Superman (USA) (Kemco)

In Kemco's Superman (USA) for the NES, players take on the role of the Man of Steel to confront his arch-nemeses, Lex Luthor and Brainiac. The main storyline revolves around Lex Luthor kidnapping Lois Lane and, along with Brainiac, threatening the city of Metropolis. Superman's mission is to rescue Lois and protect the city.

The gameplay of Superman combines outdoor exploration with indoor combat within buildings. When on the streets of Metropolis, the game plays as a side-scrolling action title. Superman can fly freely across the screen, dodging obstacles and enemies. When flying near the ground or encountering enemies, Superman can land and engage in hand-to-hand combat. Players will use punches and kicks to incapacitate opponents.

A unique aspect of the game is that when Superman enters buildings, the perspective shifts to a top-down view, similar to some action-adventure games of that era. Inside these buildings, players need to search for clues, items, or face mini-bosses to progress through the story. Each building often contains its own secrets and challenges.

Superman's superpowers are represented in the game, including flight, super strength (punching, kicking), heat vision, ice breath, and X-ray vision. However, using these superpowers consumes Superman's energy bar. A controversial and often misunderstood point in the game is Kryptonite; instead of weakening Superman as in the comics, it actually restores his energy in this game. Players need to collect scattered Kryptonite pieces to maintain energy and continue the fight.

The ultimate goal is to locate Lois Lane, defeat Lex Luthor, and Brainiac. The game requires players to be skillful in movement, energy management, and simple puzzle-solving to overcome challenges. Despite some imperfections, Superman remains a unique NES experience for fans of the Man of Steel.