Batman: Return of the Joker on NES is one of those weird little gems that flew under the radar. You’d think the Joker staying dead would be the whole point of, you know, killing him, but nope—he’s back, and Gotham’s sewers are crawling with his goons. The first stage throws you right into the grimy tunnels, dodging rats and guys in purple jumpsuits while your batarangs feel way more satisfying to throw than they should for an 8-bit game.

What’s cool is how it doesn’t just rehash a movie plot—it does its own thing, with stages like a clanky machine shop and a train barreling through the night (good luck not falling off). Batman punches hard enough to make enemies explode, which never gets old. It’s janky in that classic NES way, but there’s charm in the weird level designs and that synth-heavy soundtrack. Definitely not the polished Batman experience you’d get later, but it’s got its own weird appeal.