Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker (Japan) (NP)

Getting started: As a side-scrolling beat-em-up, your goal is to fight through waves of enemies across levels inspired by the movie. Use the D-Pad to move left and right, and press the attack button (S) to punch. Combine movement with attacks for different moves like a jump kick. You can also block by holding a shoulder button, though timing matters. The Japanese menus are straightforward: Start begins the game, Select may pause or open a menu. If you see kanji, trial and error with the D-Pad and Start button will get you through menus.

The core loop is simple: clear each screen of enemies, then advance to the next. You have a health bar at the top, and collectibles like health refills appear after certain fights. The game is fairly short, roughly an hour, but offers a decent challenge with multiple enemy types and a final boss against the Joker. If you are used to other GBC beat-em-ups like the Ninja Turtles games, the controls feel similar.

One thing to note: since this is the Japanese NP release, the dialogue and text are in Japanese. But the action is visual enough that you can play through without understanding the story. The controls are responsive, and the game uses the GBC's capabilities well with detailed sprites and a dark cyberpunk aesthetic. Just keep moving and attacking, and you will see credits before long.