PrinceWatercress plays Batman Returns (SFC) on Mania - 10th Anniversary Let's Play - Part 6 of 7

This is perhaps the hardest scene in the game before the last level, and you're going to find out why really, really quickly.

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Scene 6

Circus Train

Section 1 (beat-'em-up)

You're going to be dealing with Fat Clowns at the beginning. Grouping them up and trying to deal damage to two of them at the same time works well here.

The background will eventually change from the outside world to the inside of a tunnel. You'll start seeing a biker moving in and out of the background tossing bombs onto the top of the train. Whatever you do, don't be near the background or in the flight path of the bombs. If you do the former, you'll most likely be performing the latter as well. If you're in the bombs' flight paths, you'll instantly get hit as soon as the bomb touches you. Once again, cheapness at its finest. You could stop the biker with a Bat Test Tube, but it's just going to come back at the same exact time interval, so it's not even worth it just to keep the biker from throwing one bomb. You'll be dealing with a lot of Knife Throwers and dark green Thin Clowns that carry bombs, adding an even more explosive element to this slice of the ride.

You'll eventually end up back outside the tunnel, but you'll also have to jump over arches positioned over the tracks. The arches will sweep you off your feet and cause damage, but it will cause instant death to any enemies who touch them...except the blue Thin Clowns, who will jump over them even if they're facing you. Apparently even the blue ones have a special talent. If you can somehow stun them in time, the arches will still kill them...but I wouldn't even recommend doing this on Mania unless you got the timing of the arches' appearances down to a science.

When the background is covered by a building, you're nearing the end. You'll be dealing with Fire Clowns, Sword Swallowers and Knife Throwers. You'll be dealing with two waves of them, then you'll finally get a chance to refill all of your health with a Big Heart before the train stops, signifying the end of the first section.

Section 2 (beat-'em-up)

When you get off the train, you'll immediately be in a boss fight. This time, you'll be facing an organ grinder. The Organ Grinder will have blue Thin Clowns flanking him throughout the battle until you get rid of them all. At the outset, the Organ Grinder will try to get in close and whack you with his organ. If you can throw Thin Clowns into him or - even better - knock his head into that of a Thin Clown, good for you. You'll be doing a lot of throwing just to keep the Thin Clowns off your back. If you need to, use a Bat Test Tube whenever you're cornered by the boss and the Thin Clowns.

When you get the Organ Grinder down to a light green health bar, he'll switch tactics. Instead of trying to go after you, he'll run away from you, and quickly! He'll go to one side of the screen and try to shoot you down with the machine gun hidden in his organ. Since he won't even use close-range attacks at this point, it's a lot easier to get close to him as he's running away from you (walking into him diagonally really helps). From there, you can do some headbutts and throws on him until he's dead. Just remember to sidestep whenever his machine gun pops out.

When you beat this scene, you'll finally come upon the old Gotham City Zoo...and Arctic World! You're at The Penguin's Lair now, and your adventure is just about over. It's just you, even more clown lackeys, and The Penguin.