High 5 Superman Video games – Stone Age Countdown

James Gunn’s Superman will launch, or has launched by the point you learn this, on July eleventh 2025 and marks the solo return of the large blue boy scout to the silver display screen after a twelve yr hiatus. (2013’s Man of Metal) The trailers have all been extremely promising. James Gunn seems to get “it” with Kal-El, the issues that make him iconic. It’s been a very long time coming truthfully. Whereas Marvel has churned out a veritable onslaught of high quality movies DC has… not. (to place it properly) The truth is, Marvel appears to have DC’s quantity in nearly each division presently with hit motion pictures, television exhibits, toys, and video video games. Certain, the Arkham video games have been nice however the final correct entry, Arkham Knight, got here out in 2015 and, because the title implies, stars Batman and his rogues gallery not Superman. Superman has been woefully ignored within the videogame area with fourteen solo titles since 1979’s debut for the Atari 2600, most of them painfully, horribly, wretchedly unhealthy. Examine that to thirty six video games for Batman and twenty six video games for Spiderman (give or take just a few relying on the listing you utilize), and we will clearly see that Supes has not gotten the love he deserves. And whereas there isn’t any tie-in sport for this specific movie, there are just a few diamonds within the tough that, should you’re an uber excited fanboy like me, are value a playthrough. Submitted to your approval these are the highest 5 Superman video games.

(fast word: this listing won’t think about multi-hero titles, app or PC based mostly video games, or preventing video games)

5. Superman – Sega Genesis 1992

Full disclosure, this isn’t an awesome sport by any stretch. Developed and printed by Sunsoft, they of the excellent Batman NES sport, there’s a certain quantity of Genesis Jank ™, which if , solely 5 ranges starring some lower than heavy hitters as bosses, Prankster? I imply…, and it’s exhausting. Actually, actually exhausting. All that stated, I nonetheless discover a respectable quantity of enjoyment right here. The Superman sprite appears nice and animates nicely. There’s a good use of a few of his powers and the flying elements, whereas few, really feel actually good. The music is sweet if not excellent and the general gameplay is strong. What actually put this on the map for me was that it was the primary console launch that felt like Massive Blue. The 2600 sport is nicely, it exists. The NES sport is legendarily terrible. (sure it’s worse than the 64game, no I received’t hear arguments towards that time) This one although confirmed that there was a path to one thing higher. The sport lacks replayability however is value taking part in by way of even with cheats, that you’ll undoubtedly want.

4. Superman: Returns – PS2, Xbox, 360 2006

For a lot of, not me clearly, that is the Superman sport. Developed by EA Tiburon and printed to tie into the then present movie, Returns is the sport that will get the closest to what a Superman sport must be. On this sport The Man of Metal is principally invincible. It doesn’t matter what occurs, save for just a few encounters, he can’t be damage or killed. As an alternative he has a stamina meter which might be replenished by flying into the environment and recharging from the solar, a pleasant nod to the comics, whereas the town of Metropolis has a harm meter. An excessive amount of harm, both from enemies or Superman himself, and it’s sport over. Which is truthfully fairly intelligent. It forces gamers to be not solely inventive in how they resolve the assorted obstacles in Superman’s path, like burning buildings or imperiled residents, however to additionally grasp Superman’s powers in order to not unintentionally Warmth Imaginative and prescient one thing or somebody to bejeezus and again. Why then is that this sport not increased on my listing? As a result of it isn’t that a lot enjoyable to play previous the preliminary have a look at what I can do part. Now don’t get me incorrect, that method labored for Spiderman 2 whereby swinging across the metropolis and rescuing escaped balloons was an absolute blast for means longer than it ought to have been. Right here too flying round and being Superman is basically enjoyable. The controls enable gamers to be the character in a means the restricted configurations of the previous by no means actually may. However, as soon as that wears off the remainder of the sport is ok. All instructed should you’ve by no means performed by way of this you undoubtedly ought to, on the 360 ideally.

3. Superman: The Arcade Recreation – ARC 1989

I waffled exhausting on the place to position this sport. I wish to put it at two but when I’m being sincere, I can’t. I do genuinely love this sport although, possibly (most likely) greater than most. Developed and printed by Taito Superman is a mixture beat ‘em up/shoot ‘em up designed to mercilessly suck all the quarters out of your pockets. As with different video games within the style it’s brutally exhausting to the purpose of being unfair/low cost and has an ending display screen that nearly by no means performed in precise arcades. However due to the facility of expertise, these empty pockets considerations are a factor of the previous. The sport itself appears nice with good, huge sprites that animate rather well. Kal-El particularly appears implausible with nice animation on his cape. The enemies, whereas generic, are new creations for the sport as is the ultimate boss, the evil Emperor Zaas. The gameplay splits itself between “Go Proper” beat ‘em up phases the place you may punch, kick, and fly all you need with scrolling shooter sections that provide the capacity to make use of your Warmth Imaginative and prescient in addition to punch. The music incorporates a fantastic arcadey model of John William’s basic theme in addition to Can You Learn My Thoughts. Whereas this sport definitely downplays Massive Blue’s moveset you actually do really feel just like the titular hero. It’s an absolute blast to play 2-player, even with the bizarre purple/grey costume coloring on the second Superman. In case you by no means have, you should give this one a shot.

2. Superman: The Demise and Return of Superman – SNES 1994, GEN 1995

It is exhausting to overstate simply how huge the Demise of Superman storyline was. This occasion was in every single place. The native nightly information coated the folks ready in strains outdoors comedian retailers to get their fingers on the tremendous particular black bagged difficulty containing the ultimate struggle. Tales have been written in newspapers nationwide in regards to the historical past and cultural affect the Final Son of Krypton had on the world. Buyers speculated exhausting on the e book inflicting it to be massively overprinted and located in virtually each .25 cent bin across the nation. Youngsters like me talked about it continuous throughout recess and lunch in school. And whereas I definitely have my points with the story general, Doomsday being undeserving of the respect largely, the occasion did a whole lot of good for comics generally and Kal-El particularly. A type of issues was this excellent sport. Constructing on the beat ‘em up/shoot ‘em up method of the arcade sport, Sunsoft delivered a sport that instructed the story of the comics faithfully, for higher or worse. Right here you not solely play because the Massive Blue Boyscout but in addition because the substitute Supermen, Superboy/Metal/Eradicator/Cyborg Superman. And whereas the sport provides nothing new to the beat ‘em up method, it does the style justice. The controls are precisely what they have to be with a number of assaults and the power to fly at any time by urgent bounce twice. The graphics are attractive with detailed sprites that depict the completely different supermen precisely as they seem on the comedian web page. Even with out 2-player, a cardinal sin in most beat ‘em ups, this sport is a blast. It’s exhausting, positive however so rattling enjoyable. I’d love a remaster of this sport in the future. Till then, I’ll keep on with my common playthroughs, on the SNES, of this gem.

1. Superman: Shadow of Apokolips – PS2 2002, GC 2003

To the shock of nobody, who has performed any of the Man of Tomorrow’s video games, Shadow of Apokolips takes the primary spot. Primarily based on the sensible animated sequence, SOA sees Supes saving the town, taking over a bunch of A-list villains, and making his solution to a last showdown with Darksied. Alongside the way in which gamers can use all of Superman’s talents in a comparatively intuitive management scheme that takes a bit little bit of getting used to however works rather well. The sport appears just like the cartoon, an awesome factor in my view and exhibits why builders have been all about cel-shaded graphics within the early aughts. The music and sound is ok however what actually stands out is the voice appearing. All the main gamers from the present reprise their roles right here giving this sport a efficiency higher than some other on this listing. Like Returns that is very near being the proper Superman sport. It does get needlessly obtuse at instances and the management might be irritating. However, when you get into the sport, it simply feels proper. There’s a weightiness to being Supes right here that different video games are lacking. It is a rattling good time and tons of enjoyable to return to, even when simply to fly round. If you do, be sure you go together with the GameCube model as there have been a number of enhancements revamped the PS2 title.

So there it’s, my listing of the highest 5 Superman video games. I hope we see some innovation sooner or later and a sport that stands as much as Rocksteady’s Arkham sequence or Insomniac’s Spiderman video games. However for now, we play what we now have and what we now have is a wide range of strong ass video games. However I wish to know what you assume. Be a part of the Stone Age Gamer discordor you’ll find me on Bluesky to let me know your ideas. See you in two weeks.