Like UFOs, ball lightning and bigfoot, one of many nice mysteries of our time is that Superman is seemingly Kryptonite to good videogames. There’s but to be a very nice Kal-El recreation within the vein of Batman: Arkham Asylum or Spider-Man, however as you may see from the record beneath, many have tried.
The newest developer to attempt is Epic Video games, because the Man of Metal has landed as a part of Fortnite X Superman, the most recent crossover occasion for one of many world’s largest video games. However what does his inclusion in Fortnite contain? Our record takes a take a look at that, in addition to taking you thru a historical past of Superman in pixels. Uncover the place you will discover Superman as a hero, a playable visitor character or only a cheeky Easter Egg within the phrases beneath.
Official Superman Video games
These are “true” and “correct” Superman video games, experiences the place you embody the Man of Metal himself.
Superman (1978)
This Atari 2600 launch marks Superman’s debut to avid gamers, all 4 kilobytes of him. It may not appear a lot to have a look at at the moment, however received constructive evaluations for its motion and graphics again in ye olde Seventies. Within the position of Superman, gamers need to rebuild a bridge on the Metropolis waterfront broken by Lex Luthor, seize your evil nemesis, and return to the Each day Planet as shortly as potential. Complicating issues are the truth that Lois Lane has been kidnapped, Luthor has launched Krytonite satellites that may deactivate your powers, and there are henchmen ready to take you down. Utilizing your powers, you may see past the realm you are in with X-ray imaginative and prescient after which fly in to seize and drop Lex and his goons into jail. Simply bear in mind to make use of cellphone cubicles to alter again into your Clark Kent garments earlier than stopping by the Each day Planet.
Superman (1987)
Bounce ahead virtually a decade and our favourite alien adoptee discovered his solution to the NES, and acquired a cute 8-bit makeover within the course of. For this outing Superman will get a bunch of talents together with tremendous listening to, x-ray imaginative and prescient, warmth imaginative and prescient, tremendous spin, and never one however two sorts of tremendous breath. He wants them to tackle not simply Lex Luthor but additionally Kryptonian dangerous guys Ursa, Non and Normal Zod.
Superman (1988)
A 12 months later, Superman leveled up for the Taito arcade recreation. Notable for having its personal authentic villain Emperor Zaas, this time round Kal-El additionally acquired to make use of his fists, his ft and a Sonic Blast capacity. A mixture of sidescroller, motion journey and preventing recreation, it had a blended reception, however snapping up one in all these arcade machines at the moment will set you again round $4,000.
Superman: The Man of Metal (1989)
Launched in 1989 on each the ZX Spectrum and Amiga, Superman: The Man of Metal was break up into flying ranges, a facet scrolling beat ‘em up, and a vertical scrolling battle in battle in house. The story that linked these ranges was instructed with cute comedian e-book web page panels.
The Dying and Return of Superman
In 1994, a pre-Warcraft Blizzard Leisure launched The Dying and Return of Superman, a beat ‘em up that includes 5 playable flavors of the Man of Metal; the vanilla authentic, Superboy, Metal, Cyborg Superman, the Eradicator. Doomsday is the opening act’s massive dangerous, and bio-genetically engineered monster Clawster additionally makes an look. The motion was centered on melee fight and airborne projectile assaults. Enjoyable truth: one of many recreation’s artists and producers, Samwise Didier – who simply retired in 2023 – was later chargeable for the addition of the Pandaren race to World of Warcraft in 2010.
Superman 64
Also called Superman: The New Superman Journey, this Nintendo 64 Supes recreation is notorious amongst retro avid gamers for its horrible execution. Created as a spin off from Superman: The Animated Collection, it was the primary time our blue boy scout has appeared in a 3D recreation, although he most likely ought to have skipped the chance. It was known as out for visible flaws like its Kryptonite fog (which crudely disguised a really quick draw distance), horrible controls and a weird race mode. IGN reviewed it in 1999, and we weren’t followers. “With horrible management, unforgivable framerates and extra bugs than may be counted, [developer] Titus must be completely ashamed of this terrible recreation, and the corporate must be doubly ashamed for pissing throughout such a beloved license,” stated our reviewer. “Don’t purchase this piece of rubbish.”
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Fortunately Superman 64 wasn’t the tip of the street for Kal-El’s adventures in video video games, and the PlayStation 2/GameCube third particular person motion recreation Shadow of Apokolips was higher acquired than its predecessor. Its story noticed Lex Luthor group up with Darkseid and the Intergang crime syndicate, and featured voice performing from Malcolm McDowell, Michael York and Lori Petty. “It is a thrill to lastly play a Superman recreation that is dealt with with this a lot care and eager statement, with regard to regulate and particular talents,” stated our reviewer, earlier than branding it a “a barely better-than-decent motion recreation.”
Superman: The Man of Metal
Primarily based on the occasions of Superman: Y2K and that includes Brainiac 13, Xbox’s different to Shadow of Apokalips, launched in the identical 12 months, was one other disappointment for Superman followers. “Superman: The Man of Metal is, at the easiest, a weekend rental. It’s going to take about 10 hours to finish, primarily as a result of it is so not possible to beat the missions because of the controls,” wrote IGN’s reviewer. “Sometime somebody goes to get Superman proper and make a killer recreation. However not at the moment.”
Superman Returns
2006 was the final time Superman acquired to star in his very personal recreation, however sadly it was a recreation the place the ultimate boss was a twister, somewhat than an thrilling supervillain. Very loosely primarily based on the Bryan Singer film, star Brandon Routh truly leant his voice to the sport, though he “sounds about as all for saving Metropolis as he’s in deciding on a ripe melon on the market,” in accordance with the IGN overview. “Punching out dangerous guys turns into about as enjoyable as taking out the rubbish, and the “epic” battle between Superman and the forces of evil is as easy and uninteresting as a day of chores.”
Tremendous Playable Characters
These video games usually are not about Superman, however they do characteristic Superman… and you’ll play as him, too.
Justice League Job Drive
It is 1995. You have fired up your SNES, eaten your Honey Frosted Wheaties and your greatest pal is coming over to play your new preventing recreation. Justice League Job Drive, developed by Blizzard Leisure (wow, these guys positive liked DC earlier than they acquired into orcs and elves) featured Superman alongside characters like The Flash, Surprise Lady, and Inexperienced Arrow battling mechanical clones of the DC heroes. Regardless of rocky evaluations, the Justice League preventing sequence would get one other three video games, and Superman is a playable fighter in all of them.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
In a world the place Leatherface is a visitor character within the Mortal Kombat sequence, a mash up between MK and a comic book e-book universe appears to be like positively tame. This 2008 crossing of the streams is the results of not only a canny man within the licensing division at DC, however as a result of Raiden and Superman by accident create massive dangerous Darkish Kahn, who threatens each their universes. Superman has strikes like Hovering Knockout, Ice Breath, and the Heroic Brutality finishers the place he hammers his opponent into the bottom like a rusty nail, or freezes them earlier than shattering their our bodies to items.
Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes
Superman will get a point out within the first Lego Batman recreation, however in Lego Batman 2, Lego Batman 3 and Lego DC Tremendous-Villains he is a playable character. You get most brawn on your buck within the second Lego Batman recreation, the place he is a giant a part of the story (and comes full together with his signature theme tune, taken from the basic Christopher Reeves movies). He rescues the Darkish Knight and Robin, takes on a big Joker robotic, and helps his Bat Buddy defend Wayne Tower.
Injustice: Gods Amongst Us
Superman seems on the roster of NetherRealm’s preventing recreation, Injustice, however because it’s set in Earth-49 he is the spicy dangerous model, pushed mad by the dying of Lois Lane, and so will get to be a villain. He brings all of the tips you’d count on to the 1v1 matches; warmth imaginative and prescient, Floor Tremor, and freezing Tremendous Breath. His Tremendous Transfer – the Kryptonian Smash – is brutal, he actually punches his opponent into house earlier than punching them again all the way down to Earth.
Injustice 2
And Tremendous(dangerous)man got here again for the sequel, with a brand new Closing Flight Tremendous Transfer that once more sees him punching his opponent upwards, this time giving them a couple of wallops within the sky earlier than slamming them into the bottom. It’s also possible to add Meteor Drop to that too, the place you introduce your opponent to the wonders of geology at shut quarters.
Lego Dimensions
The 2015 recreation that used a Skylanders-style mixture of actual world figures and in-game content material added the “Superman starring DC Comics enjoyable pack” in 2016. By grabbing the Superman minifigure, gamers might get entry to his Hoverpod and the DC Comics World in-game, opening up the glittering metropolis of Metropolis. Admittedly, it’s a model of Metropolis that The Lord of the Rings villain Sauron has put in one in all his creepy sky eyes into, however that’s about on par with the various different evils town has needed to deal with over time.
MultiVersus
Warner Bros. free to play preventing recreation MultiVersus was shut down simply this 12 months, however whereas it lived it was a fever dream the place an eclectic mixture of WB franchise characters confronted off in platform-based, Tremendous Smash-like fight. Superman was there alongside together with his DC compadres Black Adam and Surprise Lady, however then so was Velma from Scooby-Doo, Gizmo from Gremlins, Arya Stark from Game of Thrones, Jake The Canine from Journey Time, and Looney Tunes pin-up Lola Bunny. Oh, and you would costume them in skins, so Ugly Sweater Superman was an actual factor that existed on the planet for a brief, lovely time.
Honorable Mentions
This class is for the video games the place there’s the barest whiff of Superman spandex. Little particulars hidden within the recreation world, particular skins, or when you’re fortunate, an evil cameo.
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Journey
This tremendous cute 2013 spin off has you assist Superman with a Lex Luthor drawback and allows you to summon him that can assist you in different battles, too. Utilizing the proper phrases you may name on a bunch of various Kal-El variants, from Cyborg Superman to Kingdom Come Superman, and you’ll even borrow a Superman costume to grant foremost character Maxwell warmth imaginative and prescient and ice breath assaults.
DC Universe On-line
The DC Comics MMO lets gamers create their very own customized model of superhero (or supervillain) however Superman makes an look as a mentor for brand new superhero gamers, taking them by way of tutorial missions. He will also be discovered within the in-game Metropolis and seems as an ally to help gamers together with his skillset. In case you select to be a villain you will have to battle him as you degree up. It’s also possible to check out a Superman avatar within the recreation’s PvP mode, Legends.
Batman Arkham Knight
When you will not catch a glimpse of the hench hero in Rocksteady’s implausible Batman Arkham sequence, there are a number of references to him within the third recreation’s world. There are posters for flights to Metropolis, a couple of LexCorp buildings dotted round Gotham Metropolis, and the NPC thugs appear to get pleasure from gossiping about Superman on the common. They name him “that freak from Metropolis,” and “the opposite man within the cape” and speculate on his alter ego. “”Subsequent factor you recognize, somebody’s gonna inform me Superman’s actually a janitor. Or no, a journalist.” Oh, in the event that they solely knew.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
Evil Superman makes a dramatic entrance in Rocksteady’s ill-fated 2024 comply with up for the Arkham sequence, showing simply in time to seize a nuke, snigger maniacally, and tackle the Suicide Squad in a boss battle. He delivers some fairly weak sauce villain banter till you may carry him all the way down to Earth with Gold Kryptonite assisted violence. The poor man would not even get to play the highest boss within the recreation; that position is taken within the finale by one in all many Brianiacs.
LittleBigPlanet 2
A tiny Sackboy Superman pores and skin and outfit primarily based on the long-lasting hero, full with lovable Superman brow curl? Excellent. No notes.
Minecraft
To have a good time the discharge of the brand new James Gunn Superman film, Minecraft has added a bunch of free Superman skins, that includes Lois Lane, Inexperienced Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific and naturally, the previous crimson cape and glossy swimsuit. Beforehand, gamers might add some tremendous to their world with the Superheroes Limitless mod, which was first launched in 2012.
Fortnite
The brand new Fortnite X Superman occasion, launched to coincide with the brand new James Gunn film, provides a Kal-El themed battle cross that culminates in a pores and skin primarily based on David Corenswet’s model of the long-lasting superhero. There’s additionally an in-game merchandise that can unlock Supes’ heroic talents, permitting you to wipe the ground in a battle royale match. Whereas that is essentially the most outstanding use of Superman in Fortnite up to now, it’s not truly his first look: again in 2021, Chapter 2, Season 7 featured a Superman pores and skin that had two kinds; one that includes the swimsuit and cape, and one other that reworked you into the extra civilian-looking Clark Kent, full with glasses.
Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Video games at IGN and an elder millennial. She’s been an expert nerd since 2006 when she acquired her begin on Official PlayStation Journal within the UK, and has since labored for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror motion pictures, horror video games, and French Bulldogs. These further wrinkles on her face are because of going time blind and staying up too late ending each sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.