Every Standalone Batman Game, Ranked

Batman is a natural fit for video games. His skills as a detective, his cool gadgets, and his fighting abilities work well in many different types of games, like adventure, stealth, and shooters. He’s been appearing in games since 1986 and has been in over thirty of them! We’ve reviewed all 32 of his solo games and ranked them based on how critics scored them when they first came out, how popular they were, and how enjoyable they are to play. When it comes to games based on Batman movies, we only picked our favorite version since different companies made different games for various consoles. Otherwise, you’ll find every standalone Batman game ranked below.

32) Batman: Dark Tomorrow (2003)

Out of the 32 dedicated Batman games, Batman: Dark Tomorrow is widely considered the worst. Originally intended as an expansive, open-world game for the GameCube based on the comics, development expanded to include the Xbox, forcing developers to cut back on many features. The final product was a critically panned experience, earning its place as one of the most disliked Batman video games ever created. Its Metacritic scores – 29/100 on GameCube and 25/100 on Xbox – reflect fundamental flaws in its gameplay.

31) Batman & Robin (1998)

Games based on movies are often poorly made, and the Batman & Robin game is a prime example. As a follow-up to the Batman Forever game, it lets you play as Batman, Robin, or Batgirl, each with their own vehicle, in an open-world setting. You complete missions by solving crimes like robberies, but you have to do so quickly, or you’ll fail. While the graphics are okay, the controls are clunky, and the game barely resembles the movie it’s based on – it’s just as bad!

30) Batman: Gotham City Racer (2001)

Batman is famous for his incredible gadgets and vehicles, so a racing game seems like a natural fit. Batman: Gotham City Racer closely follows the look and characters of The New Batman Adventures animated series. However, despite having a good foundation, the game feels frustrating to play. The controls are difficult, making it less fun than most racing games. With better handling and more features, a remake could really capture the potential of this concept.

29) Batman Forever: The Arcade Game (1996)

The arcade game Batman Forever, based on the movie, was also released on consoles and computers. It’s a typical beat-’em-up where one or two players can choose to play as Batman or Robin and fight against villains like the Riddler and Two-Face, along with their henchmen. Players can even choose the same character, which can be chaotic! While it’s a beat-’em-up, the game has surprisingly complex fighting moves, making battles feel more like a traditional fighting game. Overall, it’s a fairly standard arcade experience – fun for a few plays, but not particularly memorable.

28) Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu (2003)

Unfortunately, the final video game based on the DC Animated Universe is its weakest, which is disappointing given the effort put into it. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu is a fighting game where Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl battle a new Gotham villain named Sin Tzu. You can play through a story campaign by yourself or team up with a friend in co-op mode, unlocking new moves and characters as you advance. While not terrible, it’s not a standout title and likely won’t stay with you for long.

27) Batman (2013)

The 2013 Batman arcade game focuses on fast-paced vehicle combat with the Batmobile. Players drive around Gotham City, rounding up all the prisoners who have escaped from Arkham Asylum, and encounter many familiar characters from the Batman universe. What’s unusual for an arcade game is the ability to save your progress with a personal profile – a feature typically found only on Neo Geo machines. The game cabinet itself is impressive, featuring lots of LEDs and a Batmobile-style seat for a truly immersive experience. While it’s an enjoyable arcade game, it was never released for home consoles, so you’ll need to find an arcade that still has it if you want to play.

26) Batman Begins (2005)

I remember when Batman Begins came out – it totally saved the Batman movies after Batman & Robin! The movie itself was awesome, but honestly, the game was just… okay. It’s a stealth-action game that came out on a bunch of systems. I heard the Xbox version was the best, but it wasn’t a huge leap in terms of graphics or lighting. The cool thing was that most of the actors from the movie did the voices for their characters in the game. It wasn’t bad, you know? It wasn’t amazing either. It actually follows the movie’s story pretty closely, and they even used clips from the film as cutscenes, so it wasn’t the worst movie tie-in game I’ve played.

25) Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (2013)

Released alongside Batman: Arkham Origins, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate continues the story a few months later, focusing on Batman’s efforts to quell a riot at Blackgate Penitentiary. While it differs in gameplay and presentation from other Arkham games and was available on several consoles, Blackgate stands out for bringing the franchise to handheld devices like the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita. Though the story and cutscenes are engaging, some players found the controls and fixed camera angles frustrating.

24) Batman: Arkham VR (2016)

The core Arkham games are played from a third-person perspective, but Batman: Arkham VR uniquely puts you inside the world as Batman, experiencing it through his eyes. This game isn’t a remake of any of the other Arkham titles and takes place between the events of Arkham City and Arkham Knight. You play as Batman searching for Robin and Nightwing, using his detective skills and iconic gadgets to investigate locations and overcome challenges. While it was the first Batman game in virtual reality, Batman: Arkham VR isn’t necessarily the most highly-rated. Despite its commercial success and award recognition, some players found it to be relatively short and straightforward.

23) Batman: The Telltale Series (2016)

Telltale Games’ first Batman game uses the familiar point-and-click style the studio is known for. It tells a brand new story, separate from existing Batman comics or movies. Batman: The Telltale Series, released in five parts between August and December 2016, didn’t receive as much critical acclaim as some of Telltale’s other games, partly due to technical issues at launch. However, it still offers a strong atmosphere, impressive voice acting, and exciting action. The game’s success led to a sequel in 2019.

22) Batman: Chaos in Gotham (2001)

As a big Batman fan, I always thought the games on older handheld systems were surprisingly good, especially compared to other superhero titles. Though, if I’m being honest, Batman: Chaos in Gotham is probably the weakest of the bunch. It came out for Game Boy Color in 2001 and really captures the style of The New Batman Adventures. The story is classic Batman: a massive escape from Arkham Asylum throws all of Gotham’s villains – The Joker, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Bane, and a ton more – back onto the streets. You play as either Batman or Batgirl, running through 18 levels, and you get to use all sorts of cool gadgets and drive different Bat Vehicles while trying to round them all up!

21) Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is a video game based on the popular animated movie. It’s a side-scrolling beat-’em-up that was released on several gaming systems. The PlayStation version wasn’t very good, but the Game Boy Color version was surprisingly well-received. Despite having simpler graphics, the GBC version offered better controls and a more enjoyable experience. While the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation versions received mostly negative reviews, the handheld version was considered much stronger.

20) Batman Forever (1995)

The movie Batman Forever came out at the same time as Batman Forever: The Arcade Game, but the two are completely separate experiences. The game is a side-scrolling beat-’em-up where you can play as either Batman or Robin, battling Two-Face and the Riddler. It was released on several platforms, and while many versions received negative reviews, the Sega Genesis version is generally considered the best. It’s not a terrible movie tie-in game, but it doesn’t stand out as a classic either – it’s a game you might play once and then forget, unless you’re feeling nostalgic.

19) Batman (1990)

This list focuses on games released alongside movies, but two versions based on the 1989 film Batman are special enough to be mentioned separately. The version for the TurboGrafx-16 (known as the PC Engine outside North America) retells the movie’s story from a bird’s-eye view, similar to the gameplay of Bomberman. It was admired for its graphics. While the Batman game is a unique and enjoyable experience on the TG16, it wasn’t widely played due to the console’s limited popularity.

18) Batman: The Caped Crusader (1988)

Released on several platforms in the late 80s, Batman: The Caped Crusader is one of the first video games to star the iconic hero, and many fans consider the Commodore 64 version to be the best. It’s an action-adventure game designed like a comic book, using new panels to show each location and featuring comic-style captions. The game is innovative and offers a lot of fun with its two-part structure, challenging puzzles, and battles against Batman’s enemies. Despite being released in 1988 for early home computers, it remains a surprisingly enjoyable game, though you’ll probably need to use an emulator to play it since it hasn’t been re-released.

17) Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame (2010)

Based on the popular cartoon, Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame was released for both Nintendo DS and Wii. While the DS version had some differences due to the handheld’s limitations, both games offer enjoyable adventures featuring the show’s characters and settings. The game is a classic 2D beat-’em-up where Batman teams up with various heroes in separate, episode-like levels. The Nintendo DS version generally received higher praise and was considered a fun and faithful adaptation of the cartoon, appealing to a wide range of players.

16) Batman (1986)

Though simple by today’s standards, the original Batman game from 1986 is still surprisingly enjoyable. Released on several different systems, this isometric action-adventure challenges players to rescue Robin by collecting seven parts of the Batcraft hidden throughout the Batcave. It was innovative for its time, being one of the first games to let you save your progress. While it feels dated now, both critics and gamers were huge fans when it came out, and it remains a critically acclaimed title even after all these years.

15) LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (2014)

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham continues the LEGO Batman story with the same fun gameplay as the previous games. The plot centers around Brainiac, a villain who wants to shrink the world and add it to his collection. This unlikely threat forces the Justice League and the Legion of Doom to work together to stop him. Like other LEGO games, it’s packed with over 150 characters, humor, and offers a large, playful world to explore. While not as popular as the first two games, LEGO Batman 3 remains enjoyable and entertaining.

14) Batman: Vengeance (2001)

Inspired by The New Batman Adventures, Batman: Vengeance is an action-packed game released on all major platforms, including the Game Boy Advance. The game features the original voice actors from the show, creating an immersive experience for fans. The story centers on Batman investigating what appears to be The Joker’s death, but other villains consistently complicate things. Naturally, The Joker’s demise isn’t what it seems. Critics generally rated all versions of the game similarly, though the Xbox and GameCube versions were slightly more popular.

13) LEGO Batman: The Videogame (2008)

The original LEGO Batman game was a success when it came out on all major gaming consoles. It used the same gameplay style as previous LEGO games, but it was the first to tell a completely new story. This proved to be a great decision, leading to three sequels. Like many other games, the plot revolves around a breakout from Arkham Asylum, where Batman, Robin, and other heroes must stop three gangs led by some of Batman’s most famous enemies. LEGO Batman: The Videogame was highly praised by critics and won many awards, thanks to its engaging story and how much fun it was to play again and again.

12) Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)

In Batman: Arkham Origins, the third game in the Arkham series, players experience Batman’s early days, eight years before the events of Arkham Asylum. Still developing as a hero, Batman finds himself targeted by Black Mask, who puts a bounty on his head. He must track down Black Mask and bring him to justice while evading the police, all complicated by the interference of other villains. This game introduced a multiplayer mode to the series, but is generally considered weaker than previous installments. Despite criticisms that it lacked innovation and the multiplayer felt forced, Arkham Origins boasts a compelling story, atmospheric music, and strong voice acting.

11) Batman: The Enemy Within (2017)

Following the popularity of Batman: The Telltale Series, a sequel called Batman: The Enemy Within was released the next year. This second game built upon the strengths of the first, with noticeable improvements to the story, how the game looked and felt, and especially the portrayal of The Joker. The game offered a fresh and complex take on the iconic villain, even after decades of interpretations. Many consider it a highlight of Telltale Games’ work, and it’s widely regarded as an excellent Batman experience. The story unfolded over five episodes, continuing the narrative from the first game, and was released between August 2017 and March 2018.

10) Batman: Return of the Joker (1991)

Following the popularity of the Batman game on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sunsoft created Batman: Return of the Joker. While the first game was based on the 1989 Tim Burton movie, this sequel tells a brand new story. It draws heavily from Batman comic books published around that time, though it still includes familiar elements from the film, like the Batwing and Batmobile. A different version was also made for the Game Boy, which is a traditional platformer, unlike the run-and-gun style of the NES game. Batman: Return of the Joker is an enjoyable game and worth playing, even if it doesn’t feel quite as groundbreaking as the original.

9) LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (2012)

LEGO games and Batman are a great combination, and LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is the strongest title in the series. The story brings Batman, Robin, and Superman together to thwart Lex Luthor and The Joker’s scheme to get Luthor elected President. With help from the Justice League and a roster of 50 playable characters (plus 10 more available as downloadable content), the game is incredibly fun and offers a lot of replay value, making it a truly excellent experience.

8) The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1994)

Several versions of The Adventures of Batman & Robin were released for different gaming systems. The game is based on the animated series, and most fans agree that the Sega Genesis version is the strongest. It’s a fast-paced, action-packed game – similar to Revenge of the Joker – and uniquely features a two-player mode where one player controls Batman and the other controls Robin. While the Genesis version is often considered the best, the versions for other home consoles and handheld devices are also solid adaptations of the source material.

7) Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)

Following Batman: Arkham City, Batman: Arkham Knight is the fourth game in the series. Set nine months after the previous installment, the story centers on Batman confronting Scarecrow, who launches an attack that forces Gotham City to be evacuated. As Batman investigates, Scarecrow joins forces with a new villain, the Arkham Knight, and unites Gotham’s criminals in a massive effort to finally defeat the Dark Knight. Arkham Knight is known for introducing the Batmobile, which significantly changed how the game was played, and it’s a highly praised, award-winning title that holds up to multiple playthroughs.

6) Batman Returns (1992)

Early Batman movie games were known for being well-made and enjoyable. The game based on Batman Returns came out on many different consoles, but the Super Nintendo version is often considered the best. This beat-’em-up game lets you play through seven scenes from the movie, each ending with a boss battle. The Super Nintendo version of Batman Returns looked fantastic and was one of the best side-scrolling action games on the system. While not overly difficult, it closely followed the movie’s story and included several classic Batman villains to expand the gameplay.

5) Batman: Arkham Shadow (2014)

Batman: Arkham Shadow is the second virtual reality game in the Batman: Arkham series, continuing the story after the events of both Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Blackgate. The game picks up six months after Arkham Origins, showing a less experienced Batman. He’s tasked with stopping a new villain, the Rat King, who threatens to destroy Gotham City on July 4th. The game also explores other storylines, like the friendship between Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent before Dent became Two-Face. Critics generally loved Batman: Arkham Shadow, praising it as a significant improvement over the first VR title.

4) Batman: The Animated Series (1993)

As you might expect, Batman: The Animated Series is a game based on the popular cartoon of the same name. The show was actually renamed to The Adventures of Batman & Robin partway through its original run, and several games followed. This Game Boy version was the first, created by Konami, with other developers handling later releases. It’s a side-scrolling action game where you can play as either Batman or Robin, each with unique skills to help you navigate challenges. While the Game Boy game based on the 1989 Batman movie was also very good, this adaptation of The Animated Series is generally considered the better of the two.

3) Batman: The Video Game (1989)

The 1989 NES game Batman: The Video Game is considered a classic. Released alongside the Batman movie, this 2D platformer was praised for its impressive graphics, smooth controls, and gameplay, which drew comparisons to Ninja Gaiden. Players could equip Batman with three gadgets: the Batpoon, Batarang, and Batdisk. Despite being based on the movie, the game doesn’t follow the film’s story closely. It features unique characters and settings not found in the movie, making it feel like a separate, original adventure.

2) Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)

Released in 2009, Batman: Arkham Asylum revolutionized how Batman was portrayed in video games. Earlier games were much simpler in terms of graphics, story, and overall complexity. This game stood out with its compelling original story and innovative gameplay, focusing on Batman’s stealth and combat skills, quickly becoming one of the best Batman games ever made. It was a huge success, receiving both strong sales and positive reviews. Batman: Arkham Asylum kicked off a popular series of games, and while a later installment eventually became even more highly regarded, the original remains incredibly enjoyable and one of the all-time great games.

1) Batman: Arkham City (2011)

Following the success of Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City is often hailed as the greatest Batman game of all time. It builds on the original with a greater emphasis on Batman’s skills as a detective, his stealth tactics, and his combat abilities. The game features a much larger open world and improves upon every aspect of the first game. With over 12.5 million copies sold, Arkham City was a massive success, surpassed only by LEGO Batman: The Videogame – though Arkham City offers a more mature experience and a fantastic interpretation of Batman’s rich history.

What’s your favorite Batman video game of all time? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/list/10-best-dc-games-ranked/embed/#

2026-02-17 16:18