The seventh level of the game takes us into the cutting edge of cyberspace as we rescue Commissioner Gordon and Barbara from The Riddler's twisted maze.
Riddle Me This...
This stage begins with The Riddler sending a message to Batman, saying he has presented the completed version of his "Maze of the Minotaur" cyberspace game to the Police Department. Somehow, Police Commissioner Gordon's daughter, Barbara Gordon, seems to have become lost in it and that she will be in there forever unless someone is clever enough to solve his labyrinth. He asks Batman if he wants to give it a try.
Batman uses a computer to network with the one at the police station in order to access the maze. Alfred asks Batman to be prepared in case he needs to blast through some walls. Bring the Plastic Explosives and the X-Ray Goggles, or else you will be unable to beat the level.
Unlike other stages in the game, this one gives you a map in the upper-right corner of the screen, which you can consult at any time. You will need this to see where you are as well as which direction you are facing in the maze. Getting around this level is very similar to moving around in the museum in the second stage, but you will also be able to move downwards by pressing Down on the Control Pad. You will notice this when you see a square that you can easily see through. Just press Down at it, and you'll head towards the foreground.
When you enter the maze, you will be met by The Riddler. If you can solve the riddles of the maze, Commissioner Gordon and Barbara Gordon will both be freed (even though the Commish is not even mentioned in the opening cutscene and you don't know he's there until you near the end). From here, you will be fighting enemies.
Move right at the start. When you see a corridor in the background, go into it. Keep going right, and you'll see a square indicating you can move downwards. Press Down, then head right again. If you use the X-Ray Goggles at the dead end, you will learn that this is a fake wall. Use the Plastic Explosives to blow a hole in the wall. The wall will disappear and you can keep moving right.
Press Down at the next square, then go left and press Down at the next square. Head right, and fight the enemies as you go. When you see another square, press Down, then go left and press Down at the next square. You will come across a green circle with a yellow question mark on the floor. Walk up to it, and you will be asked a question by The Riddler. When he asks what the shortest distance between a point in Nome, Alaska and a point in Miami, Florida is, the answer is a curved line. If you pick the wrong answer, you will end up in the Waste Land. You will also end up in the Waste Land if you lose a life at any point in the maze. From here, go left and press Up, then go left for more energy for the Plastic Explosives. From here, go right and you'll be back on the path to the first question.
When you get the question right, you'll end up in a new area. Go left, and The Riddler will tell you that the curved line is correct because the earth is round. You'll then encounter another green circle, but if you walk onto it, you get warped to the southeast corner of the maze.
From here, go left, then go up at the corridor. Go left and fight the enemies as you go. As soon as you see another corridor in the background, press Up. Head to the right and get some energy for the Plastic Explosives, then go to the corridor in the background and press Up again. Head to the left and fight enemies, then press Up at the dead end. Go right, then press Up when you reach the wall. Go to the left and fight more enemies. You will eventually reach another green circle, which teleports you elsewhere.
Head to the left, and keep going until you reach a locked door. There are three keys nearby to choose from, and if you pick the D Key just like in the animated series, you will have to duck under one giant circular blade and duck under a second that both come in from the right. Grab the C key instead, otherwise you'll be dodging three giant circular blades. (Duck under the third one.)
When you open the locked door, go into it. Touch the green circle. The Riddler tells you that in sheet music and on the musical scale, the C has no sharps, while A has three and D has two. (Gee, way to take it literally.) You'll then be warped again.
Head to the right, then go up at the wall. Go left while fight enemies, then press Up at the wall. Walk up to the green circle to get warped again.
Head left while fight enemies, but don't go into the corridor in the background yet. Keep going left to get a health pick-up, then go back to the corridor and press Up. Head right while fight enemies and press Down at the first set of corridors. You'll be back in familiar territory. Head back to the southeast corner of the map and step on the green circle. Follow the path here, then use the X-Ray Goggles. The wall to your right is fake. Jump over the green circle and throw a Plastic Explosive at the wall, then head right. Go to the next green circle you see to warp again.
Head to the left to another green circle. Use the X-Ray Goggles to find out that the wall to your left is fake. Jump over the green circle and throw the Plastic Explosive at the wall, then walk into the next green circle you see to get warped yet again.
Head to the left and press Up at the wall, then head to the right and press Down at the wall. Head to the right and fight even more enemies, then press Down at the wall. Go left and press Down at the wall, and you'll find Barbara Gordon, the Commish...and the Minotaur!
The Riddle poses another riddle: I have billions of eyes, yet I live in the darkness. I have millions of ears yet only four lobes. I have no muscles yet I rule two hemispheres. What am I?
The answer is H.B., which is short for "human brain." Batman explains his answer, and says it is the only thing The Riddler respects. The Riddler is both impressed and angered to the point that he sics the Minotaur on you.
To beat the Minotaur, throw a Plastic Explosive at him if you have any left, and use the wall jump to vault over him if he corners you. When the Minotaur swings his sword at the wall, punch at him until he turns around. Lather, rinse, repeat. If you run out of Plastic Explosives, run back and forth and get hits as you do, and don't use the Batarang...it's completely useless.
After this, The Riddler thanks you for getting this far, but says that everything so far has just been a test. The real game begins now, and you'll eventually be in a different area in the world. You'll end up in a virtual chess board, and The Riddler is in the mood for a relaxing game of chess. It's relaxing for him, but it's anything but for Batman!
Head to the right. Watch out for any pawns that attack you with spears. When they stop striking, roll to the right. Grab the heart if you need health, then punch the rooks four times to get rid of them. Keep running to the right, and The Riddler will show up. He will present you with something he thinks Batman will get a real charge from.
Keep heading right. Jump to the right as the right hand zaps, and jump over the pits the lasers create. Keep jumping as you go to the right, as it allows you to travel to the right a little more quickly than just running alone. Also, don't stay in one place for too long, as the floor will still break under your feet and drop you into a bottomless pit. Be sure to make small hops with the jump button as you keep moving right, so you can give yourself a bit of a lead against the floor; otherwise, you won't be able to make it, especially when you have to punch rooks out of the way.
After the second rook, keep making a few short hops, then keep going right. When the right hand fires a laser, immediately jump to avoid falling. Remember that The Riddler will only zap orange tiles.
When The Riddler sends a rook at you, duck down, then head to the right. Be ready to roll to the right when the pawns stop attacking, and keep running right until the rook explodes. You'll then face The Riddler himself...almost.
The Riddler fights you with two chess kings. White goes first, and he switches between White and Black. Attack the kings whenever you can, and stay on the move so the kings don't crush you. The best strategy is to trap yourself in one side of the room. You'll have less room to move, but you'll be able to hit two jump kicks on a king instead of one. When you destroy one of the kings, be ready to run to the right and jump over to the right whenever the right hand fires a laser. As this goes on, the king you did not destroy will be pushed to the right, and you can wall jump off of it if need be.
You'll eventually have to fight the other king. Fight it just like you did the first king, and remember to wall jump. You'll eventually beat the second knight, and beat Stage 7. On to the toughest challenge yet...!
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