Best Batman Games

Once upon a time, DC’s Batman seemed to get a new game every other year. The Dark Knight was the talk of the town, and his run under Rocksteady’s banner arguably helped usher in a new era of superhero games that is still going strong today. If Arkham Asylum was not a success, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League would likely not be in development at the moment.

However, in recent years, Batman has taken a backseat in the video game department. The Caped Crusader has not received a proper standalone outing since 2017’s The Enemy Within, and no news has come out to suggest that will be changing anytime soon. While comic fans have plenty of upcoming superhero titles to look forward to, if someone wants to wear Bruce Wayne’s cowl, they will need to look to the past to find the best Batman games.

Updated February 17, 2024: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has finally come out, and it is safe to say that Rocksteady’s game is divisive. While the Caped Crusader features in the story, he is not the star of the show; consequently, people craving Batman games will need to turn to the past.

Generally, only games starring Batman will be included. The only exceptions are the
Injustice
series since The Dark Knight plays a central role in the stories of those titles and
Gotham Knights
since the Bat Family is an extension of Batman.

23 Batman: Rise Of Sin Tzu

Metascore: 67

Batman: Rise Of Sin Tzu occupies a unique place in Batman gaming history. Although it uses the designs and overall continuity of the New Batman Adventures TV show, it stars an original villain named Sin Tzu who seeks out the toughest opponents to defeat them in combat. Naturally, this draws him into the cross-hairs of Batman.

At its core, this game is a surprisingly difficult beat-em-up where Batman fights through legions of henchmen before ending each stage with a boss who has been broken out by Sin Tzu. You can level up and buy new combos but most importantly, you and up to four friends can play as Batman, Robin (Tim Drake), Nightwing, or Batgirl. Rise of Sin Tzu is at its best with four players, and while it will likely never top a best Batman games list, it is fun enough to play once.

22 Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate

Metascore: 68

The Batman Arkham brand is synonymous with quality. Even the weakest console release (Origins) is an above-average action-adventure game. Unfortunately, the franchise’s single attempt to transfer over to the handheld market resulted in a significant decline in quality.

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is a side-scrolling Metroidvania set within the titular prison after it has been taken over by a myriad of DC villains. Not the most original of stories, but it gets the job done. The game adjusts Arkham‘s influential combat system to complement the limitations of portable consoles, but the transition could have been a lot smoother. Ultimately, this is a mediocre game in a subseries known for excellence.

21 Batman

Metascore: N/A

While not one of the easiest titles to revisit in the modern age, the Caped Crusader’s debut game was ambitious for its era. Before closing shop in 1998, Ocean Software was a prolific development team that produced some great titles, including 1987’s Head over Heels and 1992’s The Addams Family, and Batman ranks among the company’s better projects. An isometric platformer, the game guides players from one impressive room to the next, challenging them to find Batman’s equipment, avoid traps and enemies, and make the occasional decision.

Although dated, Batman‘s visuals hold up reasonably well, provided someone goes in expecting 8-bit graphics. The map is essentially a labyrinth that regularly forces players to make choices that could lead to dead ends, which could be literal considering the game’s overall difficulty. To combat the gameplay’s potentially frustrating nature, Ocean incorporated a save system, which was an innovative move in 1986.

Batman
‘s sequel, 1988’s
Batman: The Caped Crusader
, is also pretty good.

20 Batman Begins

Metascore: 66

Based on Christopher Nolan’s movie, Batman Begins has slipped through the cracks due to coming out just a few years before Arkham Asylum, a game that is superior in nearly every way. However, Eurocom’s 2005 release was a better-than-average licensed game for its era, and it was impressive in some regards. For one, the visuals were great, and they are still decent today. The voice acting was also top-notch, with many actors from the film reprising their roles.

Batman Begins falters slightly in the gameplay department, albeit not to the point of becoming unplayable. The game is just a bit unfocused in this area, combining a few different ideas to create a serviceable but ultimately shallow whole. Nevertheless, this was a fine late addition to the PS2, Game Cube, and Xbox libraries.

19 Gotham Knights

Metascore: 67

Technically, Gotham Knights is not a Batman game, at least in terms of playable characters. That said, the Dark Knight’s shadow looms heavily over this version of Gotham. The main storyline centers around the Caped Crusader, while the four playable heroes – Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, and Red Hood – are all intrinsically linked to Batman. In the last 20 years, DC has emphasized the Bat Family quite a bit in the comics, and this association serves as the beating heart of WB Games Montreal’s action-adventure title. Despite giving off heavy “lone wolf” energy, Bruce Wayne has repeatedly searched for a successor capable of picking up the mantle of protecting Gotham once he is no longer around. Gotham Knights brings that ambition to fruition.

Gotham Knights shines the brightest in its characters and story. All four leads are likable and bounce off each other well, and cutscenes change depending on which character players are using at the time. Each hero essentially serves as a separate class, and they all have unique skill trees and individualized progression systems. The narrative assembles a wide selection of Gotham’s most dangerous villains, ranging from the lesser-known but fascinating Court of Owls to heavyweights like Mr. Freeze and Harley Quinn.

If Gotham Knights consisted of nothing but story missions, it would rank higher on this list. However, the game bogs itself down with open-world busy work that only serves to pad out the campaign’s runtime. Gotham has a few impressive locations, but they are spread thin across a rather empty and often uninspired map. The combat also leaves something to be desired, and it is made worse by the fact enemies are damage sponges. On consoles, Gotham Knights is capped at 30 FPS, which is disappointing.

18 Batman: The Brave And The Bold – The Videogame

Metascore: 74

Released shortly after Arkham‘s rise, Batman: The Brave And The Bold – The Videogame showcases a different side of DC’s legendary hero. Based on the eponymous animated series, The Brave And The Bold offers a comedic take on the Dark Knight’s adventures, one that involves a colorful cast of allies and villains. Split into four episodes, the game features multiple playable characters, with players being allowed to pick their poison or engage in local co-op.

Blending platforming and beat ‘em up combat, Batman: The Brave And The Bold – The Videogame is a cute licensed game that does not stand out too much from the crowd. Rather than a recommendation for general DC or Batman fans, this title is primarily for people who love this specific show.

17 Batman Returns (SNES)

Metascore: N/A

Back in the 16-bit console era, it would have been quite impossible for Batman games to have heavily detailed stealth or detective mechanics. Thus, fans received mostly linear side-scrollers, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t fun. Case in point, Konami’s classic Batman Returns on the Super Nintendo.

Aside from a single Batmobile driving level, the game follows the events of the movie as Batman fights Catwoman, The Penguin, and endless legions of thugs from a beat-em-up perspective. While the game is hardly revolutionary, the graphics have aged quite well and the controls are solid, making its combat highly satisfying. Its cheap bosses knock it down a peg compared to other beat-em-ups on the SNES, but it’s still fun to throw criminals into glass windows after stunning them with a Batarang.

16 Batman: The Animated Series

Metascore: N/A

A slightly forgotten entry in the Caped Crusader’s gaming career, Konami’s Batman: The Animated Series does an impressive job of paying tribute to its beloved source material while making the most of the Game Boy’s limited hardware. Obviously, realistic expectations are needed when analyzing a licensed game for a handheld system that debuted in 1989, but all things considered, Konami could not have done a better job putting together a project that delivers solid gameplay, great visuals, and even better music.

Controlling either The Dark Knight or Boy Wonder, players work their way through an array of stages centering around different villains from the show. Each segment is somewhat standalone, which makes the campaign feel episodic in nature. While Batman: The Animated Series might not blow most players away, it has more than enough positives to justify a recommendation for people who have a fondness for Game Boy-era releases.

15 Batman: Vengeance

Metascore: 70

Developed by Ubisoft, of all people, Batman: Vengeance is one of quite a few early 3D games that have been consumed by Arkham‘s shadow. The consensus seems to be that none of the Caped Crusader’s pre-Rocksteady projects are worth seeking out in this day and age, which is slightly unfair. Sure, most of them are way too clunky to hold up to modern scrutiny, but there are a few gems that deserve some recognition. Vengeance is one such title.

Now, to be clear, this 2001 release is not some forgotten masterpiece, nor is it one of the greatest superhero games of all time. However, Vengeance does a good job of capturing the source material’s style and spirit, particularly Batman: TAS. The game tells a pretty good story, and it even features a surprisingly complex combat system for its era.

14 Batman: The Video Game (NES)

Metascore: N/A

Retro gamers still loyal to Nintendo’s breakout console still swear by this Batman title and after playing it, it’s easy to understand why. Batman on the NES is a simple side-scroller where players must reach the end of a stage, beat a boss, and move on to the next one until they reach The Joker.

From its wall-jumping puzzles to its various weapon power-ups, the game plays extremely similar to Ninja Gaiden on the same console, which isn’t a bad template for an 8-bit Batman title. What puts this over the edge of many other Batman movie games, though, is its presentation. The 8-bit cutscenes look amazing for their time and its soundtrack shines on a system known for classic soundtracks. Very much worth the time of any Batman fan.

13 Batman: The Telltale Series

Metascore: 72

Batman: The Telltale Series garnered a mixed reception during its initial run due to suffering from performance issues, particularly the PC version. Telltale fixed quite a few of these problems once the season was completed, allowing the actual quality of the content to take center stage rather than its technical execution.

For the most part, Batman offers a nuanced look into the hero’s psyche, and it does a great job of distinguishing between the character’s different personas. Most games do not even show Bruce Wayne with the cowl, let alone emphasize his role in the Batman mythos. Telltale goes out of its way to define Wayne as a counterpart to the Caped Crusader, and it is great. The rest of the cast is also very good.

12 The Adventures Of Batman And Robin

Metascore: N/A

Decades after its conclusion, Batman: The Animated Series is still regarded as the best cartoon adaptation of DC’s hero. This can be credited to its engrossing stories and top-notch voice acting. Season 2 of the Batman: Animated Series was rebranded as The Adventures of Batman and Robin, and the television series inspired a game of the same name.

The Adventures of Batman and Robin is a solid romp for its era, delivering decent visuals and gameplay during its standard side-scrolling levels. Using passwords to save progress wasn’t ideal and the Batmobile sections did not quite come together, but The Adventures of Batman and Robin served as a respectable extension of the cartoon.

11 LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

Metascore: 74 (Or 78 on iOS)

The Dark Knight’s third solo Lego adventure is bigger and, in some ways, better than everything that came before. At the time of its debut, this game had arguably the best roster in any release in the franchise, not just the ones starring Bats. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham delivers exactly what its title advertises, pushing the Caped Crusader away from his main hunting grounds into the wider DC universe.

Gameplay-wise, this is generally more of the same, offering a mix of puzzles, light combat, and exploration. The story is also quite amusing. Beyond Gotham‘s most divisive element is the inclusion of hub areas that contain most of the game’s content outside the story missions. While visiting iconic locations like the Hall of Justice and Justice League Watchtower is fun, the hubs vary greatly in quality and size, making quite a few of them underwhelming. Beyond Gotham might have been better off creating one big city.

10 Batman: Arkham VR

Metascore: 74

Rocksteady Studios is synonymous with the Caped Crusader, but this association does not stem from Batman: Arkham VR‘s brilliance. This project is undoubtedly the developer’s least impressive foray into DC’s universe, even if it is still fairly decent. Prior to jumping into this virtual reality package, fans should temper expectations as this is a rather restricted experience.

The thought of viewing the world through Batman’s eyes is enticing, and Arkham VR scratches that itch to a certain extent. As Bruce Wayne, players step into his alter-ego’s shoes as they head out to investigate a murder mystery. Featuring appearances by many figures found in Rocksteady’s mainline Arkham games, this project tells an effective storyline that would not seem out of place on the pages of a comic. Batman’s detective skills are put front and center, and this aspect of the campaign is reasonably immersive.

Otherwise, Batman: Arkham VR is lacking in content. The game has no combat, which is arguably the most beloved part of Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy, and the controls can be clumsy at times. While die-hard Dark Knight fans will probably get a kick out of this project, Arkham VR is not a must-play release.

9 Injustice: Gods Among Us

Metascore: 82

Overshadowed entirely by its superior successor, Injustice: Gods Among Us is somewhat difficult to recommend in this day and age. While far from terrible, the gameplay is stiff even by NetherRealm’s standards, and a few characters are so overpowered that they throw the roster’s balancing completely off. Still, the Ultimate Edition can be picked up for a steal, and its single-player content should be able to keep a DC fan entertained for a couple of hours.

The combat might leave something to be desired, but the same cannot be said for the story. Injustice‘s tale of Superman-gone-bad can be consumed in a few different forms of media, but the game’s iteration is still the best of the bunch. More importantly, this story is all-around great, arguably ranking among DC’s better narratives of the 2010s. An argument could also be made that Gods Among Us is better than its sequel in this area.

8 Lego Batman: The Videogame

Metascore: 80

The Lego games have gradually evolved to incorporate large sandboxes and hundreds of characters; Lego Batman: The Videogame is from a different era. Released before these releases started to incorporate open-worlds or voice acting, this Batman is a level-based action-adventure game overflowing with humor and charm.

Despite lacking voices, this title still manages to capture the personalities of the legendary characters that make up Gotham City. This entry also has the best story in the Lego Batman trilogy, perhaps a benefit of the campaign’s streamlined nature. Along with just being really fun to play, this game is an endearing celebration of The Dark Knight’s mythos and legacy.

7 Batman: Arkham Origins

Metascore: 76

The black sheep of the Arkham franchise, Origins deserves more love. Yes, the game notoriously launched in an underwhelming state that rightfully garnered criticism. It also recycles Arkham City‘s map and features an uninspired selection of boss battles, at least when compared to its predecessors. WB Games Montreal’s prequel is far from perfect, but it is not a stain on the Arkham name either and would have been a positive addition to the myriad of compilations the series has produced in recent years.

Even though the setting is the same, the snow-covered Gotham looks absolutely gorgeous, and this seemingly small change makes the city feel fresh. The story has its share of great moments, particularly in its first two acts. Finally, the combat system is nearly as good as Arkham City, and arguably even improves on the formula in places.

6 Batman: The Enemy Within

Metascore: 79

Batman: The Telltale Series laid the groundwork for a superior sequel, and The Enemy Within delivers in almost every area. Season 2 revolves around arguably DC’s greatest relationship: Batman and Joker (John Doe). While the latter was a part of the previous season, the Joker’s story is properly told in The Enemy Within, and players get to actively influence the narrative’s direction.

This season’s first few episodes are a bit cumbersome as they are bogged down by too many unenjoyable puzzles, but things improve greatly from around episode 3. After that, The Enemy Within transforms into something special as it tells one of the strongest Batman stories in gaming.

5 Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes

Metascore: 81

As the last decade was filled with games that refined its ideas, Lego Batman 2 might not seem all that special in this day and age; however, it was and still is a landmark release in the Lego franchise. Many of the staples that come to define these projects – expansive hub worlds, comedic voice acting, playable characters who have unique traits – can be traced back to this 2012 game.

While it might no longer be the best in its class, Lego Batman 2 nevertheless holds up, largely thanks to a charming story that is stuffed with loving callbacks to not just the Dark Knight’s legacy but DC in general. The game allows players to explore Gotham freely, and the city is impressive while naturally being very different from other interpretations.

4 Batman: Arkham Knight

Metascore: 87

Batman: Arkham Knight is by no means a bad game. Its world is exceptionally detailed, enough to leave players in awe. Most of the animosity towards this game is attributed to its Batmobile. These sections hurt the flow of the campaign, adding repetitive stretches that are far more polarizing than nearly any other part of the experience. If someone is a fan of tank combat, they might love this game more than any of the other entries in Rocksteady’s series.

Putting aside the Batmobile sections, Arkham Knight is otherwise all-around spectacular. Rocksteady refined the Arkham combat to near perfection, and an argument could be made that no subsequent game in the industry has surpassed Arkham Knight when it comes to melee action. Like the previous games in the series, this game’s Gotham is a Gothic work of art. The city is gorgeous, dense, and punctuated by identifiable landmarks. Except for Batman: The Animated Series, Arkham Knight has the most fully realized Gotham outside the comics.