Since his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 back in 1939, Batman has been a clear favorite among superhero fans. The alter ego of millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (who has more money than Jeff Bezos or not?) transforms into Batman when he dons his (almost always) black suit and fights crime in Gotham City while being tormented by the murder of his parents when he was just a child. Ah, that pearl necklace breaking on the floor, how much play he has given.
But in addition to having starred in tons of comics, movies, television series, and cartoons in its more than eighty years of history, you may not know that nearly sixty video games have also been based on the figure of the Dark Knight. so many? So many! In fact, only our neighbor and friend Spider-Man surpasses him in this facet. Although, as in the cinema, far from all his forays into the genre have been memorable.
Over the years, we’ve spent hours and hours of gameplay driving the famous caped crusader, especially enjoying it since Rocksteady sky-activated the Bat-signal in his own distinctive style in the Arkham series. Since then his influence can be seen in all modern superhero games and even some games outside of the Marvel/DC realm have been inspired by his fighting style.
But what is the best game in the long-running bat franchise? Well, that is something that we are going to decide from now on. A decision – just like who is the best Batman in cinema – with which of course you may not agree and that we urge you to refute on the usual social networks. So without further ado, let’s proceed to remind you of the Batman video games you deserve and need as we eagerly await the release of The Batman .
Although our brain is a fragmented hard drive, we have a pretty clear memory of playing this 3D isometric adventure back in the 20th century. Quite a testament to the enduring gameplay of a title light years from the current ones, and in which instead of killing enemies, you had to rescue Robin by gathering the pieces of the Batcraft hovercraft. A fan created in 2000 a very cool freeware version that you can download here.
Batman Arkham VR (2016)
This game immerses us in the universe of Jombre Murcielago so that we can experience Gotham through his eyes. You can think like Batman and use his legendary VR gadgets to unravel a plan that puts the lives of your closest allies at risk. For how disappointing VR games often are, this is one of the few that is saved. And on a good note.
Lego Batman: The Videogame (2008)
After the success of Lego Star Wars and Lego Indiana Jones , it was a matter of time before a superhero would get the same treatment. One of the best installments in the series, it stands out both for the entertaining plot and for the number of playable characters it has, but above all for the settings, with interactive objects made with Lego pieces that must be assembled in order to advance in the level, cross obstacles or go unlocking new costumes.
Based, obviously, on the Christopher Nolan movie of the same title, the game is quite faithful to its plot –it even has more than 20 clips from the movie that give context to the story– and in it we control Batman as he goes beating around Gotham on the hunt for Ra’s Al Ghul. The slick stealth mode, the intense action, and the hilarious phrases thrown out by the thugs during interrogations mean we still have great memories of this game 15 years later.
The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1994)
The 1992 Batman animated series completely redefined superhero animation and managed to charm young and old alike with elaborate scripts and a more adult approach. And the spirit of those drawings is collected in this action platformer that came out in its day for Mega Drive and SNES. Addictive, with great end-of-screen boss fights and a special reward for hardcore beaters, it’s one of the best Batman games ever made.
Batman: The Movie (1989)
The official set of the movie that starred Michael Keaton (do we agree that he was the best Batman or do you have other candidates like Ben Affleck or Robert Pattinson?) consisted of five screens based on the original footage. Each one is different, alternating platforming, driving, puzzles and a final battle with the Joker. It seems that people quite liked it back in the day, because it was the best-selling game for Spectrum in 1989.
Batman: The Telltale Series (2016)
This five-episode point-and-click adventure for PC, console and mobile was beautifully scripted with all the usual characters from the Gotham universe and was aimed at a more adult audience than usual for Batman games. Here you control both Bruce Wayne and his alter ego as you progress through an interactive comic of sorts with outstanding graphics and gameplay. Another must-have for fans.
Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
No one expected it, but the first title in the Arkham saga made history, not only achieving a great game, but also finally cementing the role of the Dark Knight in the history of video games. The voices of Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker were to blame for this. A must-have for every self-respecting gamer, even more so with its recent remastering for next-generation consoles.
