5 Best Batman Video Games Of All Time, Ranked

There's no shortage of Batman media to consume. The Caped Crusader has been adapted so many times across film and television. Everyone can rank their favorite Batman actors from worst to best, and it feels like there's always some kind of Batman-adjacent TV show on the air. And while the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman are starved for a new video game, developers can't stop themselves from giving Batman one new game after the next.

The very first Batman video game came out in 1986. Simply titled "Batman," the game has the simple task of seeing Batman collect various parts to construct the Batcraft so that he can go rescue Robin. Since then, dozens of other titles have been released with far more sophisticated plots. And that's not even getting into related DC games that have Batman as a character even if the focus isn't on him, like "Injustice" and "Lego Dimensions."

For this list of the best Batman video games, we're solely looking at titles that have the Caped Crusader front and center. We based the ranking off online reviews and our personal experiences playing many of the titles. So if you're wondering where to start your Dark Knight gaming journey, here's a good place to start. 

Prequels are always a tough sell, and there are plenty of pointless movie prequels to prove it. "Batman: Arkham Origins" isn't quite that redundant, as there's still plenty to enjoy. It just has the misfortune of coming out after the excellently received "Batman: Arkham Asylum" and "Batman: Arkham City." 

Black Mask (Brian Bloom) puts a bounty on Batman's (Roger Craig Smith) head, drawing the attention of eight deadly assassins. The boss fights in the game are spectacular, with your bout against Deathstroke (Mark Rolston) being a real standout. And it's a well-told story that introduces Batman's relationship with Joker (Troy Baker), setting the stage for future "Arkham" storylines.

"Asylum" and "City" were astounding for when they came out, with the latter feeling like a general improvement over the former. But "Origins" is mostly the same. That can largely be attributed to the fact the game was developed by WB Games Montréal instead of Rocksteady. That means many of the same maps and enemy gameplay carries over without new developments. This leads to many awkward moments, including a room filled with papers featuring an older Joker's face despite him being younger in "Origins" because it's a, you know, origin story. 

It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but if you just want to flesh out the "Arkham" universe and hear some great voice acting, "Origins" gets the job done. After all, Smith and Baker do an incredible job filling in for the iconic mainstay duo of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill.

There's an entire secret history to Lego Batman, appearing in various Lego-centric video games and movies. Heck, he even had his own feature-length film at one point, but all of those appearances culminate in the ultimate tribute to the Caped Crusader — 2026's "Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight."

It's an original story, albeit one that draws from every period of Batman's existence. You have scenes and plot points ripped straight from the likes of 1989's "Batman," Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, and even the campy 1960s series. Heck, billboards around Gotham are littered with Easter eggs, making it a true delight for any longtime Batman fan. 

"Legacy of the Dark Knight" is a superb tribute to all things Batman with an expansive map to explore all of the aforementioned references. And it's not just movies that get references here. The combat, with the ability to counter and dodge, feels reminiscent of the "Arkham" series. There are ample Riddler puzzles to solve around the city as well as side quests, so even when you complete the main story, there's plenty to keep you busy. 

It's not exactly a complicated game, and the generic enemy fights, taking on hordes of random NPCs, can get a bit repetitive at a certain point. But whether you're a casual gamer or someone who spends their weekends grinding nonstop, "Legacy of the Dark Knight" has a lot to enjoy.

After a brief departure with "Batman: Arkham Origins," we get back into the present with the Dark Knight for "Batman: Arkham Knight." And Rocksteady sent out Bruce Wayne in style with a game that feels like an advancement on previous efforts while telling a story that gets to the heart of what has made Batman such an iconic character for so many decades. 

It's easily the most cinematic outing of the franchise, as the in-game camera really gives you a stellar look throughout Gotham. It was also a really nice touch making Joker (Mark Hamill) Batman's inner monologuist, seeing as how the legendary character died in the previous game. Bruce is still haunted by Joker's death, all while raising questions as to whether Batman is psychotic deep down. That internal struggle gets complemented with Bruce's biggest struggle yet as Scarecrow's working with a mysterious new foe called the Arkham Knight to bring Batman down once and for all.

To be honest, you can see the twist revelation of the Arkham Knight's identity coming from a mile away. There's also the emphasis on tank-based gameplay, which can be tricky to maneuver if you wind up in a cramped spot. 

But those are minor nitpicks. "Arkham Knight" gives the series the grand conclusion it so richly deserved. Not only is the story the kind of epic conclusion you'd expect to see on the big screen, but the game is genuinely challenging. The puzzles require a lot of care and craft, so it's a game you'll need to spend a good time at completing. But with how epic everything feels, you won't mind taking an elongated stay in Gotham. 

Plenty of Batman video games came out prior to "Batman: Arkham Asylum." Yet in one glorious game, all of them suddenly became irrelevant. In an instance, this became the definitive Batman game, pushing the Dark Knight to his limits while offering ample Easter eggs for comic books to devour.

It's a classic Batman versus Joker story, as the Clown Prince of Crime hatches a deadly plot to acquire large doses of Titan, a more advanced version of the chemical Bane uses to gain his strength. With it, Joker would be able to amass an army of super-powered monsters. 

Unlike the expansive map that would come in later games, Batman is situated on a single island, which actually works to the game's advantage. It creates a far more claustrophobic environment where stealth becomes all the more important. But even those moments on the island get broken up with the Scarecrow's fear toxin creating hallucinations, forcing Batman to battle his inner thoughts as well as legions of criminals. 

"Batman: Arkham Asylum" functions as a stellar entry point for anyone wanting to get more into Batman's mythos. It's not too steeped in lore to where you ever feel like something's going over your head. Yes, the final boss fight with Titan Joker is a bit of a letdown. Whereas Joker is known for being a mental match for Batman, here he becomes just a hulking monster. But up until that point, Joker and the rest of Batman's rogues gallery, are a formidable match, with "Arkham Asylum" laying the blueprint for pretty much every Batman game that followed. 

It's best to think of "Batman: Arkham Asylum" as the equivalent to "Batman Begins." It's a solid start to a budding franchise with some rough edges around the corners. But those rough edges get sanded away with a far more superior and emotional story with the sequel. "The Dark Knight" is still considered by many to be among the best superhero movies of all time, and "Batman: Arkham City" is easily the best Batman game ever made.

A section of Gotham has been overtaken by criminals, so Batman infiltrates the area to figure out what precisely Hugo Strange has planning. While that's taking place, Batman also needs to find a cure for a blood disease Joker gave him that's slowly killing him. To sum up what makes "Arkham City" so special is that it's a game where no aspects are wasted.

Every villain has a personal motivation for being there and expands the story further by their presence. Plus, "Arkham City" has the best boss fight in any of the games with the Mr. Freeze (Maurice LaMarche) battle. It's one of the most difficult thing any gamer will go through, as Mr. Freeze constantly adapts to your fighting style, forcing you to go through all your weapons and stealth strategies to defeat him. More than any other moment in the "Arkham" series, you're forced into Batman's shoes and forced to think creatively to find a way to defeat him.

The story moves fast. The combat weaves together effortlessly. "Batman: Arkham City" is a true triumph of video game development and truly one of the greatest Dark Knight stories ever told.