If there’s one superhero who absolutely works in video games, it’s Batman. The Dark Knight’s many detective capabilities, gadgets, and fighting skills are ideal for a wide variety of game genres, including adventure, stealth, FPS, and many more. Since the Dark Knight appeared in his first game back in 1986, he’s been featured in dozens. We took a look at all 32 of his major games and ranked them based on contemporary critics’ scores upon release, their overall popularity, and how much fun they are to play. We’ve selected only one version of any movie adaptations, choosing only our top pick, as different studios developed different platforms’ versions, but otherwise, every major Batman game is ranked below.
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32) Batman: Dark Tomorrow (2003)
Of the 32 Batman titles, Batman: Dark Tomorrow has the inauspicious distinction of being at the bottom of the pile. The action-adventure game was initially planned for the GameCube as an open-ended adaptation of the comics. Unfortunately, development shifted to include the Xbox while numerous elements were scaled back or abandoned. The result was a widely loathed gaming experience that made Batman: Dark Tomorrow one of the most despised video games ever made, not to mention the worst adaptation of the Caped Crusader. It holds ratings of 29/100 on the GameCube and 25/100 on Xbox on Metacritic, which indicates that it “simply failed on the core aspect of gameplay design.”
31) Batman & Robin (1998)
Movie tie-in games are usually horrific pieces of burning garbage, and Batman & Robin is no exception. It’s a direct sequel to the Batman Forever adaptation and features a sandbox-style of gameplay. The player can choose to control either Batman, Robin, or Batgirl, each with their own vehicle. Its missions focus on various crimes spread about the city, where the player must uncover clues to stop bank robberies, heists, and more. Failing to do so by a predetermined time means failing the mission, and it’s only barely similar to the film. It features crummy controls and decent graphics, but it was as bad as the movie it was based on.
30) Batman: Gotham City Racer (2001)
Batman has some of the coolest gadgets in comics, and he’s got a cave filled with awesome vehicles, making a racing game an obvious adaptation. Batman: Gotham City Racer is a mostly faithful adaptation of The New Batman Adventures, taking the characters, art style, and setting from the animated series. While all of these elements should have come together into an exciting racing game, the presentation is more tedious than it should be. Controlling your ride is more challenging than in most racing games, making it a mostly unentertaining experience. Still, the premise is solid enough, so a remake with improved controls and more options could make for a much better adaptation.
29) Batman Forever: The Arcade Game (1996)
The second Acclaim adaptation of Batman Forever was first released in arcades before appearing on several consoles and MS-DOS. It’s a run-of-the-mill beat-’em-up where one or two players choose either Batman or Robin as they go up against the Riddler, Two-Face, and an increasing horde of their criminal goons. The players can also choose the same character if they want to make it confusing, or can’t agree on who gets to play as Batman. For a beat-’em-up, it features a complex series of combat moves, making it more like a fighting game when you take on enemies. Otherwise, it’s a relatively standard arcade game that’s worth a quarter or two, but isn’t anything to write home about.
28) Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu (2003)
The last game adapted from the DC Animated Universe is also its worst, and that’s a shame considering how much talent went into making it. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu is a beat-’em-up involving Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl facing off against Sin Tzu, a new villain making waves in Gotham City. The game features a solo campaign as well as a multiplayer co-op, with unlockable fighting moves and new characters as you progress through the stages. It’s not a bad game, but it’s also not a great one, and is something that you might play once or twice and then forget about.
27) Batman (2013)
The 2013 Batman arcade game is all about vehicle combat centered around the Batmobile. Gameplay involves driving through Gotham City to grab all of the escapees from Arkham Asylum. Batman runs into several common characters from throughout the franchise. It also allows players to save their progress under their unique profile, which isn’t common in arcade games outside of a Neo Geo cabinet. Speaking of the cab, Batman is filled with LEDs and a Batmobile seat, making for an immersive experience. It’s a fun enough arcade game, but it was never ported to home consoles, so you’ll have to head to your nearest arcade to see if they have one.
26) Batman Begins (2005)
When Batman Begins hit theaters, it reinvigorated the franchise that was destroyed by Batman & Robin. While the movie is fantastic, the game is merely lackluster. Batman Begins is a stealth-action game that was released on numerous platforms. The best version was released on Xbox, but it’s only marginally better in graphics and lighting. The game features almost the entire cast from the movie who voiced their characters, and while it’s not a terrible game, it’s not a great one either. Batman Begins follows the film’s plot fairly well, featuring several clips as cutscenes, so it’s not the worst tie-in game.
25) Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (2013)
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is an action-adventure tie-in game to Arkham Origins, released the same year. It’s set a few months after the main game, and focuses on the Dark Knight’s work at stopping a prison riot at Blackgate Penitentiary. In terms of presentation, gameplay differs from that of the other Arkham games, and it was released on multiple consoles. While Blackgate’s story and cutscenes are interesting, its controls aren’t the best, and its fixed camera caused some players more frustration than the devs would have liked. It’s most notable for bringing the Arkham franchise to handheld consoles, as it was released on the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita.
24) Batman: Arkham VR (2016)
While the mainline Arkham games are 3rd person, Batman: Arkham VR is the first to place the player in Batman’s first-person point of view. The game is not an adaptation of the non-VR games in the series, and is set between Arkham City and Arkham Knight. Its plot involves Batman searching for Robin and Nightwing, and players use the Dark Knight’s skills and massive supply of gadgets to explore the environment and solve puzzles. Batman: Arkham VR is the first Batman game in VR, though it’s not considered the best. It sold well enough and received several awards, but some didn’t appreciate its relative simplicity and short play time.
23) Batman: The Telltale Series (2016)
Telltale Games’ first adaptation of the Dark Knight follows the typical episodic point-and-click adventure interface the studio is known for. It tells an original story, so it’s not based on any comics or other media featuring the Caped Crusader. Batman: The Telltale Series is split into five episodes, released between August and December 2016. The game wasn’t as highly praised as Telltale’s other titles, as it was released with some glitches, which never helps with critics. Regardless, it features an excellent atmosphere, great voice acting, and dynamic action sequences. The success of Batman: The Telltale Series earned it a sequel released in 2019.
22) Batman: Chaos in Gotham (2001)
Batman’s offerings on early handhelds were better than those of other comic book superheroes, though Batman: Chaos in Gotham is the lowest-quality option. It was released for the Game Boy Color in 2001 and is based on The New Batman Adventures. The plot involves Arkham Asylum, where a huge breakout releases all of Gotham’s worst criminals back onto the streets of Gotham City. Batman must track down and collect The Joker, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Bane, and many others. It features 18 levels, lets you play as either Batman or Batgirl, and includes numerous gadgets and Bat Vehicles.
21) Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is a movie tie-in game for the hit animated film. It’s a scrolling beat-’em-up that found its way onto multiple platforms, beginning with the PlayStation, which isn’t the best port. The Game Boy Color version offered a much better 2D experience despite its limited graphical capabilities compared to the Nintendo 64 and other home video game consoles of the era. The GBC version had better controls as well, and while the N64 and PS1 versions received widespread negative attention from critics, the handheld version was much better received.
20) Batman Forever (1995)
Batman Forever was released alongside Batman Forever: The Arcade Game, but they’re entirely different from one another. Batman Forever is a beat-’em-up where players can choose either Batman or Robin as they take on Two-Face and the Riddler. Multiple ports of the game were released, and while several were panned, the best version was on the Sega Genesis. While it’s not the worst Batman movie tie-in game, it’s not the best either, and is one of those titles you play and then forget about, without needing to go back to it, save for nostalgia.
19) Batman (1990)
While this ranking is limited to a single release for movie tie-in games, two versions based on the 1989 Batman film are distinctive enough to warrant their own entries. The one released for the TurboGrafx-16 (PC Engine outside North America) follows the film’s plot but is presented in a top-down perspective. It looks similar to Bomberman in that respect, and it was praised for its graphics. Batman is a somewhat unusual adaptation that’s fun on the TG16, but it’s also one of those games that not many people played because of the console’s lack of popularity.
18) Batman: The Caped Crusader (1988)
One of the earliest Batman games, Batman: The Caped Crusader, was released on several systems of the era, though the best version is often the Commodore 64 release. The game is an arcade-style adventure that plays out like a comic book, with new panels for each location. It inserts comic-book-style captions and is innovative in all the right ways. Batman: The Caped Crusader features two distinct parts, numerous puzzles, and fights with villains. For a game released in ‘88 on early home PCs, it’s an arguably excellent achievement that’s still fun to play today, though you’d likely need an emulator, as it hasn’t been re-released.
17) Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame (2010)
Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame is based on the cartoon of the same name, and it was released on both the Nintendo DS and Wii. They’re a bit different, thanks to the limited hardware capabilities of the handheld console, but are otherwise fun explorations of the cartoon’s characters and locations. Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame is a 2D beat-’em-up platformer where each level is a different episode featuring Batman teaming up with other superheroes outside the Bat Family. The NDS version received slightly better ratings over its Wii counterpart, and it was lauded as a great adaptation that’s fun for all kinds of players.
16) Batman (1986)
While it may be rudimentary, and it’s the oldest Batman game, the 1986 isometric action-adventure, Batman, released on a variety of systems, is surprisingly good. The game’s goal is to rescue Robin by finding seven pieces of the Batcraft, which are spread about the Batcave. It’s one of the first games of its type to have a save feature, and while it’s considerably dated today, critics and players absolutely loved it when it was released in 1986. Many games have come and gone since then, but few received the same level of critical acclaim as 1986’s Batman.
15) LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (2014)
The third LEGO Batman game, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, picks up after the second game and follows the same gameplay style. In the game’s plot, Brainiac is out to shrink the world so he can include it in his collection. This forces the Legion of Doom and the Justice League to team up to stop him. Like LEGO’s other games, it features plenty of humor, a load of characters (More than 150), and a semi-open world with fun gameplay. It wasn’t as well-received as its two predecessors, but it’s nonetheless charming and fun to play.
14) Batman: Vengeance (2001)
The New Batman Adventures inspired Batman: Vengeance, an action-adventure game released on all available platforms, including the Game Boy Advance. The show’s voice cast brought their talents to their respective characters, offering a fantastic experience for fans of the series. The plot revolves around Bats’ investigation of The Joker’s “death,” while other villains from the series muck things up whenever they get a chance. Of course, there’s more to The Joker’s apparent death than meets the eye. All versions fared about the same with critics, though the Xbox and GameCube ports were better received than others.
13) LEGO Batman: The Videogame (2008)
The first entry in the LEGO Batman series launched on all available consoles and was a hit. The game follows the same format as previous LEGO titles, but it’s the first game to feature an entirely original story. This worked out well, as it not only spawned three sequels. Like other games already covered, it features a familiar plot involving a breakout from Arkham Asylum, forcing the Dark Knight, Robin, and other characters to take on three gangs composed of escapees whose leaders are all members of Batman’s rogues’ gallery. LEGO Batman: The Videogame won numerous awards and received critical acclaim upon release, noting its high replayability and original story.
12) Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
The third main installment in the Arkham series, Batman: Arkham Origins, covers the period eight years prior to the events of Arkham Asylum. Batman isn’t as well defined in his early days, and the Black Mask has placed a bounty on his head. Batman must find and bring him to justice while avoiding the police as other villains step in to complicate things. It’s the first game in the series with a multiplayer mode, and among the Arkham games, it’s often rated lower than its predecessors. It features an excellent storyline, immersive music, and excellent voice acting, among other things. The only problem critics had with it was its lack of innovation, and the multiplayer mode seemed unnecessary.
11) Batman: The Enemy Within (2017)
The success of Batman: The Telltale Series resulted in Batman: The Enemy Within the following year. The sequel took what worked in the first game and made it all better, improving several aspects of the game’s story, interface, and representation of The Joker. The story managed to make the Clown Prince of Crime over in a new way, adding depth to a character who’s been around for nearly a century. Many fans consider it to be one of Telltale’s best games, and it’s undeniably a great Batman game. It was divided into five episodes, continuing the story from the preceding game, released between August 2017 and March 2018.
10) Batman: Return of the Joker (1991)
After the success of Batman on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sunsoft developed Batman: Return of the Joker. Unlike its predecessor, which is based on the 1989 Tim Burton movie, it features an original story. It took much of its inspiration from recently published Batman comics, though some elements from the film, including the Batwing and Batmobile, are present. There was a Game Boy version, but it’s entirely different, as it’s more of a standard platformer, while the NES version is a run-and-gun game. It’s a fun title and well worth a playthrough, though it’s not as innovative as its predecessor.
9) LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (2012)
Batman has always fared well in LEGO games, and LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is the best of his trilogy. In the game’s plot, Batman, Robin, and Superman work together to stop Lex Luthor and The Joker from fulfilling their plans to make the former the President of the United States. The Justice League steps in to assist, and the game features 50 playable characters, a slight increase over its predecessor. An additional ten can be acquired in DLC, and LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is a lot of fun with them all, as it’s highly replayable and an excellent game.
8) The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1994)
There were several versions of The Adventures of Batman & Robin released on multiple consoles. The game is an adaptation of The Adventures of Batman and Robin, and of the five versions, the one released on the Sega Genesis is considered the best. It features more dynamic gameplay and is a run-and-gun title, making it similar to Revenge of the Joker. Unlike the other versions, it features a two-player co-op mode in which one player controls Batman and the other controls Robin. While the Genesis version is arguably the best one, the other home console and handheld ports are also good adaptations.
7) Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
Batman: Arkham Knight is the sequel to Batman: Arkham City, making it the fourth in the series. The game is set nine months after the events of its predecessor and focuses on the Dark Knight taking on Scarecrow after an attack on Gotham City forces an evacuation. While the Dark Knight investigates, Scarecrow teams up with the Arkham Knight to rally all of the city’s baddies to take Batman down, once and for all. Arkham Knight was notable for including the Batmobile, which altered gameplay considerably from the other titles in the franchise, and it’s an award-winning, critically acclaimed game, well deserving of plenty of replays.
6) Batman Returns (1992)
In the early days, Batman’s movie tie-in games were well designed and a great deal of fun to play. The adaptation of Batman Returns was released on a ton of systems, though the Super Nintendo version is considered the best. The beat-’em-up game covers seven scenes from the film, and each one ends with a boss fight. The SNES port of Batman Returns featured beautiful graphics and was one of the system’s best side-scrolling beat-’em-ups. It wasn’t the most challenging game out there, but it adhered to the movie’s plot, with the addition of several well-known Batman villains helping to pad out the narrative.
5) Batman: Arkham Shadow (2014)
Batman: Arkham Shadow is the second VR game in the series, and its story serves as a sequel to Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Blackgate. The plot begins six months after the events of Arkham Origins, so Batman is a bit greener than in other titles. He must stop a new villain called the Rat King, who plans to destroy Gotham City on July 4th. It features several other stories, including Bruce Wayne’s friendship with Harvey Dent before he becomes Two-Face. Batman: Arkham Shadow received widespread critical acclaim and was much better received than its predecessor.
4) Batman: The Animated Series (1993)
As the title implies, Batman: The Animated Series is based on the animated show of the same name. So, too, are several other games, as the show was retitled midway through its run to The Adventures of Batman & Robin. Still, this one for the Game Boy was the first, developed by Konami, while other studios developed subsequent games. The side-scrolling action platformer lets players switch between Batman and Robin, each with distinct abilities, allowing them to overcome various hazards and obstacles. While Batman: The Video Game, based on the ‘89 movie, was excellent, Batman: The Animated Series takes the lead in terms of Game Boy adaptations.
3) Batman: The Video Game (1989)
One of the all-time greatest Batman games is the NES version of Batman: The Video Game, released in 1989 to coincide with the ’89 movie. The 2D platformer was lauded for its excellent graphics, controls, and mechanics, which were reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden. Batman could use three weapons: the Batpoon, Batarang, and Batdisk. While it was technically a movie tie-in game, Batman: The Video Game has very little to do with the feature film. It includes characters and locations that weren’t in the movie, and is more of an original game than a proper tie-in.
2) Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
When Batman: Arkham Asylum came along in 2009, it completely changed the Dark Knight’s representation in video games. Previous titles were far less complex, graphically, in terms of story, and much more. The game’s original story is captivating, and the mechanics revolving around Batman’s stealth capabilities and combat made it easily one of the greatest Batman games of all time. It was incredibly successful, thanks to excellent sales and widespread critical acclaim. Batman: Arkham Asylum launched a franchise, and while it’s close to the top, one of its sequels surpassed it, though Arkham Asylum remains highly replayable and one of the best games ever released.
1) Batman: Arkham City (2011)
Batman: Arkham City is the first sequel to Arkham Asylum, and is widely considered to be the best Batman game ever made. Like its predecessor, it focuses on Batman’s detective skills, stealth, and combat capabilities. The game’s open world is more expansive than its predecessor and expands on every other element in every way possible. Batman: Arkham City sold more than 12.5 million copies and was one of the most successful Batman video games ever made. Only one game beat it: LEGO Batman: The Videogame, though Arkham City is more adult-themed and an amazing adaptation of Batman’s lore.
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