Unlike Superman, Batman seems to have a much higher batting average in regards to good video games. The most famous of these Dark Knight-themed games is the phenomenal Batman: Arkham series that started amazing and only got better with each subsequent installment (disregarding Origins).
While the Arkham games often get the highest praise, there have been so many amazing Batman games that don't really get the same amount of attention that their more famous cousin gets. With the Batman-lite game Gotham Knights still on the horizon, maybe it's time to delve into these forgotten gems.
Batman Begins (2005)
The film Batman Begins was a shot in the arm for cape movies, giving the Dark Knight's street cred a notable boost. However, many disregard the tie-in game released alongside the film. Upon the game's release, it received meh reviews, but playing it in hindsight is an interesting experience.
A sort of stealth-beat 'em up hybrid, Batman Begins has a cool mechanic that allows the player to increase the area's level of fear, which will cause Batman to defeat his enemy's far quicker. Perhaps a precursor to Batman: Arkham Asylum, the game also features some half-decent Batmobile levels.
Batman: Vengeance (2001-2002)
A continuation of The New Batman Adventures, Batman: Vengeance is an underrated Batman adventure that succeeds in maintaining the cartoon's dark atmosphere. Following Batman as he investigates a mystery involving The Joker, Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze, and Poison Ivy, Vengeance was initially met with average to positive reviews.
Don't let that middling reception fool you, Vengeance is an underappreciated, albeit flawed gem of a game. Much like Batman Begins, Vengeance has beat 'em up elements, but mixes it up with platformer elements and on-rails bat-vehicle segments.
Batman: Return Of The Joker (1991-1992)
A pseudo-sequel to The Caped Crusader's 1989 film tie-in, Return Of The Joker has all the hallmarks of an NES classic. Upon its release, Sunsoft's game received a positive reception, though not as positive as their first Batman game.
Given his reputation as a hero that doesn't kill, it is rather odd to see Batman running around shooting people, but that does help this game stand out from its predecessor. The game had a Sega Genesis port, Revenge Of The Joker, but that one is much less effective.
The Adventures Of Batman & Robin (1994)
Another adaptation of Batman: The Animated Series, The Adventures Of Batman & Robin released for many systems. The Genesis version is essentially Final Fight with a Batman skin, The Sega CD is a less amazing episode of the show interrupted by ho-hum driving segments, but it's the SNES version that stands out.
Slavishly bringing the series' art style and tone to the 16-bit console, The Adventures Of Batman & Robin was published and developed by Konami long before everyone hated them. Though Robin only hangs around for a cup of coffee, this game is an amazing Batman experience.
Batman (1990)
Releasing a year after the movie it was based on, this game has one thing over Tim Burton's Batman...PURPLE BATMAN!!! Sunsoft's first stab at Batman was a "knocked it out of the park" situation, with the game being a huge hit, as was everything involved with the movie.
Very much cribbing from the likes of The NES' Ninja Gaiden port, the game has similar mechanics, as well as its depression-inducing difficulty. To borrow a tired phrase, Batman is "The Dark Souls of The NES."
Batman: The Brave And The Bold- The Videogame (2010)
Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the cartoon series, came and went, encountering many an upturned nose along the way. While there was a knee-jerk reaction to its more cheerful, Silver Age-inspired vibe, opinions on its overall quality have shifted drastically, with many now viewing it as on par with Batman: The Animated Series.
Batman: The Brave and The Bold – The Videogame was also ignored when it released, but if one were to go back, they'd find a solid, charming experience awaiting them. The game's visuals, voice acting, tone, and plot are on point, recreating the show's goofiness extremely well.
Batman: The Enemy Within (2017-2018)
The sequel to the Telltale's 2016 masterpiece, this sequel is a notch below the original, but still worthy of praise. Batman: The Enemy Within delivers on the previous game's respect to the comics while also maintaining its desire to do something new.
Introducing new versions of characters like Amanda Waller, The Riddler, Mr. Freeze, Bane, and Harley Quinn, its crowning achievement is its portrayal of The Joker. Turning the iconic psycho into a tragic figure, much like the rest of Gotham, Joker's path is directed by your actions.
The Lego Batman Trilogy (2008-2014)
For a product with humble beginnings, you can't escape Lego, but why would anyone want to? After Star Wars and Indiana Jones got Lego games, out of nowhere, it was time for Batman to get his turn. Little did anyone know that Batman would see a trilogy that only got zanier and zanier.
Starting out with Lego Batman-The Videogame, a game released when the characters were charmingly mute, the sequels would introduce The Justice League and later an entire cosmos of DC characters.
Batman: The Telltale Series (2016)
Much like with Lego, Telltale experimented with several properties such as The Walking Dead, Wallace and Gromit, and Game Of Thrones before they decided to finally do their version of Batman. However, no one could have foreseen that it would have done such an amazing job creating a unique portrayal of Batman.
Allowing you the option to play as Bruce Wayne as well as Batman, Batman: The Telltale Series shows a far more human version of The Dark Knight than Arkham's interpretation. The game's biggest selling point is that the outcome is entirely in the player's hands, with the potential to shape a world completely unrecognizable from the one in the comics.
Batman Returns (1993)
Konami returns with a brilliant adaption of Tim Burton's second Batman film, Batman Returns. The other consoles fall before the feet of the SNES version, which received critical acclaim upon its release, and still holds up.
The film itself was initially frowned upon for its cold, dark blend of Fascist architecture and German Expressionism, but the game truly proves how well those visuals have aged. Not to mention the amazing recreation of Danny Elfman's score, along with the game's original music that harkens back to Elfman's compositions.