An example of gameplay from Justice League Heroes: The Flash
Justice League Heroes: The Flash is a side-scrollingbeat 'em up with an isometric viewpoint.[1] Players control The Flash, progressing through 12 levels to fight waves of robots and henchmen, culminating in boss battles against supervillains like Brainiac, Gorilla Grodd, Zoom, and Circe.[1][2] Basic combat involves a chain of punches and kicks activated by tapping the attack button, with simple button combinations for superhero attacks like a tornado lariat or ground pound. Pressing the A Button allows The Flash to instantly dash to the nearest enemy, delivering a quick attack.[2] The right shoulder button activates a super-speed mode that slows down enemy movements while The Flash maintains normal speed, allowing multiple hits before enemies react. It is used for both combat and puzzle-solving but is limited by a special-move meter, requiring players to conserve energy.[1][2] Pressing the left shoulder button summons other Justice League heroes (e.g., Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, Green Arrow) for a screen-clearing super attack or crowd control. These are limited by the meter and icon pickups.[2] As players advance, The Flash unlocks new attack moves. Unlockable modes include a boss rush and a racing challenge against Superman.[1]
Plot
It covers what the Flash was doing while the other Justice League members were on missions. By the first level, Martian Manhunter warns Flash about a robot invasion in Keystone City, led by Gorilla Grodd.
During the second level, Superman and Batman are investigating a break-in at S.T.A.R. Labs while Gotham City is being attacked by both regular criminals and robots. There, Flash confronts Killer Frost.
By the third level, the Martian asks Flash to help Themyscira, Wonder Woman's home island, where the sorceress Circe has taken over and turned all the guards into animals, and he's joined by Green Arrow. Circe slips that Brainiac is behind the plot, but doesn't give further details.
At this time, the Martian Manhunter is with Superman on Mars, fighting the white Martians and Flash talks with Batman. The Dark Knight informs him about some floods across the Pacific, and Flash goes to investigate. Once there, he finds and confronts Zoom.
After this, Flash talks to Black Canary. Brainiac had invaded the Justice League Watchtower and was just driven away. She tells Flash that Superman will meet up with him, and Flash challenges him to a race.
Once there, Superman is nowhere to be found, so Flash starts searching for him at Metropolis. Instead of Superman, Flash finds Brainiac, or at least one of his powered avatars. Brainiac mocks Flash, telling him about a bomb programmed to blow up and destroy Metropolis within two minutes, which leaves the player with two minutes to beat the final boss of the game. The rest of the story continues in the standard Justice League Heroes.
Justice League Heroes: The Flash received "mixed or average" reviews according to Metacritic.[3] Lucas M. Thomas of IGN called it a fresh take on the genre that perfectly captures The Flash's spirit, leaving other beat 'em ups "in the dust".[1] Frank Provo of GameSpot praised the imaginative use of The Flash's abilities, slick presentation, and engaging boss fights, making it a compelling GBA title despite minor flaws.[2] Chris Hoffman of Nintendo Power noted the game's repetitive nature and lack of attack variety, though he said the speed powers and boss battles add some appeal.[5] Dinowan of Jeuxvideo.com described it as an average, forgettable beat 'em up with limited gameplay depth, despite the fun dash mechanic.[4]
Critics praised the integration of The Flash's super-speed as a standout feature. Thomas highlighted the dash mechanic as "incredibly simple but incredibly satisfying", breathing new life into the genre.[1] Provo praised the imaginative use of The Flash's powers, and noted the variety added by the summoned Justice League members.[2] Hoffman acknowledged the speed powers as cool additions but noted they deplete the special-move meter, forcing conservation and reducing their impact.[5] Dinowan found the dash mechanic "quite funny" but considered it anecdotal, with the super-speed mode largely useless.[4] Hoffman and Dinowan noted the game's limited attack variety and reliance on basic punches and kicks contribute to repetitive gameplay.[4][5]
The game's visuals were considered a strong point. Thomas praised the well-animated sprites and vibrant environments, noting the isometric viewpoint enhances the sense of space.[1] Provo commended the detailed, colorful backgrounds with animated touches (e.g., scrolling clouds and splashing water) and smooth character animations that reflect the attitude of the recent Justice League comic and TV episodes.[2] Dinowan described the graphics as average, neither ugly nor beautiful, with tiny characters that fail to stand out, though he regarded the red trail left by The Flash's dashes as a visual highlight.[4]
The audio was generally well-received, with The Flash's voice clips and comic-inspired sound effects adding charm, though the music was deemed unremarkable. Thomas praised the quick voice clips of The Flash's quips, which he felt enhance his likable personality.[1] Provo highlighted the "kitschy dramatic music", meaty sound effects, and goofy voice samples as an excellent complement to the action, aligning with the property's tone.[2] Dinowan found the voice clips amusing, but called the music average.[4]
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