The Arkham series is consistently considered to be amongst the best superhero video games of all time. Indeed, it has defined the genre and managed to captivate audiences with its unique portrayal of DC's most famous dark detective and his legions of rogues. Of course, the gameplay mechanics, in particular, set this franchise apart.
Since Batman has such a varied set of villains, it's only right that plenty of them get their time to shine across the four games that have been released thus far in the franchise. From stealth missions to all-out brawls, each boss fight the player must take on requires a different set of skills in order for the caped crusader to survive.
Mr. Freeze - Arkham City
Mr. Freeze may have contributed to Arkham City one of the single most iconic fights in all of this franchise. The player must face the dastardly villain in his lab, but the doctor has a number of tricks up his sleeves that are sure to cause significant trouble to Batman.
Combining both stealth and the tactical use of the gadgets available in the utility belt, the player must find a number of unique ways to take down Freeze. Each time an attack is effective, Freeze visibly changes his own tactics to try and combat the Dark Knight's actions. It's an intriguing game of cat and mouse and a memorable boss battle.
Clayface - Arkham City
Clayface wasn't the villain that players expected to be facing towards the finale of Arkham City. Yet, with the twist revelation that the actor had been impersonating Joker for the majority of the game elevating this project further, Batman must quickly get battle-ready in order to combat the monstrous force.
There's no other villain that moves quite like Clayface. The nature of the beast means he has a number of attacks in his arsenal that are difficult to evade and defend against. Batman's charges, sword, and ice weapons certainly come in handy as the villain changes from a solid mass to a fluid material each moment.
Killer Croc - Arkham Asylum
Unlike some cinematic re-tellings of Batman's world, Arkham Asylum went all-in on some of Batman's more obscure and fantastical villains. Killer Croc's appearance in the game demonstrated that Rocksteady wasn't going to hold back on the Dark Knight's more comic book-esque rogues.
Stuck in the sewers of the Arkham facility, the dangerous humanoid crocodile is hiding beneath the surface of the murky waters. This boss battle is as much about evasion as it is timing the attacks perfectly and surviving this horrific ordeal. It's an especially tense sequence.
Deathstroke - Arkham Origins
It's fair to say that Arkham Origins is perhaps the most underrated entry into this series. The game does actually feature some stellar boss battles and while Firefly and Copperhead are both valiant foes, it's Deathstroke who has become the most memorable addition.
The swiftness of his strikes, the accuracy of his combinations, and the efficiency in which Batman needs to parry and attack to survive help make this one of the fastest-paced battles out of all of the video games. Deathstroke and his fighting technique bring with him a rhythm that few other villains could copy making the confrontation unique.
Ra's Al Gul - Arkham City
There's a number of terrifying antagonists in Arkham City. The Joker and Hugo Strange are two of the most significant, but in the shadows, the League leader Ra's Al Ghul is waiting to strike. The game builds to this moment, creating an atmosphere so tense it could be cut with a ceremonial blade.
Both the fight itself and the result of the brawl is crucial to the Arkham City story. There's so much at stake in this battle, as well as personal attachments narratively between Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul. With all of this playing into the encounter, the gameplay matches the tension effectively, as the immortal man meets his match in a mind-bending sequence in another realm.
Scarecrow - Arkham Asylum
It was Scarecrow's boss battle in Arkham Asylum that truly demonstrated that the character could be used for so much more in Arkham Knight. Considering he was absent (asides from some easter eggs) in the middle installment, his initial boss battle is somehow all the more noteworthy.
Once again, the game used a number of mind-bending techniques to portray the dangerous impact that the fear toxin can have on the mind. The result was a giant Scarecrow looming over his prey as players worked to try to avoid his gaze and attack when the moment arose.
Red Hood - Arkham Knight
The Arkham Knight himself was one of the biggest mysteries of the third installment to the series, as players tried to uncover the truth of Batman's new nemesis. As was suspected, the Knight revealed himself to be Jason Todd, morphing into Red Hood for a final boss battle.
Of course, later DLC would allow players to take control of Red Hood in his new vigilante form, but this boss battle saw the former master and apprentice at odds, creating an interesting dynamic. Both use similar techniques, with stealth tactics and military precision on full display from both the Arkham Knight (who utilizes a sniper rifle) and the player.
Bane - Arkham Asylum
It's hard to believe that characters like Bane somehow weren't featured even more heavily throughout the series considering his potential. Perhaps Rocksteady should reconsider foes like these before moving on to new challenges. His boss fight in Arkham Asylum alone though was especially significant.
There are few villains that can match the speed and the brute strength of Bane. There's certainly nothing stealthy here as players must use Bane's momentum against him and strike as many times as possible. It plays out at a slowed pace, but patience is ultimately the answer in this grueling conflict.
Poison Ivy - Arkham Asylum
Poison Ivy is increasingly becoming a superstar in her own right in both the comics and indeed the wider DC universe. Her appearance in Arkham Asylum demonstrated she had what it takes to step up to the next level and become a major threat to the world's greatest detective.
Her unique abilities meant that there are few other fights in the games quite like this one. Her plant powers resulted in players dodging and diving, trying to find an opening to halt her vicious attacks.
Batman And Joker - Arkham Knight
The Arkham games really changed the dynamic between Batman and Joker shifting it into something even more complex. It was a work of art how these two characters intertwined with one another, with his death in Arkham City showcasing that Rocksteady was ready to change the status quo.
A surprising boss battle in Arkham Knight see's Batman clash with his nemesis one last time inside his mind. The player starts off as the Joker trying to hunt down the Dark Knight, before the player becomes Batman and kicks out the clown prince of crime from his head for good. It's an emotional and visually striking final fight.