24/7 Insights
- Batman games are arguably the most popular superhero video games of all time.
- Spider-Man is a close second in terms of the highest Metacritic scores.
- The best superhero video games span various console generations.
- Also: Discover “The Next NVIDIA”
In a world of video games, superhero titles have always been hugely popular. The association of names like Batman, Superman, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and others has helped drive the sales of hundreds of games over the years. Of course, while hundreds of these types of superhero video games have been released, only a few can claim to be among the titles truly worth playing.
To help determine exactly which superhero video games you should try, we look to Metacritic. Using review data from the website in descending order, you quickly learn which superhero titles are the best games in this genre. Thankfully, Metacritic doesn’t discriminate between Marvel and DC, so you won’t find any favoritism among your favorite superheroes, many of which make appearances.
Why Does This Matter?
It’s easy to forget just how big the video game industry is, but it’s hard to ignore once you learn the scale. For an industry larger than the music and movie industries combined, video game articles are well worth covering for 24/7 Wall St. Considering that names like Microsoft, Sony, Apple, Nintendo, and Google are all prominent in the video game world, there is plenty of association with topics and companies we regularly cover.
10. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
- Metacritic Score: 80
- Release date: October 2013
- Playable consoles: Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 2DS, Nintendo Switch
- Total sales: 1.7 million units
LEGO Everything
As with all Marvel games, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is a fantastic playthrough for adults and kids alike. The game features dozens of Marvel superheroes who all come together to battle Doctor Doom and Loki in their quest to conquer Earth once and for all. Of course, as a LEGO title, you can expect this game to be very family-friendly, offering a good experience for parents and children looking for something to play together.
9. Marvel vs. Capcom 2
- Metacritic Score: 82
- Release date: March 2000
- Playable consoles: Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360
- Total sales: 1.4 million units
Fight Fight Fight
The first game in the Marvel vs. Capcom series features 2.5D graphics, this is the fighting game to get if you love superheroes. With characters from the Marvel universe, you can play as Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, Thanos, War Machine, and a host of X-Men characters. Capcom offers its own set of favorites, including characters from the Street Fighter universe like Ken, Ryu, Chun-Li, Guile, and M. Bison. Every player selects two characters in a tag team-style combat mode that is fun for all ages.
8. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
- Metacritic Score: 85
- Release date: February 2011
- Playable consoles: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
- Total sales: 2.2 million units
3D Superhero Fighting
One of the first 3D superhero fighting games, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, followed up on the beloved Marvel vs. Capcom 2. The good news is that the game lived up to its predecessor, and some used the same tag-team mechanics that had made the previous games so popular. The game has playable characters like Thor, X-23, Captain America, Deadpool, Doctor Doom, and popular Capcom stars like Mike Haggar, Ryu, Zero, Crimson Viper, Chun-Li, and Albert Wesker.
7. Spider-Man
- Metacritic Score: 87
- Release date: August 2000
- Playable consoles: PlayStation, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, Windows, Nintendo 64
- Total sales: 300,000 units
Original Spider-Man
One of the more original Spider-Man games, this 2000 release was a PlayStation and Dreamcast dream. The game focuses on the namesake superhero who looks to clear his name after being framed for a crime he did not commit. At the same time, Doc Ock is conducting a symbiote invasion in New York City, and Spider-Man has to foil his efforts. Bosses like Venom, Mysterio, Rhino, and Scorpion all make appearances at the end of different levels.
6. Batman: Arkham Knight
- Metacritic Score: 87
- Release date: June 2015
- Playable consoles: PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Total sales: 5 million units
Sir Batman
Played from a third-person perspective, Batman: Arkham Knight is a direct sequel to Batman: Arkham City and follows the previous game’s storyline. In this title, Batman has to confront Scarecrow, whose previous attack paralyzed the city, causing widespread evacuations. This time around, Scarecrow is looking to release all of Gotham’s locked-up criminals to cause even more mayhem and panic to draw Batman out and destroy him.
5. Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
- Metacritic Score: 87
- Release date: September 2018
- Playable consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows
- Total sales: 22.68 million units
Swinging Around New York City
When 2018 rolled around, and Marvel’s Spider-Man action-adventure game came out, the gaming world was impressed by how good this game could be. With dozens of Spider-Man games already on the market, it takes a lot to impress fans of this superhero, but there is no doubt this game did exactly that. Swinging around New York City is something else, and the graphics are incredible, especially if you load this game on the PlayStation 5.
4. Injustice 2
- Metacritic Score: 87
- Release date: May 2017
- Playable consoles: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows
- Total sales: ~1.5 million units
Superman Versus Batman
There is no better fighting game for superheroes to face off other than Injustice 2. Featuring most of the DC Universe, this fighting game is second to none when it comes to Batman and his attempt to restore order after Superman gave up control of the world. Winning numerous awards in 2017, Injustice 2 has been praised for its story, character lineup, gameplay mechanics, and the ability to customize your favorite superhero character.
3. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Metacritic Score: 90
- Release date: October 2023
- Playable consoles: PlayStation 5
- Total sales: 11 million units
Does Whatever a Spider Can
An action-adventure sequel to the original Marvel Spider-Man from 2018, Marvel’s Spiderman 2 was a big success. This time, you can play as Peter Parker and Miles Morales while attempting to navigate a superhero’s life while keeping their personal lives intact. The ability to swing around New York City offers some of the best graphics of any video game to date, which is why the game has already sold 11 million units and counting.
2. Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Metacritic Score: 92
- Release date: August 2009
- Playable consoles: PlayStation 3, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Total sales: 9.5 million units
Batman Everything
Batman is one of the few superheroes that has truly crossed into the mainstream, and it shows. Not only is Batman: Arkham Asylum a great game for fans of the character, but even casual gamers will love the action-adventure aspect and the beat-em-up style Batman does with all his gadgets. Battling Joker is a traditional Batman fare, and this is precisely what takes place in this game as the villain threatens Gotham City with multiple hidden bombs.
1. Batman: Arkham City
- Metacritic Score: 94
- Release date:
- Playable consoles: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows
- Total sales: 12.5 million units
Da da da da Batman!
Batman: Arkham City is the second of three Batman games released around the same period. Its experience is unforgettable, and there is every bit of good reason why it is the highest-rated superhero video game of all time. An open-world action-adventure title, the game largely values the third-person perspective and works well. The city of Arkham is detailed, the combat is top-notch, and there’s something about using Batman’s gadgets that feels good every time.
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