For other Superman video games, see List of Superman video games.

The Death and Return of Superman is a beat 'em up

Beat 'em up

Beat 'em up is a video game genre featuring melee combat between the protagonist and a large number of underpowered antagonists. These games typically take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical or fantasy themes...

 video game based on the Death of Superman

The Death of Superman

"The Death of Superman" is a 1992 comic book storyline that occurred in DC Comics' Superman titles. The completed multi-issue story arc was given the title The Death and Return of Superman....

 storyline. It features many characters from the comics, including Superman

Superman

Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...

 himself, Superboy

Superboy (Kon-El)

Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...

, Steel

John Henry Irons

Steel , also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 , he is the third character known as Steel and was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove...

, Cyborg

Hank Henshaw

Hank Henshaw is a fictional supervillain featured in the DC Comics universe. While originally featured primarily as an enemy of Superman, recent years have repositioned him as one of the main enemies of the Green Lantern Corps...

, the Eradicator

Eradicator (comics)

The Eradicator is a fictional comic book superhero character having a recurring role in Superman stories published by DC Comics. Originally created as a weapon by an ancient alien race, he is over 200,000 years old and is considered an artifact of Krypton...

, and Doomsday

Doomsday (comics)

Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...

. All of the five Supermen are playable characters at some point.

Gameplay

The gameplay is the standard "beat 'em up" type, where the player controls a character that can move in all directions. A set number of foes will enter the screen and only after they are defeated can the character continue on the quest. Although different in appearance, each character has the same basic abilities: standard melee attacks (punches), grappling attacks (get close enough to character and attack), throws (holding the forward key and attacking), grab and throw upward (holding the “up” key and attacking), grab and throw backward (holding the “back” key and attacking), or grab and pummel (hold the “down” key and attack), a projectile attack, and an “ultimate” attack that destroys all standard enemies on the screen. Their attacks only slightly vary, mostly in range and appearance.

Each Superman has the ability to fly and can thereby avoid certain characters or obstacles using this ability. There are also characters that have the ability to fly and are thereby easier to defeat if confronted in the air. There are also certain areas and levels where flying is mandatory. Also, many obstacles can be passed only by flying. However, certain screens in which the character is on an elevated platform the flying ability is almost completely negated.

With the exceptions of Superman and to a point the Man of Steel, each character has two standard types of level: melee combat and flying in which only projectile moves can be used. The standard melee levels consist of the character fighting through “common” enemies and ending the level with a fight with a “boss” character. When playing the flying levels, the player can move the character anywhere in the screen while firing the character’s projectile move at greatly weakened enemies. No boss characters appear in these levels. Strangely, Superman never has a flying level and instead plays through three standard melee levels. Steel has a unique flying level that plays more like a combat level as he doesn’t use his projectile attacks and relies on his melee attack. Also, Steel has a “boss” character he must defeat in order for the game to progress.

Choice of characters isn’t allowed during the game and the player must play through the game as a pre-determined character for each level.

During the start of the game enemies are usually armed with guns, bombs, or chainsaws if they are armed at all. Superman’s invulnerability seems to have been removed, as these items are capable of hurting him. Later characters are armed with more powerful energy type weapons and pure melee characters are now robots. Most characters appear time and time again and more powerful enemies use the same game sprite but with a different color.

Playable characters

(Each description is quoted from the game)

• Superman
  Superman
  Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
  
   - "The greatest hero of all time, Superman guards Metropolis and the world against all evil forces." Superman uses his heat vision as a projectile attack. His super move is a powerful divebomb.
• The Cyborg
  Hank Henshaw
  Hank Henshaw is a fictional supervillain featured in the DC Comics universe. While originally featured primarily as an enemy of Superman, recent years have repositioned him as one of the main enemies of the Green Lantern Corps...
  
   - "Half man, Half machine, Cyborg's organic parts match Superman's DNA identically while his metallic parts appear Kryptonian in origin. Is this Superman rebuilt?" The Cyborg uses his arm cannon as a projectile attack. His super move is a flash bomb.
• The Eradicator
  Eradicator (comics)
  The Eradicator is a fictional comic book superhero character having a recurring role in Superman stories published by DC Comics. Originally created as a weapon by an ancient alien race, he is over 200,000 years old and is considered an artifact of Krypton...
  
   - "Regenerated within the Fortress of Solitude, the Eradicator is Superman reborn. Or is he?" The Eradicator uses plasma blasts as a projectile attack. His super move causes the screen to go dark and him to charge plasma in his hands.
• Superboy
  Superboy (Kon-El)
  Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
  
   - "Created within the genetic tubes of the Cadmus project, Superboy claims to be a teenage clone of Superman." Superboy uses telekinetic blasts as a projectile attack. His super move is a telekinetic flash.
• Steel
  Steel (John Henry Irons)
  Steel , also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 , he is the third character known as Steel and was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove...
  
   - "A.K.A John Henry Irons, former special weapons designer for Westin Technologies, the Man of Steel has pledged his life to carrying on Superman's legacy of justice." Steel uses iron rivets as a projectile attack. His super move is a powerful dive.

Plot

The game follows the events of the Death of Superman starting from the time that the Underworlders (led by Clawster

Clawster

Clawster is a fictional character owned by DC Comics who exists in that company's DC Universe. He is a resident of the artificial planet, Warworld.-Fictional character biography:...

) take over the Metropolis Power Plant to Superman's return and defeat of the Cyborg. Other heroes such as Green Lantern

Hal Jordan

Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...

 ,and the Justice League

Justice League

The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....

 are omitted from the game (though the league is mentioned in a cutscene) and other notable enemies such as Mongul

Mongul

Mongul is the name of two fictional characters that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the character debuted in DC Comics Presents #27 and was created by writer Len Wein and artist Jim Starlin. The second version first appears in Showcase '95 #85 and was created by...

 are also missing from the plot. While an image of an unpowered Superman is present in the game, the player never gets to battle with Superman in this form.

Events that take place in the game are: the Underworlder's attack on the power plant, Doomsday's appearance and defeat/victory against Superman (Doomsday is twice fought against as a boss character), the Cyborg's assault on Cadmus to retrieve the body of Doomsday, the battle between the Eradicator and Steel, the destruction of Coast City and the subsequent fight between the Eradicator and the Cyborg, Superboy's fight against the Cyborg, Steel's assault on Engine City, Superboy's assault on the missile bound for Metropolis, Steel's destruction of Engine City, and Superman's final battle with the Cyborg.

External links

• The Death and Return of Superman at IGN
  IGN
  IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...