Like UFOs, ball lightning and bigfoot, one of the great mysteries of our time is that Superman is outwardly Kryptonite to good videogames. There's but to be a actually great Kal-El game within the vein of Batman: Arkham Asylum or Spider-Man, however as you may see from the record beneath, many have tried.
The latest developer to attempt is Epic Games, because the Man of Steel has landed as half of Fortnite X Superman, the latest crossover occasion for one of the world's largest video games. But what does his inclusion in Fortnite contain? Our record takes a have a look at that, in addition to taking you thru a historical past of Superman in pixels. Discover the place you will discover Superman as a hero, a playable visitor character or simply a cheeky Easter Egg within the phrases beneath.
Official Superman Games
These are "true" and "proper" Superman video games, experiences the place you embody the Man of Steel himself.
Superman (1978)
This Atari 2600 release marks Superman's debut to avid gamers, all 4 kilobytes of him. It may not appear a lot to take a look at right now, however gained constructive reviews for its action and graphics back in ye olde Seventies. In the position of Superman, gamers should rebuild a bridge on the Metropolis waterfront broken by Lex Luthor, seize your evil nemesis, and return to the Daily Planet as shortly as doable. 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. Using your powers, you may see past the world you're in with X-ray imaginative and prescient after which fly in to grab and drop Lex and his goons into jail. Just keep in mind to make use of cellphone cubicles to vary back into your Clark Kent garments earlier than stopping by the Daily Planet.
Superman (1987)
Jump ahead nearly a decade and our favourite alien adoptee discovered his solution to the NES, and obtained 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 varieties of tremendous breath. He wants them to tackle not simply Lex Luthor but in addition Kryptonian dangerous guys Ursa, Non and General Zod.
Superman (1988)
A 12 months later, Superman leveled up for the Taito arcade game. Notable for having its own unique villain Emperor Zaas, this time round Kal-El additionally obtained to make use of his fists, his toes and a Sonic Blast capacity. A combination of sidescroller, action journey and combating game, it had a blended reception, however snapping up one of these arcade machines right now will set you back round $4,000.
Superman: The Man of Steel (1989)
Released in 1989 on each the ZX Spectrum and Amiga, Superman: The Man of Steel was cut up into flying ranges, a facet scrolling beat ‘em up, and a vertical scrolling battle in battle in space. The story that linked those levels was told with cute comic book page panels.
The Death and Return of Superman
In 1994, a pre-Warcraft Blizzard Entertainment released The Death and Return of Superman, a beat ‘em up featuring five playable flavors of the Man of Steel; the vanilla original, Superboy, Steel, Cyborg Superman, the Eradicator. Doomsday is the opening act’s large dangerous, and bio-genetically engineered monster Clawster additionally makes an look. The action was targeted on melee fight and airborne projectile assaults. Fun truth: one of the game’s artists and producers, Samwise Didier – who simply retired in 2023 – was later answerable for the addition of the Pandaren race to World of Warcraft in 2010.
Superman 64
Also generally known as Superman: The New Superman Adventure, this Nintendo 64 Supes game is notorious amongst retro avid gamers for its horrible execution. Created as a spin off from Superman: The Animated Series, it was the primary time our blue boy scout has appeared in a 3D game, although he most likely ought to have skipped the chance. It was referred to as out for visible flaws like its Kryptonite fog (which crudely disguised a very short draw distance), horrible controls and a weird race mode. IGN reviewed it in 1999, and we weren't followers. "With horrible control, unforgivable framerates and more bugs than can be counted, [developer] Titus should be absolutely ashamed of this awful game, and the company should be doubly ashamed for pissing all over such a beloved license," stated our reviewer. "Do not buy this piece of garbage."
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Luckily Superman 64 wasn’t the top of the highway for Kal-El’s adventures in video video games, and the PlayStation 2/GameDice third individual action game Shadow of Apokolips was higher acquired than its predecessor. Its story noticed Lex Luthor workforce up with Darkseid and the Intergang crime syndicate, and featured voice performing from Malcolm McDoeffectively, Michael York and Lori Petty. "It's a thrill to finally play a Superman game that's handled with this much care and keen observation, with regard to control and special abilities," said our reviewer, earlier than branding it a "a slightly better-than-decent action game."
Superman: The Man of Steel
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 Steel is, at the very best, a weekend rental. It'll take about 10 hours to complete, mainly because it's so impossible to beat the missions thanks to the controls," wrote IGN's reviewer. "Someday someone is going to get Superman right and make a killer game. But not today."
Superman Returns
2006 was the final time Superman obtained to star in his very own game, however sadly it was a game the place the ultimate boss was a twister, moderately than an thrilling supervillain. Very loosely based mostly on the Bryan Singer film, star Brandon Routh truly leant his voice to the game, though he "sounds about as interested in saving Metropolis as he is in deciding on a ripe melon at the market," in response to the IGN review. "Punching out bad guys becomes about as fun as taking out the garbage, and the “epic” battle between Superman and the forces of evil is as simple and dull as a day of chores."
Super Playable Characters
These video games should not about Superman, however they do function Superman… and you may play as him, too.
Justice League Task Force
It's 1995. You've fired up your SNES, eaten your Honey Frosted Wheaties and your finest pal is coming over to play your new combating game. Justice League Task Force, developed by Blizzard Entertainment (wow, these guys sure beloved DC earlier than they obtained into orcs and elves) featured Superman alongside characters like The Flash, Wonder Woman, and Green Arrow battling mechanical clones of the DC heroes. Despite rocky reviews, the Justice League combating 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 comedian guide universe appears positively tame. This 2008 crossing of the streams is the end result of not simply a canny man within the licensing division at DC, however as a result of Raiden and Superman by accident create large dangerous Dark Kahn, who threatens each their universes. Superman has strikes like Soaring Knockout, Ice Breath, and the Heroic Brutality finishers the place he hammers his opponent into the ground 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 game, however in Lego Batman 2, Lego Batman 3 and Lego DC Super-Villains he's a playable character. You get most brawn on your buck within the second Lego Batman game, the place he's a large half of the story (and comes full together with his signature theme tune, taken from the basic Christopher Reeves movies). He rescues the Dark Knight and Robin, takes on a giant Joker robot, and helps his Bat Buddy defend Wayne Tower.
Injustice: Gods Among Us
Superman seems on the roster of NetherRealm’s combating game, Injustice, however because it's set in Earth-49 he's the spicy dangerous model, pushed mad by the demise of Lois Lane, and so will get to be a villain. He brings all of the tricks you'd anticipate to the 1v1 matches; warmth imaginative and prescient, Ground Tremor, and freezing Super Breath. His Super Move – the Kryptonian Smash – is brutal, he actually punches his opponent into space earlier than punching them back down to Earth.
Injustice 2
And Super(dangerous)man got here back for the sequel, with a new Final Flight Super Move that again sees him punching his opponent upwards, this time giving them a few wallops within the sky earlier than slamming them into the ground. You also can add Meteor Drop to that too, the place you introduce your opponent to the wonders of geology at close quarters.
Lego Dimensions
The 2015 game that used a Skylanders-style combine of actual world figures and in-game content material added the “Superman starring DC Comics fun 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 of his creepy sky eyes into, however that’s about on par with the various different evils town has needed to deal with through the years.
MultiVersus
Warner Bros. free to play combating game MultiVersus was shut down simply this 12 months, however whereas it lived it was a fever dream the place an eclectic combine of WB franchise characters confronted off in platform-based, Super Smash-like fight. Superman was there alongside together with his DC compadres Black Adam and Wonder Woman, however then so was Velma from Scooby-Doo, Gizmo from Gremlins, Arya Stark from Game of Thrones, Jake The Dog from Adventure Time, and Looney Tunes pin-up Lola Bunny. Oh, and you possibly can costume them in skins, so Ugly Sweater Superman was a actual factor that existed on this planet for a short, 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 game world, particular skins, or for those who're fortunate, an evil cameo.
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure
This tremendous cute 2013 spin off has you help Superman with a Lex Luthor downside and allows you to summon him to help you in different battles, too. Using the correct phrases you may call on a bunch of completely different Kal-El variants, from Cyborg Superman to Kingdom Come Superman, and you may even borrow a Superman costume to grant essential character Maxwell warmth imaginative and prescient and ice breath assaults.
DC Universe Online
The DC Comics MMO lets gamers create their own customized model of superhero (or supervillain) however Superman makes an look as a mentor for brand new superhero gamers, taking them via tutorial missions. He may also be discovered within the in-game Metropolis and seems as an ally to help gamers together with his skillset. If you select to be a villain you'll need to battle him as you degree up. You also can check out a Superman avatar within the game's PvP mode, Legends.
Batman Arkham Knight
While you gained't catch a glimpse of the hench hero in Rocksteady’s incredible Batman Arkham sequence, there are a number of references to him within the third game's world. There are posters for flights to Metropolis, a few LexCorp buildings dotted round Gotham City, and the NPC thugs appear to take pleasure in gossiping about Superman on the common. They call him "that freak from Metropolis," and "the other guy in the cape" and speculate on his alter ego. ""Next factor you realize, 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 grab a nuke, giggle maniacally, and tackle the Suicide Squad in a boss fight. He delivers some fairly weak sauce villain banter till you may carry him down to Earth with Gold Kryptonite assisted violence. The poor man doesn't even get to play the highest boss within the game; that position is taken within the finale by one of many Brianiacs.
LittleHugePlanet 2
A tiny Sackboy Superman pores and skin and outfit based mostly on the long-lasting hero, full with cute Superman brow curl? Perfect. No notes.
Minecraft
To rejoice the release of the brand new James Gunn Superman film, Minecraft has added a bunch of free Superman skins, that includes Lois Lane, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific and of course, the previous crimson cape and glossy go well with. Previously, gamers might add some tremendous to their world with the Superheroes Unlimited mod, which was first launched in 2012.
Fortnite
The new Fortnite X Superman occasion, launched to coincide with the brand new James Gunn film, provides a Kal-El themed battle move that culminates in a pores and skin based mostly 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. While that is essentially the most outstanding use of Superman in Fortnite to date, it’s not truly his first look: back in 2021, Chapter 2, Season 7 featured a Superman pores and skin that had two kinds; one that includes the go well with and cape, and one other that remodeled you into the more civilian-looking Clark Kent, full with glasses.
Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She's been a skilled nerd since 2006 when she obtained her begin on Official PlayStation Magazine within the UK, and has since labored for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror films, horror video games, and French Bulldogs. Those additional wrinkles on her face are due to going time blind and staying up too late ending each sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.