Retro Hits: The superhero games that paved the way for the Arkham series

To say that there is a before and after Batman: Arkham Asylum for superhero games is certainly no exaggeration. Rocksteady completely rewrote the book for what it was supposed to be, offering a meaty, full-bodied adventure with eminent gameplay and great variety alongside a well-written story.

Not only was it a brilliant superhero game that changed the concept forever, it was a damn good game too, and a ridiculously comprehensive superhero product that outshone most films of the genre at the time. But... that doesn't mean all superhero games were bad before then. Sure, there were plenty of great titles, even if they were usually pretty one-dimensional in their approach and mostly about punching people in the face or shooting at them.

But that can be fun too, of course, and with that in mind I've now rummaged through my game collection for the gems and picked out ten really great superhero games created before the bar was raised much higher by Rocksteady.

Batman: The Video Game (NES - 1989)

Despite being "just" a licensed game based on Tim Burton's beloved film, Sunsoft delivered a tight, stylish, and dark action platformer that still holds up. It was very expensive, but luckily my brother happened to have a birthday when it was released so he got it as a present. The game controls were spot on, the combat was exciting, and the platforming was a brilliant addition that made the game feel really genuine. Add to this a dark, pumping soundtrack, and we had an 8-bit experience that was among the best available for the NES. As a side point, I also wanted to include Batman for Commodore 64 as the first (and oldest) game on this list, but it ended up just missing the cut.

Batman Returns (Super Nintendo - 1992)

This was, in a sense, the Arkham games two decades before they were released. Instead of messing around, Konami went for a clean, brutal beat 'em up in the classic Final Fight vein complete with gorgeous graphics and where hurling enemies into walls was as satisfying as it sounds. There was also a game of the same name for the Mega Drive developed by Malibu Interactive, but it was a different title (it wasn't that uncommon to have separate games rather than marginally different versions at the time). There was a lot of arguing at the time about which was better, but Super Nintendo won that battle.

X-Men (Arcade - 1992)

It may have been released over 30 years ago, but it was actually only in 2010 that we finally got to play it at home, on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This would have been one of the greatest classics of the beat 'em up genre, but as I said, it didn't come to home consoles and there was no way to play with six people anyway, which is one of the main draws. Ultimately here, up to six people each shouldered an X-Men character to collectively dish out beatings and defeat bosses in colourful graphics. Each character had their own unique powers, giving the game a great dynamic and encouraging cooperation. A timeless gem that captured the essence of the X-Men better than most other games.

Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (Mega Drive/Super Nintendo - 1994)

I followed Spider-Man and had heard about the incredible Maximum Carnage series, and it turned out to live up to the hype. When the game arrived, I immediately bought the Super Nintendo version and enjoyed my time with the cool and explosive action-adventure. The graphics were extremely colourful and sparkled with a 90s aesthetic, and the soundtrack offered a hard-rocking collection of tracks. The gameplay was actually quite simple, but there was a clear idea and this really is a true 16-bit classic.

The Adventures of Batman & Robin (Mega Drive/Super Nintendo - 1995)

This adventure delivered a dark and action-packed experience with a range of creative bosses and fast gameplay that did the TV series justice. Each stage was filled with explosive action and cosy art deco designs, with Batman using his gadgets and fists to fight enemies. It was a particularly technically impressive action-adventure for its time, combining great combat systems with platforming elements, and it sadly feels sadly forgotten. I think this could be re-released and find an audience even today.

The Punisher (Mega Drive - 1995)

The Punisher was one of the most intense beat 'em up games of this era and was developed by Capcom on the same premise as Final Fight. It contributed greatly to the feeling that Sega had more adult and cooler action games than Nintendo offered, and Frank Castle was on top form with lots of guns, explosions, and gritty violence. The colourful and gorgeous pixels added to the feeling that this was something special, and I've rarely felt as cool playing a game as I did in this case.

Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (Dreamcast - 2000)

I was actually not a fan of this game at all, preferring the predecessor where four people could play tag battles together. It wasn't until I met an older (in the present, he was younger at the time) Swedish fighting legend that the game opened up with all its insane possibilities. It was the first game that made me study videos on the internet (with a modem) to understand how I could abuse Cable and Mega Man to the maximum. The game was actually completely out of balance, but everyone knew it and acted accordingly and the result was magic.

Spider-Man 2 (Gamecube/PS2/Xbox - 2004)

Perhaps this is the basis of what would later become the Arkham series. Spider-Man 2 really set the standard for superhero games with its open world and revolutionary web-swinging in New York. The game world also felt alive and managed to combine freedom with an engaging story, where you got to experience the lives of both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. A ground-breaking game that truly captured the essence of Spider-Man.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (PS2/Xbox - 2006)

Today, Raven Software mostly makes Call of Duty, but they actually had a period with superheroes and really shined. Among other things, they delivered this. An action role-playing game where you assembled your own superhero team from a crazy large selection of characters, which you and up to three friends could then have fun with. The game offered both great co-op and intense action complete with a fun Marvel story created exclusively for this adventure. A real treat for both avid comic book fans and hardcore gamers that should actually still get a sequel.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PC/PS3/Xbox 360 - 2009)

I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw this. Raven Software had done it again. Not only was it a licensed game, but it was based on a film, which was tantamount to piss poor quality in those days. But X-Men Origins: Wolverine was brutal, violent, and gave us complete freedom to step into the shoes of the immortal mutant we have all dreamed of becoming. As well as a physically intense experience of slaughtering enemies, Wolverine's regenerative abilities made the battles feel both strategic and chaotic at the same time, and while the film of the same name is simply fine at the best of times, this game is actually much better. Of course, it didn't stand a chance against Batman: Arkham Asylum, but it was released less than six months before anyway, and can be seen as the culmination of the era prior to Rocksteady's trilogy.

What are your favourite superhero games, both classic and more modern?