Released during the peak of 1990s comic book fever, The Death and Return of Superman serves as a surprisingly faithful adaptation of the massive DC crossover event. Developed by Blizzard Entertainment—long before they became a household name for Warcraft—the game is a traditional side-scrolling beat 'em up that allows players to step into the boots of the Man of Steel and his four diverse successors. Each character, from the hammer-wielding Steel to the aggressive Eradicator, possesses unique projectiles and special screen-clearing attacks, though they all fundamentally share the same core combat mechanics. The narrative progression follows the comic panels closely, providing a satisfying sense of scale as you transition from the tragic brawl with Doomsday to the eventual reclamation of the cape.
Visually, the title captures the "Modern Age" aesthetic of DC Comics with chunky, detailed sprites and environments that feel ripped straight from the page. The flight mechanics add a verticality rarely seen in the genre, allowing players to hover and bypass certain ground obstacles, even if the actual combat remains largely two-dimensional. However, the game suffers from a lack of environmental variety and repetitive enemy encounters that plague many brawlers of the era. The sound design is serviceable, featuring a driving, rock-inspired soundtrack that fits the gritty tone of the early 90s, though it lacks the iconic orchestral themes one might expect from a Superman production.
Despite its strong license and polished presentation, the game’s greatest flaw is its lack of a cooperative multiplayer mode—a glaring omission for a Super Nintendo beat 'em up. Forcing the experience to be single-player only highlights the repetitive nature of the combat and makes the high difficulty curve feel more like a chore than a challenge. While it stands as one of the better Superman games ever released, it remains a tier below genre classics like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time. It is a must-play for DC completionists due to its historical accuracy, but casual fans may find the shallow gameplay loop loses its luster long before the Man of Steel makes his triumphant return.
