"We're still really keen on making the game accessible for younger kids, we're absolutely obsessed with that," explains Doyle. You can just ignore all the extra stuff, however, and enjoy a bit of good old button-bashing. We've really made the moves suited to the character you're playing as." Then characters like Killer Croc, who's a wrestler - he can pick people up and throw them around. "Batman and Robin have a huge amound of different moves they can pull off. These moves vary depend on who you're playing as. "In doing so we've added more complexity, so although kids can just press the buttons and pull off cool moves and combos, we've added an extra layer of throws and grabs and other moves." Robin always acted above his station. When we were making the transition from lightsabers to hand-to-hand combat it was more difficult than we thought it was going to be, so we put a lot of effort into making sure the combat is really fun," he says. "One thing that makes LEGO Batman different from LEGO Star Wars is the mini-figures have very short arms. Suits, uizs and batarangs aside, there's good old fisticuffs to be getting on with - though Doyle says LEGO SW fans can expect something new here too. Batman's demolition suit is useful for knocking down walls, while his flight suit allows him to glide over gaps. Doyle shows him putting it on to guide a remote control car under a low ledge and over a pressure pad. Donning the magno suit lets Robin walk up vertical metal surfaces, while his tech suit allows him to control cars and helicopters. They also have a range of suits that give them new abilities. The Dark Knight takes aim at his nemesis, the street-lamp. Batman and Robin, of course, get batarangs and the like. So the Joker has a couple of Uzis, Catwoman has a whip, Penguin keeps bombs under his top hat and Killer Croc can smash through walls. The effect is enhanced by the kind of swirling orchestral music you'd expect to hear in the films.Īccording to Doyle, TT's keenness to ensure the game satisfies fans of the Batman universe extends to the characters' weapons and abilities. Darkly lit areas are punctuated by spots of colour so bright they're almost sickly lime-green clouds of gas waft around in the sewers, for example, while neon pink and yellow lights shine on the rollercoaster. Textures are realistic and clever lighting adds atmosphere. They're all cute, but not too cute.įor the environments, it feels like TT has worked hard to ensure you never forget you're in Gotham - and not a happy and jolly cartoon version of it, either. There's something incredibly charming about LEGO Penguin floating round on a LEGO umbrella and grinning an evil LEGO grin. The mini-figures are great, even if it's true to say Catwoman has never looked less sexy. That style is an interesting blend of bright, colourful cartoon elements against darker, more realistic backgrounds.