Batman has always been a much loved classic superhero, through the original DC comics, the 1960s TV show and the hugely anticipated Tim Burton 1989 movie. But after the first instalment of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy hit our screens back in 2005, the whole world fell in love with the caped crusader on a whole new level. In general, efforts to bring Batman to life from the pages of a comic book to the big screen have been fairly successful, but up until recently the same couldn’t really be said in the video game arena. However, it seems that Christian Bale’s more gritty and realistic portrayal of the character gave rise to a wide range of very playable and enjoyable titles based on The Dark Knight. So without further ado, here is a selection of some of our favourite Batman games, both old and new.
The Dark Knight
Based on what is often considered the ‘best’ movie in Nolan’s Dark Knight Franchise, ‘The Dark Knight’ was an online slot game created by Microgaming back in 2012. It featured innovative gameplay and the kind of high quality graphics that we’ve come to associate with many modern day Batman video games. In addition to this, the slot contained a number of progressive jackpots and special features including wild re-spins expanding wilds, all of which can be read about in detail in this review talking about the bonuses Dark Knight used to have. In terms of enemies, The Joker looks as menacing as you’d expect and so fans of the 2008 Nolan film will enjoy seeing their favourite villain once again take centre stage.
Source: The Dark Knight Trilogy via Facebook
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum was arguably the first console based video game which featured gameplay worthy of The Dark Knight. With a free-flowing combat system which allowed the player to take on multiple enemies at once, as well as the ever-popular detective mode which used Batman’s grey matter in a way that no video game had ever thought of before, Arkham Asylum was the dawning of a new era in the superhero gaming genre. What’s more, the game looked stunning no matter which next-gen console you played it on – and if you didn’t know any better, the cut scenes could have come straight from the next movie instalment. While sites such as Royal Vegas give you free spins when it comes to games such as the Dark Knight online slot mentioned above, Arkham Asylum has its own entertaining bonus level for you to find which can be accessed via a ladder in the villain section.
Batman: The Video Game – NES / Game Boy
Back in 1989 and 1990 anything that contained that awesome Batman logo from the Tim Burton film, would sell. Just slap on that logo and it would get picked up, such was the success of the movie. And a beautiful logo it was too. But lo and behold the NES game was actually an extremely decent game too. Slightly clunky controls, but good artwork, good music and a whole lot of charm lets this game hold its head up high in the history of Batman games. It did the movie proud. It was also released for the Game Boy and that was the version that I had and played to death.
Batman Forever Pinball
While the Batman Forever movie will never be held up as one of the best Batman films, the pinball machine often is. There have been several Batman pinball machines over the years, including the very cool Batman 66 released just a couple of years ago, but many people feel that Batman Forever ticks all the boxes for them. Riddler-ridden, great artwork and very cool colours. Do check it out if you ever get the chance.
Source – Amusements.co.uk
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
As is the case with other LEGO titles in the superhero genre, the plot is generally light-hearted and charming but is also solid and believable, which makes playing through the many levels an absolute joy. Due to the marketability of the plot and storyline, the game was released as a direct to DVD movie titled “LEGO Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite”. That’s right. A DVD, based on a video game, based on interlocking plastic bricks, based on a comic book character. Crazy.
Batman: Arkham City
Believed by many to be the best Batman video game of all time, Arkham City fixed any issues that there were in its predecessor, Arkham Asylum, and improved on them greatly. Better graphics, better gameplay, better story. Plus even better voice acting from Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill. Paul Dini, previously recognised as being one of the best Masters of the Universe writers, excelled himself once again here. It’s the game for the true Batman aficionado.
Is The Arkham Franchise Your Best Bet When It Comes To Batman?
When it comes to picking the best video games relating to Batman, it’s simply down to a matter of taste. For the more competitive gamers, online slots such as The Dark Knight may reign supreme, while those who enjoy a bit of light-hearted fun will undoubtedly cite the LEGO superhero franchise as their favourite. However, for an all-round gaming experience relating to the caped crusader, the Arkham gaming franchise reigns supreme for the majority of gamers. But, this list only touches the surface and there are now a vast number of high quality Batman video games out there. So, what are you waiting for? Go and be Batman.