The Marvel movie train has delivered some fantastic superhero flicks in recent years and our thirst for world-saving action has only been heightened thanks to Infinity War. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until next year to find out how The Avengers deal with Thanos’ tyrannical plans, but at least we have plenty of top-notch superhero games to keep us entertained in the meantime. After all, playing as your favorite heroes and villains is not only great fun, it also gives us a chance to live out our web-slinging fantasies. If you’ve binged every Marvel Netflix series and are caught up on all the latest comics, then these 10 heroic games will certainly save your day.
The Wonderful 101
PlatinumGames has never shied away from delivering outlandish and over-the-top action, especially with titles like MadWorld and Bayonetta coursing through the company’s veins. Both games ooze style and gave us some truly fantastic hack and slash gameplay, so when Platinum announced that they were making their very own superhero game, we were extremely excited. Thankfully, The Wonderful 101 lived up to the hype. This colorful action-adventure game tasked you with controlling a horde of superheroes to stop an alien force that threatens the world. The story may sound clichéd, but the gameplay was unlike anything we’d seen to date. Heroes could be combined together to form gigantic weapons, making for some fantastical fights against city destroying kaiju. If you’re looking for a unique superhero game filled with comic-book fun, then give The Wonderful 101 a go.
Saints Row 4
Saints Row has never taken itself seriously (at least, not after the terrible first game - Ed) and the fourth instalment is by far the most wild and wacky game in the series. Packed with all the usual open world goodness we’ve come to expect from Saints Row, the fourth game shook up the formula even more. Instead of just gunning down your foes, you receive superpowers that make killing bad guys even more fun. Living out a virtual power fantasy you could effortlessly hop over buildings, outrun vehicles, telekinetically toss things, shoot fire and ice projectiles, and create shockwaves upon landing. Saints Row 4’s city was absolutely brimming with all kinds of aliens and supersized monsters to keep you busy, all while creating as much death and destruction as possible. After all, no one said being a hero was easy.
Infamous Second Son
Delsin Rowe is a Conduit who can absorb other superhero abilities, while also being able to manipulate a range of materials such as smoke, neon, video, and concrete (look, we know neon and video aren’t materials but just roll with this one, okay?). Taking control of Delsin and watching his powers grow to absurd levels was as fascinating as it was cathartic. Speeding through streets, running up walls and launching unsuspecting enemies into the sky is exactly what we want from a superhero game. Having the choice to be able to simply apprehend targets or kill them was also a nice touch, while certain actions have visible consequences in later missions which helps keep the game feel fresh when replaying. However, at the end of the day it’s the awesome looking abilities and sheer power Delsin has that keeps us coming back to the third game in Sucker Punch’s series.
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 has long been heralded as one of the best superhero games and it certainly does a good job of capturing everyone’s favorite, web-slinging hero. The visuals may not look amazing by today’s standard, but Treyarch did a fantastic job of recreating a large-scale Manhattan that felt alive and lived in. The city was rife with a large variety of crimes and emergencies for you to intervene in, and the game made excellent use of Spider-Man's varied combat abilities. However, the most popular aspect was the web-swinging mechanic. In previous Spider-Man titles our wall-crawling hero simply shot his web into the sky, magically connecting to the heavens. Not so in Spider-Man 2 where players actually had to shoot his web at buildings if they wanted to maintain momentum. We hate to think how many hours we lost effortlessly swinging our way through those bustling streets, but the smorgasbord of comic book villains made it all worth it.
Crackdown
Super soldiers are big business in the hero industry, and Steve Rogers and his best buddy Bucky Barnes aren’t the only ones out fighting crime. Having superhero strength not only looks cool, it also creates some devastatingly brilliant ways to tackle blood-thirsty criminals. In Crackdown you controlled a biologically enhanced Agent tasked with defeating three crime lords and their organized syndicates that were wreaking havoc across Pacific City. Your abilities are similar to those of comic book superheroes, while the distinct, ink-like outlines of in-game character models really helped add to the memorable look. Facing and defeating Crackdown’s various gangs was extremely satisfying, as the game left you to tackle them in any way you saw fit. If you like the idea of having Hulk-like strength combined with Batman’s hand-to-hand combat prowess, then Crackdown would be a great addition your heroic collection.
Batman: Arkham City
The Batman: Arkham series has done a fantastic job of recreating Gotham’s bleak setting and terrifyingly dark characters. Arkham Asylum famously held the Guinness World Record as the most critically acclaimed superhero game ever, only to be outdone by its sequel, Arkham City. Rocksteady Studios’ second installment delivered a more polished approach to combat and allowed players to counter multiple blows simultaneously, catch projectiles, attack aerially, and administer a succession of consecutive strikes. In addition, gadgets were given a more involved role in combat, adding variety to the methods you applied when dealing with the game’s many villains. It also happens to have some brilliant voice acting from Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (the Joker), making our experience as the Dark Knight all the more special.
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
While the Marvel vs. Capcom games have all delivered plenty of hero-heavy action, the third installment rectified the previous X-Men-less roster. Wolverine could once again beat the living snot out of Ryu, while the original 36 characters also made a fond return. 12 new fighters joined an already immense roster, with heroes like Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Nova, and Rocket Raccoon all playable. Each character felt just like their comic book counterpart and both Capcom and Eighting worked hard to deliver a hero fighter that emanates fan services. Grab a few mates round and boot up MvC3 to enjoy recreating some of your favourite superhero fights.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
It feels rather strange putting a South Park game on this list, but The Fractured But Whole does a fantastic job of parodying the superhero genre. If you enjoy Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s crude humor, then you’ll definitely love what their latest game has to offer. You can pick from ten different hero classes – all of which share similarities to Marvel and DC’s most beloved characters. There are a lot of archetypes on offer and you’ll need to use your new-found powers to rid South Park of supervillains, genetically engineered monsters, crime families, and the ultimate kingpin of crime. The latest game isn’t only a hilarious portrayal of the various superhero media, it also happens to go above and beyond its predecessor in every way.
Injustice 2
You don’t have to be a huge DC fan to enjoy the presentation on offer here – in fact the game doesn’t expect you to know anything at all about it extended roster. Injustice 2 doesn’t just look good, it also feels great to play. This hero fighter has all the tactical depth and nuance of the best fighting games out there, while also delivering some gorgeous looking Super Moves. After all, where else can you see Aquaman feed Green Lantern to a prehistoric-looking shark? NetherRealm has done a fantastic job of showcasing some of DC’s lesser-known characters while making a fighting game that feels both accessible to newcomers and meaty enough to please hardcore players.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes
There have been so many Lego games that it can often be hard to keep track of them all, especially when nearly every bit of pop culture has now been transformed into colorful blocks. However, Lego Marvel is one Lego game we never fail to forget. Its silly nature and simple controls ensure that fans of all ages can enjoy the goofy world. Each character has their own unique abilities and the huge cast remain loyal to their portrayal in the comics and movies. Don’t expect much of a challenge here, but if you have young children, a terrible hangover (same thing really), or simply wish to play a superhero game without all the stress, then Lego Marvel Super Heroes is a solid choice.