What are the best superhero games?
Well, that depends who you ask. For our money, we’d point to the Batman: Arkham series, but we’ll admit we’re a little biased. To get a wider perspective, we’ve looked to Reddit for answers.
To be fair, there are a lot of good superhero games out there, so narrowing down a list to the best few is no easy task. We’ve taken to Reddit to discover what users consider the best superhero games pre-Arkham. We’ve also included some other great titles that didn’t quite make the cut.
Here are the best superhero games:
Spider-Man
Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 were popular choices, with some users having fond memories of the PS1 games, while others liked the more recent entries, such as the open-world of Spider-Man 2 on Xbox. The web-swinging and combat mechanics were well-liked overall, but Spider-Man 2’s open-world and exploration really stood out for some users, as did its boss fights. Spider-Man: The Movie game was also well-regarded with its wide cast of playable characters, including Green Goblin.
“Spider-Man 2 on Xbox was actually really good,” one user says. “The open-world was really nice, and the crime system was cool.” Another replies: “Spider-Man 2 is the best superhero game [before Arkham].” While another replies: “I don’t know if it holds up gameplay-wise, but the web-swinging and combat were still fun.”
Spider-Man 2 on PS1 got a lot of love, as well, with one user saying: “Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 on PS1 were amazing. The combat and web-swinging, and just how much it felt like Spider-Man.” Another adds: “Spider-Man 2 on PS1 is the best Spider-Man game, and the best superhero game.”
Wolverine’s Revenge
X2: Wolverine’s Revenge and X-Men: The Official Game were also well-regarded, with the escape sequence in X2 as Wolverine being a standout moment. Some also had a fondness for Disney superhero games, such as Duck Avenger, understandably named after the Duck Dodgers cartoon, and Donald Duck PK, both of which are based on the Donald Duck universe.
Freedom Force
Freedom Force was a fun RPG game that, while not technically a superhero game, allows you to create your own superheroes and villains and face off against other players’ creations in the game’s multiplayer. Modding was a big part of the Freedom Force community, allowing players to create characters from Marvel and DC universes, and the recent Freedom Force 2 has kept that modding community alive with several Marvel characters already available to play with.
Infamous
Infamous was released a few months before Arkham Asylum, and was a standout superhero game for some. “I’m surprised Infamous isn’t on here,” one user remarks. “It’s very close to Arkham Asylum’s release,” another replies. The open-world and powers of the first Infamous game were well-liked, with one user saying: “Infamous was a great superhero game,” while another adds: “The powers were really fun.”
Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2
Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 were beloved by many, with the two games combining characters from the Marvel universe and the X-Men universe, and letting players team up as The Hulk and Wolverine, or Spider-Man and Wolverine, among others.
Spider-Man 2 on Xbox
Despite misspelling the Spider-Man 2 in the title, the Xbox version of the game was well-regarded. “Spider-Man 2 on Xbox was really good,” one user says, “the combat was really smooth and the open-world was really nice.” Other replies praise its web-swinging mechanics and combat.
Spider-Man: The Movie
Despite misspelling the movie in the title, this Spider-Man game from 2004 was also well-regarded. The boss fights were praised, as was the ability to play as Green Goblin.
Despite a misspelling in the title, Spider-Man 2 was considered the best superhero game before the Arkham series. Some users felt that Spider-Man 2 didn’t hold up well in terms of gameplay, but its web-swinging and combat were still enjoyable.
Wolverine’s Revenge on the PS2
Wolverine’s Revenge on the PS2 and Ultimate Spider-Man remained favorites among users, despite not being traditional superhero games. Many praised their combat and open-worlds, with one user saying: “Wolverine’s Revenge and Spider-Man 2 are the only good ones.”
Prince of Persia games
Despite not being traditionally superhero games, many users included the Prince of Persia games as favorites. “Prince of Persia,” one user says. “Not a superhero game but it’s a platformer with an amazing combat system and well-designed levels.
