As a kid, Injustice was one of my favorite fighting games, and my friends and I even held a tournament, which I won with Deathstroke. Put simply, part of the appeal is the massive roster that DC has available, and both the first game and Injustice 2 have had incredible rosters. NetherRealm Studios has already demonstrated that a fighting game can turn familiar heroes and villains into dramatically different combatants, from Batman’s gadgets to Swamp Thing’s plant manipulation. That makes the possibility of Injustice 3 particularly exciting, because DC has no shortage of characters who could bring something genuinely new to the formula.
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Where Injustice 3 can succeed is by diversifying its roster pick, following suit with Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. This means picking classic characters but also including less popular ones. James Gunn’s DC revival has shown that off-the-wall choices can succeed if the character is done justice, and this would open the door for more niche gameplay styles. The five characters below would accomplish both goals. Each has abilities that could translate naturally into a fighting game, while their personalities, histories, and relationships with established characters could give NetherRealm plenty of material for story and gameplay.
5) Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang would be an obvious fit for a ranged/projectile-focused character. Digger Harkness is one of the Flash’s longstanding enemies. His appearance in the Suicide Squad films has made him more popular, and he deserves a chance at redemption after Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Injustice 3 is the perfect chance to address this and capitalize on his rising fame. Not only that, his history as both a Flash villain and Suicide Squad member also gives Injustice 3 plenty of established connections to exploit.
NetherRealm should, however, ensure that he is not just a copy of Deadshot from Injustice 2, another projectile character. His entire gimmick revolves around boomerangs, meaning NetherRealm could build a projectile system around different trajectories, delayed returns, traps, and attacks that strike from behind. A well-designed version could force opponents to constantly consider where a thrown boomerang will travel rather than simply blocking a projectile coming directly toward them, making him more technical.
There is also a good opportunity to make him one of the roster’s more obnoxious personalities. Digger is selfish, unpredictable, and frequently surrounded by people considerably more powerful than himself. His rivalry with The Flash would be an easy source of entertaining dialogue, while his Suicide Squad history could connect him to Harley Quinn and other DC villains. Boomerang could fill an interesting role in the story if done right.
4) Constantine
John Constantine could bring something the series has always had room for: a genuinely technical magic-based fighter. He is an expert sorcerer and magician whose greatest weapon is his cunning, and this opens the door for so many possible fighting styles. His fighting style should reflect this and not rely on physically overwhelming power, but rather traps, tricks, and using the right move at the exact right time. Constantine has always been one of my favorite DC characters, and his absence in Injustice has always felt like a missed opportunity.
A technical Constantine could use spells, wards, summoned objects, and magical setups that reward players for planning several moves ahead. His fighting style should feel unconventional. Instead of simply throwing energy blasts like a traditional magic character, Constantine could establish effects on the screen, manipulate their timing, and punish opponents for approaching carelessly. Something like Loki in Marvel Tokon feels a close approximation of how he should play.
Constantine would also give the story mode access to one of DC’s most naturally complicated personalities. His history connects him to the supernatural corners of the DC Universe, including characters such as Swamp Thing and The Phantom Stranger. His morally questionable methods would also make him an excellent foil for Batman, Superman, and other characters who believe they understand what constitutes heroism.
3) Clayface
Clayface could be one of the most visually ambitious characters NetherRealm could add. Clayface is a virtually indestructible shape-shifting monster capable of changing forms, duplicating himself, and using enhanced strength. Those abilities provide an almost perfect foundation for a brawler who can change shape during combat, giving him various mix-ups and changing how he can approach.
The key would be making Clayface feel heavy without making him predictable. His mud-based body could produce enormous fists, blades, hammers, tendrils, and other weapons while maintaining the deliberate movement expected from a powerful brawler. Shape-changing could also give him attacks with different ranges, allowing experienced players to adjust his body depending on the situation. This could be a really unique take on a heavy character.
His history with Batman makes him especially valuable beyond gameplay. There have been multiple characters with this name, allowing NetherRealm to take his story in different directions. Injustice 3 would have a lot of flexibility in determining which version appears without being locked into a single interpretation, or even create a brand new variant just for the game’s narrative.
2) Plastic Man
Plastic Man could be the niche pick that really shakes up Injustice 3. Eel O’Brien possesses one of the most distinctive power sets in the DC Universe, with the ability to stretch and morph his body into virtually any shape, but it isn’t simply being made of rubber but rather an ability to control his body at a molecular level. He can transform into objects and use his elastic body to bounce, stretch, and repel opponents.
That makes him ideal for a rushdown character who can change shape. Plastic Man could extend his limbs across the screen, transform his arms into oversized weapons, turn himself into unconventional shapes, and use his elasticity to rapidly close distance. Unlike Clayface, whose shape-changing should emphasize power, Plastic Man’s transformations should emphasize speed, unpredictability, and pressure.
Plastic Man would also inject something the series desperately needs: more absurdity. His wisecracking personality and ridiculous powers could produce interactions that are completely different from the darker tone surrounding many Injustice characters. His history as a former criminal who became a superhero also gives him meaningful connections to the broader DC universe. Plus, if Batman thinks he’s insane, then you know he’d be a great addition to the story.
1) Mr. Terrific
Mr. Terrific could fill another important gameplay niche as a technical character with strong melee capabilities. The character got a major boost after Superman, so it feels a shame not to include him here. Michael Holt has genius-level intellect, advanced technology, gymnastic ability, and exceptional fighting skill. His most recognizable inventions, the T-Spheres, are flying robotic devices and would give him an interesting playstyle and gimmick.
He could easily be one of Injustice 3’s most versatile fighters. The T-Spheres could create setups, attack independently, provide defensive options, or alter the battlefield while Holt himself relies on close-range martial arts. Despite the reliance on these, he should still be a strong melee scrapper. Mr. Terrific should not feel like a character who hides behind technology, but one who uses it to his advantage in combat.
There is also a strong reason to finally put Michael Holt into a major DC fighting game. He is a Justice Society member and one of the DC Universe’s most prominent intellectual heroes, yet his abilities remain relatively unexplored in mainstream media outside of Superman. Mr. Terrific is a genius and martial arts master, and his ingenuity can make him stand out in a roster full of gods, aliens, speedsters, and monsters.
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