Summary
Batman is one of the most iconic and well recognized characters in pop-culture. As a consequence of his fame and commercial/critical success in nearly every facet of media, he has had a lot of video games. Not only has he featured in a protagonist role in games such asInjusticeandJustice League Heroes,he also has a ton of his own iconic games, including but not limited to theBatman ArkhamandBatman Telltaleseries, as well as tons of licensed games and games released in the ’90s and 2000s.
Similar to his theatrical iterations, a ton of Batman’s games have garnered massive critical acclaim and commercial success. One of the big reasons the Caped Crusader’s video game ventures work so well is due to tons of incredible boss fights that players can test themselves on.
Rise of Sin Tzuis a fun beat-em-up game that players can play on their own or infour-player co-opcontrolling Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing. The game features a unique and new villain, Sin Tzu, who also serves as a boss in the game. Players can fight through hordes of henchmen and face three other bosses — Bane, Clayface, and Scarecrow. While the introduction of a new character to the Batman mythos is always welcome, this game has a surprisingly low number of boss fights.
Rise of Sin Tzuis quite an unspectacular game. It features a few fun boss fights, and the co-op elements are always welcome. However, beyond that, there’s not much to write home about — aside from the fact that Clayface is voiced by formerHellboy,Ron Perlman, and the titular villain by Carey-Hiroyuki Tagawa (ofMortal Kombatinfamy).
Arkham Asylumis an incredible game that not only spawned one of the most iconic video-game franchises of the recent era, but it also paved the way for proper superhero games.Arkham Asylumfeatures a total of 15 bosses with a few repeated appearances by the likes of Scarecrow and the Titan Henchmen, but each boss fight feels fresh and tries something new.
Playing as Batman, locked in an asylum with his biggest enemies, gives an incredible feeling of being trapped and having to fight your way out. Players have to utilize Batman’s brute strength, as well as stealth, using gadgets and planning their take-downs. Most of Batman’s abilities and gadgets have special uses and can impact boss fights as well. While later installments up the ante in terms of boss fights, for many,the original had the perfect formula. Special mention must go out to the ominous and tense encounter with Killer Croc.
Arkham Cityhad huge shoes to fill. Its predecessor practically perfected a combat formula that has gone on to have a clear influence on the likes ofShadow of Mordorand Sony’sSpider-Manseries. Fortunately,Arkham Citywas an incredible game in its own right, with many believing it tobe the best in the series. The game builds on the incredibleArkham Asylumcombat system, adding more depth to the counter system, allowing players to catch projectiles and use multiple new gadgets during combat.
Arkham Cityfeatures tons of new bosses sprawled across the main story, as well as some featuring in side quests and the Catwoman story. There are very few repeat boss fights; most of the bosses are unique and exciting, like the duel against Ra’s Al Ghul, the almost incredible ambush in the Penguin fight, and, of course, theclimatic battle against Mr. Freeze.Arkham Cityhas some of the best boss fights any superhero game has to offer.
Lego Batmanis one of the most successful Lego games, and it spawned a couple of sequels and DC crossovers. This is an incredibly fun and lighthearted game, portraying Bruce Wayne’s life in a brighter and warmer tone. Players can first play through the main story, taking down the likes of Bane, Joker, and Clayface, but they can also swap around and play as the villains themselves.
This game features tons of different bosses from Batman’s rogues' gallery with varying levels of difficulty — and each with their own unique quirks. The battle against Two-Face is challenging and comprehensive, with players having to whittle down ten hearts. There are also some puzzle fights, such as Killer Moth, that spice things up. WhileLego Batmandoesn’t feature any blockbuster battles, it has tons of infectious charm, evident through the story and the boss fights alike.
Arkham Originsis often seen as the black sheep of theArkhamfamily.However, one area in which it definitely showed up was boss fights. While at times it felt like players had to fight ten different variants of Bane, he was an incredible boss in his own right. The battle against Deadshot feels like an endurance bout, fighting Deadshot being almost a reward for clearing out henchmen effectively. The fight against Firefly was entertaining as well. All the while building upanticipation for the eventual fight with Deathstroke.
The fight with Deathstroke felt like a duel between two worthy combatants. While the fight isn’t too great from a gameplay standpoint, visually, it looks and feels incredible.Arkham Originsmay not be the best Batman game out there, but it definitely features a ton of memorable bosses.
While some aspects of this game’s story left a lot to be desired. It has to be said thatArkham Knightwas the perfect culmination of theArkhamseries in terms of gameplay. The combat was slick and high octane, the boss fights were great beneficiaries of the modern gen consoles, and the Batmobile was a huge plus as well. When considering all the Most Wanted Cases and expansions, this game has an extremely comprehensive library of boss fights.
Some of the best in the game include the brawls with the Arkham Knight, as well as thebattle with Killer Croc. The fights in the Batmobile itself are fun too. Overall, ArkhamKnightwas a reasonable culmination of theArkhamseries and delivered some exhilarating boss battles.
