable when Superman is in an interior setting. The game also has some glitches and bugs that can affect the gameplay or force you to reset the game.
Overall, Superman (1992 video game) on Genesis is a decent but flawed attempt at bringing the Man of Steel to the video game world. It has some good aspects like the graphics, sound and variety of levels and bosses, but it also has some bad aspects like the difficulty, storyline and limited powers. It is not a terrible game, but it is not a great one either. It is a game that only hardcore fans of Superman or retro gaming might appreciate or enjoy.
What do you think of this game? Have you played it before? Do you like it or hate it? Let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for more reviews of classic games from the 90s!
Resources
Superman on SEGA Genesis / SEGA Mega Drive Manuals (archive.org)