The Greatest Batman Games on Batman Day 2019
(9 minutes reading time)
Today (Saturday 21st September) is Batman Day, celebrating Batman’s 80th Anniversary. There already exists a fair number of greatest Batman stories listiciles, but only a handful about Batman videogames. I’m adding one more!
Free Batman games!
UPDATE! These games are still free until Thursday 26 September 14:59 GMT!!!
Before I go on, the inspiration to write a Batman videogames list is from Epic giving away a bunch of Batman games over the weekend! All 3 of the Batman Arkham series, and all 3 of the LEGO Batman series too! 6 amazing games. Freeeeeee (for PC). And if you’re sore that you don’t have a PC (pfft who does?), then PSN members can download Batman Arkham Knight for their PS4 during the month of September!
I’ve also linked to where you can get hold of some of the games mentioned below - Disclosure: the Amazon links are via my Amazon Associate profile, so I get a tiny bit of Amazon credit if you buy items with those links. Honestly it’s not like you’ve gone off to the Metro’s listicle on “best” Batman games, and feeding them advertising revenue. I’m certainly more worthy than the Daily Mail owned rag, and I need more Batman stuff. Thanks! 🙏
So here’s my list and in no particular order:
Batman The Movie - ZX Spectrum
Notable for being the first Batman game I ever played. And I don’t have much recollection of it, other than being slightly disappointed. It’s considered a decent game, but by the time I’d got my hands on it I’d been ruined by the Megadrive. A very basic platformer broken up with Batmobile sections. This became an established formula for Batman games for years to come.
Batman Returns - SNES
I included this game in my previous Batman listicle, Christmas with Batman. This was the very next Batman game I played and it didn’t disappoint. Beautiful, beautiful sprites (I love pixel games) and Batman! Definitely repeating the sideways scrolling beat ‘em up formula, with the best Batmobile moments at the time.
The Adventures of Batman and Robin - SNES
The Batman Animated Series is perhaps my favourite TV and movie representation of Batman. Its timeless, classic, fundamental essence of Batman given shape in dark-bright cartoon form left an indelible mark in my already enraptured mind. I never got to play this game until this year. It’s also incredibly rare and expensive. Konami (who made the previous Batman licensed games on SNES) work their magic once again with lush, imposing sprites.
Batman Arkham Asylum - Xbox 360
The defining Batman game. Ever. There had been a handful of truly, truly awful attempts to bring Batman over from the 2D world of sideways scrolling, platform based beat ‘em ups on to the 3D heavy PSOne and PS2 era. They’re a blight in Batman’s videogames history. Fight me.
This however is not only a game changer (excuse the poor pun) but it is the very first, true moment you really feel that you are Batman! It’s one of the free Epic games, and pretty cheap to buy as part of the Batman Arkham Collection for PS4 .
Batman Arkham City - Xbox 360
The sequel that allowed you outside of Arkham and avenge… no wait, that’s another superhero thing… strike fear and terror into the hearts of criminals across the city of Gotham! That really is the most outstanding part of this instalment to the series. And many consider this the best Arkham game, but generally I’m not a fan of “open world” games. This thankfully isn’t too huge. I also can forgive it, as I get to swing across the rooftops of Gotham as Batman - so whatever.
Batman Arkham Origins - Cold Cold Heart - Xbox 360
This is actually a DLC add-on story to the main game, Batman Arkham Origins. The only “Arkham” game that wasn’t made by Rockstar Studios, but Warner instead. The game is notorious for being glitchy and not on the same level of general quality as the rest of the series. It’s glaringly absent from the Arkham Collection. The Cold Cold Heart DLC though is a much more enjoyable play. The gameplay is tight, short and portrays Mister Freeze well. Cold Cold Heart story is based on the Batman The Animated Series episode that introduced the revamped Mister Freeze. Yeah, the one that won an Emmy Award.
Batman Arkham Knight - PS4
Rocksteady Studios’ swan song. Technically amazing, visually opulent, and the best combat system yet. It has such a satisfying flow between kung fu high wire flying kicks, bone crushing takedowns, and aggressive counters. It could have been the best of them all. I was so excited for this game that I even got the Special Edition PS4.
Except…
Tanks.
People started moaning about the Batmobile tank levels and at first I didn’t understand the hate. I thought the Bat-Tank was cool.
Then Arkham Knight retaliates with overpowered Predator Tanks. And it’s utterly, utterly ruined the game for me. So much so that I’ve never completed it. I’ve had the game for 4 years now!
I hate those tanks.
BUT if you haven’t played it, it’s definitely worth getting it while it’s free. Or cheap as it’s part of the PlayStation Hits catalogue - £11!
LEGO Batman - Nintendo DS
Not the best version of the game, this Nintendo DS port of the first LEGO Batman game was a delight on the handheld. If you can get past the sub-par graphics, it’s worth having the portable versions. The LEGO gameplay is identical. Some maps may be smaller, but honestly the LEGO series has a tendency to leave me a bit lost sometimes.
LEGO Batman 2 - XBbox 360
They beefed up the roster and you could play as LEGO Superman, as the World’s Finest teamed up againt Lex Luthor and the Joker. Pretty decent.
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham - PS4
This game is actually much more of a Justice League game than a Batman one. LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham sees the Dark Knight leave Gotham for space! With the usual Legion of Doom lot teaming up with Braniac. To be quite frank, I’d reached a point of LEGO games fatigue. A playthrough of the main storyline was all I was ever interested in, and didn’t really feel compelled to get 100% completion in any of the LEGO games. But the giant roster in this gave me FOMO and I didn’t enjoy it. So I never got to find the Adam West Batman to play with. And that sucks.
Batman The Telltale Series
This was my first Telltale Games experience, knowing how lauded their Walking Dead series was. Batman The Telltale Series has a much greater focus on Bruce Wayne, with a story that twists Wayne history enough to make you feel real jeopardy. It passed the time and allowed me to indulge being Batman in an easy-going manner (like the LEGO series). I didn’t get the sequel however, and sadly the studio shut down earlier this year.
Batman The Brave and The Bold The Videogame - Nintendo DS
I got rid of my Wii years ago, and got into The Brave And The Bold after I did that. I was not going to go out an buy another Wii console just to play this, so I hunted down a cheap copy of the DS version. It’s not the greatest, as side scrolling beat ‘em ups are a lot better these days. I’ve hardly played it.
Update!
I’ve been playing this on my commute, and it’s far better than I’d realised. The animation is smooth, the game has a “child friendly” mode where you get infinite lives and also Bat-Mite appears to bridge over chasms so you don’t constantly fall into them. Perfect for the Tube when the coffee hasn’t kicked in yet.
What’s also a neat touch, and obvious if you’ve ever seen the series, is being able to play as and swap between a rainbow roster of superheroes who Batman has to team up with to overcome the myriad missions. The whacky sense of humour is also present. A fun game so far!
The ones I haven’t played
Not going to say anything about each, as I’ve never played them. This is basically a Batman games wishlist.
Batman - ZX Spectrum
Batman Returns - Mega CD
Batman The Brave and Bold - Nintendo Wii
Telltale Batman: The Enemy Within - PS4
Batman: Return Of The Joker - Megadrive
