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Best Games Ever: Batman v Superman

10 games that every fan of the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel should try out.

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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is finally coming out this week, and we decided to celebrate the occasion by recalling what are, in our opinion, the best games that included the two heroes. And no, this is not a competition, because we know that Batman would easily win it just with the Arkham series alone. Instead, we remember some of the classics, or discover some of the more modern games that starred the two iconic DC Heroes.

Batman Returns
Release: 1993
Platform: SNES
This was not the first game based on Batman, far from it, but it was probably the first to really stand out during the early years. Batman Returns is based on the movie with the same name, the second directed by Tim Burton, and it was released for several platforms. However, the Super Nintendo version was considerably superior to others, including the one on Mega Drive, because it was produced by Konami. The game had very detailed graphics for the 16-bit era, and gameplay reminiscent of Final Fight. And it even included a driving sequence for the Batmobile!

Superman
Release: 1993
Platform: Mega Drive
Our first Superman highlight is also the hero's first game on the Mega Drive, titled only as "Superman". This version of the character was clearly inspired by the comic books, and even included Brainiac as the main villain, who has always been more associated with comics. The game was a mix of action and platforming, and allowed players to switch between several Superman powers, including laser vision, super strength, flight, and even spinning to make holes in the ground. It was nothing exceptional, but it is a solid enough Superman game.

Best Games Ever: Batman v SupermanBest Games Ever: Batman v Superman
Batman Returns, Superman
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The Adventures of Batman & Robin
Release: 1995
Platform: Mega Drive
The same situation that happened with Batman Return was repeated in this game, also released across several platforms, but produced by different developers. The SNES game was once again made by Konami and it had better story and graphics, but the Mega Drive version benefitted from more fluid gameplay and allowed cooperation between two players, where one would control Batman and the other Robin. Despite the developer's name, all versions were based on the Batman animated series, as is evident by the visual style on the characters.

The Death and Return of Superman
Release: 1995
Platforms: SNES, Mega Drive
This may surprise many players, but this action game inspired by the story of Death and Return of Superman, was produced by Blizzard. Yes, the same Blizzard that later made Starcraft, Warcraft and Diablo. The gameplay was very similar to something like Final Fight or Streets of Rage, although with variation offered by the powers of the various characters. Players would not only assume the role of Superman, but also control the variations that followed his death, like Superboy and Cyborg Superman. It is a bit repetitive and lacks the depth of other games in the genre, but it's still worth being remembered by fans of the Man of Steel.

Best Games Ever: Batman v SupermanBest Games Ever: Batman v Superman
The Adventures of Batman & Robin, The Death and Return of Superman

Justice League Heroes
Release: 2006
Platforms: PS2, Xbox, PSP, DS
Justice League Heroes was DC Comics answer to X-Men Legends, following the same action-RPG style with the isometric view, but it was several steps down in terms of quality. The situation worsened when shortly after Marvel released the vastly superior Marvel Ultimate Alliance, which like the two titles mentioned above, was also an isometric action-RPG. Still, Justice League Heroes is a reasonable enough offering for those who are fans of the DC heroes, and it allows two players simultaneously in some platforms.

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Superman Returns
Release: 2006
Platform: Xbox 360
Let's make it clear that Superman Returns is not a good game. In fact, frankly, it's terrible. But it did had a redeeming quality - flight in open world. Flying around a very open version of Metropolis was undoubtedly the high point in the game (literally and figuratively), and probably the one that came closest to recreating the experience of actually being the Man of Steel (in the air at least). The problem was everything else: horrible story, mediocre graphics and atrocious controls. Still, if you keep it in the clouds, you might still take something away from Superman Returns.

Best Games Ever: Batman v SupermanBest Games Ever: Batman v Superman
Justice League Heroes, Superman Returns

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Release: 2009
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
This one certainly needs no introduction. Rocksteady has changed the paradigm of games based on superheroes, with an adventure that was not only a fantastic Dark Knight story, but also a superb action game in its own right. The narrative, graphics, controls, world, and details, everything combined to form a game that is still the benchmark for all other superhero titles. The sequels are also of very high quality, better than any other game on this list, but we felt it was sufficient to only include Asylum in this article.

DC Universe Online
Release: 2011
Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4
The task that fell to Sony Online Entertainment (now Daybreak Game Company) was to create a PC and PS3 (now also PS4) MMORPG based on the massive universe of DC, and this was no easy thing to do. And given the difficulty of the project, we thought SOE did a reasonable job. Obviously, in terms of graphics and gameplay, that are problems when comparing with other games, but DC Universe Online has its own strengths. It's an MMORPG where you can spend hours on end flexing your superhero muscles, especially if you are a big DC fan, plus the game can be played for free on PC, PS3 and PS4.

Best Games Ever: Batman v SupermanBest Games Ever: Batman v Superman
Batman; Arkham Asylum, DC Universe Online

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Release: 2012
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
The Lego series had some good games before Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, but this one marked the biggest evolutionary leap for the Lego franchise. Not only was it the first LEGO game to include voices for the characters, it was also the first to include a full open world for players to explore, instead of the usual linear levels. With these changes, fans of Batman, Superman, and company, could fly and drive through the streets of a Lego version of Gotham, and on top of that, they were also presented with a entertaining story plot full of wonderful references.

Injustice: Gods Among Us
Release: 2013
Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Injustice was the game that followed after Netherrealm produced the fantastic Mortal Kombat (9), and they took many of the lessons from that project into this new heroes and villains duel. Story mode showed players an alternative version of the universe, in which Superman becomes evil by killing Joker, after the villain had managed to kill Lois Lane. It's a story that includes many DC characters, including favourites like Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Lex Luthor and Joker, but the highlights were of course Batman and Superman. If you're a DC fan, you should also check the comics books based on Netherrealm's plot.

Best Games Ever: Batman v SupermanBest Games Ever: Batman v Superman
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, Injustice: Gods Among Us

What's next?

Video games have been much kinder to Batman than the Man of Steel, especially with the appearance of the Arkham trilogy. In part this is due to the fact that Batman fits better into the traditional video game structure, when Superman, who is virtually invincible except from Kryptonite, is much harder to recreate. Still, we believe that the character can still lead to a great game, and that are rumours that Warner Montreal (Batman: Arkham Origins) is now working on a Superman game, but for now, they is just unconfirmed speculation.

As for Batman, his future is now an uncertainty, particularly since Rocksteady has said that it has ended its journey with the character in Batman: Arkham Knight. Without being directly connected to any of the heroes, and without knowing anything concrete, we wouldn't be surprised if Netherrealm were working on Injustice: Gods Among Us 2, especially now that they are almost finished with Mortal Kombat X DLC packs. Hopefully E3 will bring news on this and other possible superhero projects.

Best Games Ever: Batman v Superman


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