The 23 Best DC Games of All Time

Back on the NES, quality side-scrolling action/adventure games prospered greatly. And thankfully, this one kept that excellent streak going with a better-than-expected licensed title. Based on the 1989 Tim Burton cinematic take, Batman: The Video Game is a dope side-scroller that feels like the perfect marriage between Ninja Gaiden and Castlevania. There are solid platforming elements intact, the ability to wall jump, and a collection of side tools that widens Batman's combat repertoire. As far as superhero video games from way back in the day go, this one is a top-of-the-line experience that doesn't feel like a cheap cash-in on DC's iconic savior.

If you're an OG in these gaming streets, you'll remember the significant differences between certain games on the Sega Genesis and SNES. In the case of Batman Returns, the Super Nintendo version is miles better than the inferior Genesis rendition. And that's why I decided to drop it on here. You can never go wrong with a solid beat 'em up and that's precisely what the SNES version of this game is. Since Konami developed it, it's easy to see why this beat 'em up came out as good as it did. Walking from left to right to assault a horde of clowns and getting involved in some wild boss encounters was & remains as fun as ever here.

Here's a rare case of two versions of a 16-bit game both being equally acceptable. The Adventures of Batman & Robin on Genesis was pretty much a side-scrolling shooter, while the SNES rendition was more of a traditional beat 'em up. Both games do right by the cartoon series as evidenced by their crisp 2D visuals, which still look impressive to this day. The opening cinematic and music in the Genesis version are much preferred, while the SNES version comes with better visuals. Ultimately, both games are fantastic as a combo deal and a good representation of a classic 90s cartoon.

There are so many worthwhile Lego games out there based on a wealth of legendary IPs that will always stand the test of time. And of course, we got one that's about the "Caped Crusader" and his band of sidekicks & popular members of Rogues Gallery. Lego Batman: The Videogame sticks to the formula of the many Lego games that came before it - there's fun co-op gameplay involved as you and a buddy run around themed locales seen in the comics to collect Lego studs, solve quick brainteasers, and beat up random baddies. The jokes come a mile a minute and the fun factor stays at an all-time high for all ages, too.

When the announce trailer for this crossover fighter came across everyone's timeline, heads exploded everywhere! Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe presents the ultimate battle between two mainstream properties that no one ever expected to see do battle. Lui Kang, Raiden, and Kitana actually came to blows with Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in a 3D fighter that's still worth spending a few hours with. The combat moves at a comfortably fast pace, smashing your foe while they're freefalling is impressive, and watching the game's epic story mode play out is so dope. The Fatalities and Heroic Brutalities sure could have been a lot better, but there are still way more pros than cons when considering everything about this fighting game.

Rocksteady Studios became a household name within the world of gaming once it created a true AAA experience that radically changed the sub-genre of superhero video games. Batman: Arkham Asylum blew everyone's minds with a combat system that's been imitated by many due to just how well-implemented it is. Landing finishing blows, pulling off cool counters, and utilizing gadgets in this game perfectly encapsulate Batman's combat prowess. The non-combat portions of this game are just as engrossing - exploring the island that Arkham Asylum calls home is still a journey worth embarking on. There are so many Riddler trophies, Easter Eggs, and unique ways to explore every nook & cranny this game cleverly hides. Arkham Asylum's strong narrative also sticks out for being just as interesting as the comic books that built up its many personalities.

One of the more slept-on cartoons that explored the bold and beautiful realm of DC Comics is Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It's quite fitting that the game based on the show is just as underrated as its source material. What's on offer here is one of the most beautifully animated beat 'em ups we've ever had the pleasure of playing. The art style sticks close to what the show looks like, which makes the game feel like a true love letter to that series. Beating up random thugs with a friend in tow is just so awesome here - Batman, Hawkman, Robin, Green Lantern, and Blue Beetle make up the game's charismatic roster. Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame is a very undervalued gem.

Back in the day, we're pretty confident that a lot of comic book fans dreamt of playing a game that allowed them to create their very own caped crusader. Clearly, the creatives at DC Comics wanted this too and tapped development studio Dimensional Ink Games to make that dream game a reality. DC Universe Online (which is still going strong today!) is one of the better MMORPGs out there since it implements a more action-based combat system. Saving the world or damming it is so gratifying when you get to do it as your very own custom superpowered avatar. Shout out to the many online homies we ran alongside as a member of The Society!

Batman: Arkham City successfully upon the excellence of Arkham Asylum and then some. Players could finally deliver Batman's brutal batch of justice and put his detective skills to work within a greatly expanded hub world that truly felt alive. The combat got some welcome upgrades, such as the utilization of additional tools for additional combat maneuvers. There are so many unforgettable moments to speak of within this quality Batman experience - the first time you get to fly around the city, the epic Dr. Freeze boss fight, the many side campaigns featuring Catwoman & other members of the Bat Family, etc. Arkham City may just be the very best Batman project Rocksteady has ever produced.

Gotham City Imposters always strikes us as one of those experimental FPS games that deserved so much better. Its concept, centered around outlandish characters inspired by Batman and the Joker, provided it with a unique spin that made it stand apart from the multiplayer shooters of the time. And as far as its gameplay goes, this competitive run 'n gunner gave players tons of maneuverability options thanks to the presence of grappling hooks, roller skates, and more. Psych Warfare and Team Deathmatch gave us so many hours of fun to soak up as either a crazed Batman Stan or a Joker follower. This criminally underrated FPS deserves its place here as one of the best DC games.

Those famed Lego games always throw in an extra wrinkle for their sequels that always make them worth returning to. Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes' big change is the fact that Batman and his many allies can now fight alongside some of the most beloved members of the DC Comics superhero roster. All the best parts of the first game are retained here, which makes the act of exploring a blocky Gotham City such a captivating experience. This celebration of DC all-stars does so much right and still holds up as one of the better Lego games ever released. Shout out to all the extra characters that came with this game's Heroes Pack and Villains Pack, too!

One of the best DC games of all time comes from the brains behind the iconic Mortal Kombat series. It was and still is so awesome to see the 2D fighting game mechanics that Justice League Task Force failed miserably at being mastered to perfection here. At the heart of this game's graphic novel-worthy storyline (you can actually read the comic book series for this, by the way!) is a fighting game that moves at a great pace and lends itself well to exciting mid-match moments. Injustice: Gods Among Us' roster goes so hard - we always have a hard time choosing between Sinestro, Bane, Batgirl, and Lobo. And before you ask, yes - we always abuse the hell out of that character trait button!

DC Comics Fables series offers up a clever take on the fairy tales and folklore your parents used to read to you as a child. The comic book flips on all those stories by heading to a far more serious and darker realm. Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us places you within the world of Fables and tasks you with solving a brutal murder as Bigby Wolf. The big bad wolf himself encounters all sorts of shady characters and dangerous situations in the danger-filled world of Fabletown. Once you've wrapped up your time with every part of this game's chapter, you'll be jonesing for the sequel just like us.

Batman: Arkham Origins is supremely disrespected by many in our eyes. The fact that it was a prequel and not a full-fledged sequel disappointed most fans, plus the fact that a non-Rocksteady development studio worked on it gave those same diehard gamers reason to worry. However, the game ended up being another exciting foray into the tumultuous world of Gotham's savior. This game holds a special place in many fans' hearts due to its wealth of excellent boss battles - getting to square off with Deathstroke will forever be one of Arkham Origins' main highlights. The frosty environments, the intriguing plot that put Black Mask & an early version of The Joker center stage, and the Shock Gloves accessory are just some of the main reasons why this prequel deserves a lot more acclaim.

Alongside Arkham Origins came this fun side-scroller that worked out better than expected as a portable experience. And once it made its way over to home consoles, way more "Dark Knight" followers got to delve even deeper into he and Catwoman's initial journey together. Arkham Origins: Blackgate feels like the most fitting Metroidvania take on the franchise as a whole - exploring the infamous Blackgate Prison to take on The Joker, Penguin and Black Mask's goons alongside Catwoman delivers plenty of thrills. The signature combat system of the previous games in the Arkham series gets lovingly recreated here in a different form that lends itself well to the game's 2.5D environments.

There are no crimes to solve here and no stealthy segments to embark on in this exclusive Batman arcade experience - all there is to do here is to hop in different versions of the iconic Batmobile to take down his many bad guys off the streets of Gotham City. Raw Thrills and Specular Interactive joined forces like good old Batman & Robin to create one of the most action-packed Batman games ever made. It'll always feel so good to hop into one of the many Batmobiles from the TV show and movies to gun down bad guys' vehicles, employ sick power-ups to do even more damage, and get engaged in some tough boss encounters with familiar Batman villains. This addictive coin-op is most definitely one of the best DC games we don't mind wasting a whole bunch of quarters on.

The last series entry in the Lego Batman series went out with a decisive bang. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham comes jam-packed with DC goodies to enjoy - there's a who's who of iconic & even slept-on characters to take control of during you and a co-op buddy's escapades of the LEGO-ized DC Universe. The swappable costumes added another fun element to progressing through the game's light environmental puzzles, plus the unique abilities afforded to the game's marquee characters did right by their comic counterparts. The amount of DLC mini-campaigns that came with this thing is pretty insane, too - the Batman 75th Anniversary pack stood out as the very best!

Rocksteady Studios went out with a bang. And in the process, it ended up creating one of the best Batman and best DC games of all time. Batman: Arkham Knight is the final chapter in the top-tier Arkham series. During Batman's climactic battle against the sinister madman known as Scarecrow, players got to glide, drive and sneak through an even more expanded version of Gotham that was rife with baddies to beat up, secrets to uncover, and enemy tanks to wipe out with the Batmobile. Driving around in Batman's trusty vehicle provides plenty of thrills (even though its combat encounters were a bit overdone). The reveal of who the Arkham Knight really is could be seen from a mile away, but it still felt awesome to come to blows with one of Batman's earliest sidekicks. Batman: Arkham Knight is a must-play.

During Telltale Games' storied run, the adventure game publisher/developer got their hands on some very notable IPs. When it got the chance to work with DC, Telltale caught everyone off guard when it announced a Batman game. The way Batman: The Telltale Series flips the hero's well-known origins and other elements on its head is praiseworthy - longtime fans who've never played this game will be surprised by the seedy activities Bruce's parents were involved in and the true identity of Lady Arkham. The combat sections in this original Batman tale are way better than you'd expect, plus the detective work you'll engage in works so well within a point & click adventure game format.

Even though there's no arm breaking and spin kicking available in Batman: Arkham VR, that missing combat element isn't enough to keep it from being enjoyable. Stepping into the famous superhero suit tied to Bruce Wayne's alter-ego and seeing the world through his eyes is mindblowing at first, but you'll eventually come to grips with your new role as the "World's Greatest Detective." Utilizing Batman's signature gadgets and solving a whole host of mind-bending puzzles is the name of the game here. And thankfully, all of those elements come together nicely to produce a virtual reality endeavor worth embarking on.

The Injustice universe got even more tumultuous when it came time to give fans a proper sequel. And when it arrived, the highly upgraded visuals weren't the only thing worth championing about it. Injustice 2 does an amazing job of shining the spotlight on lesser-known saviors and baddies, plus it even incorporates some surprising guests to join in on all the superpowered battles. Its story mode is just as good as the one featured in its predecessor, mixing & matching outfits for each character is highly addictive, and the explosive battles that take place within this all-DC fighter look & feel superior to everything that came before it.

Telltale kept going strong with its engrossing ventures into the crime-filled world of the "Dark Knight." The quality follow-up to the first season of that journey comes in the form of Batman: The Enemy Within. And this time, Batman came into contact with his most popular villain and the one man that knows him inside & out - The Joker. This second season of Batman goodness improved upon the first season's main features while involving players in a wild affair that also stars The Riddler, Amanda Waller, and Harley Quinn. The decisions that had to be made here were certainly tough, but they all paid off in the end by establishing Batman's archnemesis as an ever-looming threat. Batman: The Enemy Within's plot is definitely on par with that of the source material that inspired it. This adventure through the even darker corners of Gotham is certainly one of the best DC games out there.

Lego DC Super-Villains gives everyone the chance to craft their own custom minifigure and make their evil deeds a central part of the game's wild storyline. Instead of focusing on the goodie two shoes of the DC Universe, you now get to run around with the baddies that wreak havoc across it. The introduction of the vicious Justice Syndicate meant you and your fellow super-powered criminals had to team up to take them down. Moving through the game’s expansive hub world and linear levels treated you to a smorgasbord of DC history that you can get plenty of enjoyment from. Being a bad guy/gal in Lego form is definitely as fun as it sounds. This super-villain romp is one of the best DC games, hands down.