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It’s easy to forget that Batman has been starring in video games for as long as he has been in movies. Such is the success of the Arkham series that have rendered many of Batman’s less-than-stellar back catalog of games largely irrelevant. Batman Arkham Asylum was released in 2009, at a time when superhero games weren’t always made right. Not only was it a critical and commercial success, but it also revolutionized the superhero genre and spawned an entire franchise with 4 main items, a VR game and an upcoming spin-off.

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Contrary to some people’s memories, Batman played in multiple other games that aren’t Arkham, and many of them hold up surprisingly well today. The best Batman games are the ones that manage to combine all the important elements that make him such a beloved character. These games succeed through hard-hitting combat, from melee action to the use of its varied gadgets and tools, detective skills that allow the player to solve crimes by deciphering clues, a gripping story with a myriad of villains from Batman‘s illustrious gallery of villains, and visuals that do justice to the adventures of the caped crusader.


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Batman Begins

Movie tie-ins tend not to transition well from movie to video game. Sometimes there are exceptions, and Batman Begins was definitely one of these. Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy deserves a lot of credit for generating more interest in superheroes on the silver screen. The combination of Christian Bale’s performances, the score and the gritty plot won audiences and critics worldwide.

Despite the game’s insistence on sticking strictly to the film’s plot, it managed to recreate much of what made the film such a success. The visuals and voice acting were great, with many of the film’s cast reprising their roles, and the fights in particular stood out. In many ways it paved the way for the Arkham games with the combined use of stealth mechanics and combo attacks. It’s definitely one of the better movie combinations of the 2000s and still plays well today.


Lego Batman: The Video Game

The LEGO games have spanned many franchises over the years, with LEGO‘s signature humor with fun, easily accessible gameplay and characters and plots from the chosen source material. Back then, the original LEGO Batman game might have been LEGO‘s most ambitious title of its time. It featured an original story, colorful, vibrant visuals, and perhaps the most unique gimmick, the ability to play as Batman villains in a story mode. This was something gamers hadn’t been able to do until now, and it was a refreshing change from playing like the good guys. Despite a lack of voice acting, the character models were able to convey the plot in a humorous and engaging way. while later LEGO Batman games may have improved mechanics such as open world structure and real voice acting, the charm of the original still exudes today.


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Batman: The Telltale Series

Perhaps the most unique entry in the list is Batman: The Telltale Series. Unlike the other action-packed games, this is a point-and-click adventure where players take on the role of Bruce Wayne and have to make important decisions that affect the direction of the story. While other Batman games tend to focus on The Dark Knight himself, this one has taken away the persona and instead focused on the man behind the mask. The voice acting is great and the visuals really help bring the game to life. While gameplay enthusiasts will likely complain about the lack of action, there’s something to be said for how this interactive story draws the player in and makes them think about the decisions they’re making, as well as the potential consequences.


The Adventures of Batman and Robin

Perhaps the most beloved image of the Caped Crusader is the extremely popular cartoon Batman: the animated series which originally ran in the early 1990s. Praised for its somewhat dark tone, its mature, complex plots, as well as its voice acting and general artistic style, the cartoon seemed poised for a video game adaptation given its popularity. During the later years, the show changed its name to The Adventures of Batman and Robin, and it was at this point that an SNES adaptation was released. The game remained very faithful to the cartoon, with impressive visual animations and a stylish atmosphere. Developed by Konami, no stranger to 2D side-scrolling beat-em-ups, it features battles against a range of villains that were challenging and surprisingly varied at the time.

Batman: Revenge

Based on the cartoon The New Batman Adventureswhich was a continuation of Batman: the animated series, Batman: Revenge painstakingly recreates Gotham’s cartoon world in bright, vibrant 3D. Bringing back much of the voice cast who are reprising their roles from the television series, Revenge has no shortage of style, with a brand new plot to accompany the tight, simple gameplay mechanics. Batman has gadgets to use in addition to melee combat, and there are even fun, accessible vehicle levels to play, including a very impressive Batwing stage that holds up better than certain railshooters of today.


Batman’s Future Beyond Arkham

Of Arkham Knight seemingly to bring Batman’s story to a close within that canon, it’s unclear how the Caped Crusader factors into Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League or another future game related to the Arkham canon. Still, Batman continues to have a striking presence in the game industry. His recent inclusion in free-to-play brawler MultiVersus has allowed gamers to reprise his role in his popular TV show cartoon disguise. Whatever the future holds for Batman after Arkhamplayers can be sure they haven’t seen the last of him.

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