The Best Superhero Games

By: Max Cannon

From gliding over the streets of Gotham City to grinding the electric rails of Empire City, superheroes have made up some of our best and worst gaming protagonists. However there are so many games out there that it's hard to figure out which ones are best. Check out Kidzworld's list of our favorite superhero games!

Spider-Man 2 

Reprising the role of Peter Parker and Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire returns to voice our hero in the classic superhero game and one of the best movie to game adaptations. Released during the Gamecube/PS2/Xbox era, Spider-Man 2 was well ahead of the open world competition especially in the realm of superhero games. The story was a retelling of the events in the movie and added characters like Black Cat, Shocker, and Mysterio. Spider-Man 2's plot wasn't nearly as well done as the movie but it was interesting to see more characters and more conflicts, even if they weren't done as well.

But the gameplay is where this game really shines. Swinging around the city is incredibly fun, and something future Spider-Man games couldn't recreate. Attaching every web and really being a "Tarzan" of the concrete jungle is exciting in a way that very few game could recreate. Spider-Man 2 is also one of first games to use random events in the city. Citizens dangling from buidlings, cops in high speed chases, and children crying for their lost balloons are peppered across the city and will periodically need Spider-Man's special services to take care of the situation. Time may not be kind to every element of this game but swinging remains as fun as ever.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

While the following games in the Arkham series added open worlds, more villains, and better endings, Batman: Arkham Asylum paved the road for quality superhero games. Returning the voice of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamil from the beloved "Batman: The Animated Series" to play our hero and villain, Arkham Asylum released on PlayStation 3/Xbox 360. A tight story and great characters were paired with some of the most influential hand to hand combat in recent games. 

There are three pillars to the Arkham games: Puzzles, Stealth, and Combat. Puzzles are very Zelda-esque, you'll use your various gadgets to sneak past traps and test your detective skills. Stealth rooms are about sneaking through vents, silently snagging enemies, and making it through a room in the most Batman-y way possible. When it comes time to fight, quick punches, counters, and combos are used in the Freeflow system to keep things fast and engaging. Hopefully the planned and recently delayed Return to Arkham Collection comes to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One sooner rather than later.

InFAMOUS 2

Most superhero games use established characters from our classic Marvel/DC worlds, but the original inFAMOUS built a world from the ground up and created an interesting set of rules. Cole McGrath gets his powers from the epicenter of an explosion that killed thousands of people but left him supercharged. The power of electricity flowing through his body allowed him to conquer the street gangs, fight off a plague, and learn his fate was planned to prepare him to fight a powerful monster called The Beast. InFAMOUS 2 immediately tells Cole that time is up, The Beast is here and he immediately blows up the Cole's home of Empire City. Adding better melee combat, better story, and the New Orleans inspired town of New Marais, inFAMOUS 2 steps up from the original in every possible way.

Morality systems aren't new to games but the choices in inFamous 2 resulted in separate interesting stories depending on the path you've chosen. Cole's path as a superhero or villain is decided by how you dispose of enemies and choose your allies. And the fresh superhero story was unexpected compared to the typical hero's tale. This PlayStation 3 exclusive was one of the best reasons to own the console.

Have Your Say!

What do you think of these games? What are some of your favorite superhero games? Share your favorites below!