With HBO’s Lanterns show debuting a mysterious first episode, fans might be wondering what games DC has produced featuring any version of the character. There have been many characters from DC Comics to bear the name of Green Lantern, from the classic Alan Scott, well-known figures like Hal Jordan, Jon Stewart, or Guy Gardner, or more modern figures like Jessica Cruz. Although not all of these heroes have been showcased in games, those who have bring the creative willpower of their rings to a variety of experiences.
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As of this time of writing, there is plenty of buzz surrounding Lanterns‘ first episode, but the show takes a grounded approach to both Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart as Green Lantern. The fantastical nature of Green Lantern’s power to create green constructs wasn’t explored much, at least for now, beyond a couple of scenes. This is what makes games with Green Lantern exciting, as they allow players to unleash the full scope of the character’s powers, usually in action-packed adventures where the character is highlighted in some way.
4. Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters
Meant to tie into the poorly received 2011 Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is a surprisingly exciting game with the superhero. Despite the lackluster nature of its source material, this game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 has a robust combat system that truly captures the creative range of action at a Green Lantern’s fingertips. The powers of the Green Lantern ring are on full display here, conjuring swords, hammers, and mini guns as weapons, or a variety of objects to help you overcome various obstacles.
This game has a somewhat original story compared to the movie too, where Hal Jordan must fight against the android Manhunters, who are rumored to appear in the new HBO show too. Most of the battle systems of Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters was developed by talented creators at Double Helix Games, a studio that would later build the excellent reboot of the Killer Instinct fighting game in 2013. One of the biggest praises of the game is how it solves a major criticism with the movie — taking place entirely in space rather than on Earth.
The intergalactic adventures of Hal Jordan in this game can be shared by another player on certain devices, with player two being able to control Sinestro. Long before Sinestro wore a yellow ring, this almost creates a co-op hack-and-slash adventure similar to Marvel Ultimate Alliance in some ways. Although somewhat linear and having a shallow, straightforward story, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is one of the few games that has Green Lantern at the forefront of the player experience.
3. Justice League Heroes
Justice League Heroes is a 2006 game featuring a variety of DC superheroes, including Green Lantern in its star-studded roster. Players get to control many different figures from DC’s Justice League, controlling them for two levels whose mechanics change depending on who they revolve around. The enemies and bosses of a level reflect which character is being played, allowing players to see the depth behind each hero’s rogue’s gallery. That being said, each level has two Justice League characters present at all times, similar to a two player beat-em-up.
When playing solo, you can switch between two characters freely. When another player joins you, the co-op play becomes the core feature of the game, giving you both a chance to control your favorite Justice League figures. Green Lantern is a prominent character in Justice League Heroes, with Jon Stewart being the featured hero in the role. However, players can also unlock Hal Jordan, creating a duo exactly the same as the HBO series. Gameplay for each Green Lantern is the same, but having the option to play as your favorite is rare in most games.
Players even have the option to unlock Kyle Rayner as a third Green Lantern in this game, marking one of the only titles to feature a playable version of the character. Kyle plays exactly like Hal and Jon, but seeing so many Green Lanterns in Justice League Heroes is surprising. Multiple costumes for each character can be unlocked as you beat the game on varying difficulties, expanding the representation of the Green Lantern Corps significantly as you play.
2. Injustice: Gods Among Us
Both Injustice: Gods Among Us and its sequel Injustice 2 provide interesting takes on Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern, not just through the scope of a refined fighting game. Developed by Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm Studios, the Injustice games feature a cast from across the DC Universe, from classic faces like Batman and Superman to more obscure picks, such as Cheetah and Black Manta. The story of Injustice is in an alternate universe, where a tyrannical Superman establishes a world-wide regime after the Joker tricks him into killing Lois Lane.
There are multiple Injustice comics inspired by this game, but the first title in the series featured a Hal Jordan Green Lantern who sided with Superman initially. As players controlled the Green Lantern Hal Jordan from DC’s main universe, they had to face the alternate universe’s Hal, who had ditched the ring of willpower in exchange for a yellow ring of fear. The Yellow Lantern version of Hal Jordan didn’t have any gameplay difference, but much like Sinestro on the roster, his voice lines and victory animations reflected his turn to a darker side of the emotional spectrum.
Injustice 2 later saw Hal Jordan earn his green ring back after severe regret from joining Superman, turning him back into the Green Lantern. That being said, Injustice 2‘s story saw him contend with the rage he felt for himself, nearly tempting him into turning into a Red Lantern at the behest of Atrocitus. Everything about the Injustice games offer unique and interesting Green Lantern stories nestled into a great, larger DC campaign. Players of Injustice 2 can even play as Jon Stewart as well, through an alternate costume that changes Green Lantern’s voice lines and pre-match banter.
During gameplay, Green Lantern can manipulate his ring to do many different actions, from summoning construction girders to slam into his opponent to creating miniature lanterns to explode near his foes. Projectiles and long-reaching strikes give Green Lantern a straightforward, but heavy-hitting play style compared to other fighters. The unexpected weight behind Green Lantern’s attacks reflect the cosmic power of the ring, which can be tapped into to increase the character’s damage through his unique trait. Among any game out there, Injustice perhaps has the most detailed version of Green Lantern you can control.
1. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
While Batman may be the featured DC hero of Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, this Lego game might as well be a Justice League title in disguise. Like most of the action-adventure Lego games based on popular properties, the third installment of the Lego Batman games has a wide roster of characters for players to unlock by meeting different requirements. Players automatically gain access to Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern through natural progression, giving them a character with free flight and other unique abilities from the rest of the cast. That being said, other Green Lanterns are hidden as secret characters.
Guy Gardner is another Green Lantern players can get, although he isn’t mentioned besides a reference to larger Green Lantern Corps within the game’s story. Guy is part of the Bizarro World DLC for Lego Batman 3, but he is far from the only Lantern related character players can get. There is a playable figure from almost every side of the Lantern color spectrum in this game, including:
- Green Lantern(s) – Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner
- Yellow Lantern – Sinestro, Sinestro Corps Warrior
- Orange Lantern – Larfleeze
- Red Lantern – Atrocitus, Red Lantern Warrior
- Indigo Lantern – Indigo-1
- Blue Lantern – Saint Walker
- White Lantern – Kyle Rayner
- Black Lantern – Black Hand
Although Kyle Rayner was once a Green Lantern too, his look in this game reflects his mantle as the White Lantern this time. This game truly captures the depth of the Lantern mythos, turning a huge chunk of the cast into figures from Green Lantern comic stories. Those who appreciate Green Lantern’s history the most will have plenty of fun with Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, as it features the cosmic side of the character far more than the HBO Lanterns show will likely do throughout its first season.
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