Summary
TheDC Comicsuniverse has some ofthe most powerful superheroes and villains in all fiction.Many of these characters have had the opportunity to show their power in comic books, in movies, and even in video games.
DChas a long history of adapting their characters in video games, and many of these games give the player an opportunity to have two of their heroes face off in a one-on-one battle.Fighting gamesare a great genre of video game, but some of the best have featuredDCcharacters.
Justice League Task Force
Batman vs. Superman! Wonder Women vs. The Flash! Aquaman vs. Green Arrow!
Are you reading this right? For the first time ever, the DC super heroes battle head-to-head!
Get ready to deliver your own brand of justice, and determine the ULTIMATE super hero!!!
Justice League Task Forceis a 2D fighting game that was released in 1995 for the SNES. This game is rudimentary, even for the time it came out, and it received largely negative reviews on release.
The story in this game sees the player’s chosen fighter forced to battle individualmembers of the brainwashed Justice Leagueto get to ther final boss, Darkseid. The gameplay arenas are few, but they feature some iconic locations from theDCuniverse, such as Metropolis. The fighting in this game is also quite limited, with the heroes only having a couple of combo moves, which means they rarely get to show off their individual powers.
A Big Crossover Event
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
For the first time ever Mortal Kombat Warriors battle with DC Universe Super Heroes in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.
TheMortal Kombatserieshas established itself as a violent alternative to other fighting video games, likeStreet Fighter.Similarly, theDCuniverse was also trying to portray itself in a more serious light with the release of the Christopher NolanBatmanmovies. Therefore, combining these two universes in one video game seemed like a natural pairing in 2008.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universeis a console fighting game that pits two rosters of characters against each other, as its title would suggest. The story is split into two halves, with players able to play fromthe perspective of theDCcharactersor the roster fromMortal Kombat. The result is a fighting game that plays exactly like a less violent version of the other 3DMortal Kombatvideo games. Combo moves return to offer some variety, and players can initiate arena transitions to keep fights going between different fighting arenas.
Many companies have used their IP’s to try andrecapture the magic ofNintendo’sSuper Smash Bros.fighting games.MultiVersusis Warner Bros' attempt at creating their own zany fighting game with the characters they own, and the result is a cartoon lover’s dream.
With iconic WB characters, like Bugs Bunny and Shaggy appearing on this roster of fighters, every playable character gets to leap around the arena in a slick, slapstick brawler. This multiplayer game can be played in a 1v1 scenario or 2v2 against other players. It may seem thatDC’scharacters would not fit this aesthetic very well. However, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Harley Quinn all appear inMultiVersus,and they do not feel out of place at all.
The crossover betweenMortal KombatandDCentered these comic book characters into a darker video game reality. As such, the stage was perfectly set for when the exclusivelyDCfighting game,Injustice: Gods Among Uswas released.
This video game is a 3D fighting game that was also released alongside a tie-in comic story. The stories both depict an Earth where Supermanhas become an evil dictatorafter the tragic death of Lois Lane, while Batman from another reality fights alongside otherDCheroes and villains to take out this evil new regime. This fight takes place in a series of one-on-one battles in some recognizableDClocations. Fans of theMortal Kombatgames will be familiar with a lot of the gameplay inInjustice: Gods Among Us, as it features combos, super meters, arena transitions, and realistic environments. The movement of some fighters does feel a bit slow or clunky at times, but these issues were ironed out in the sequel.
The first fighting game in theInjusticefranchise was so successful that it warranted a sequel in the form ofInjustice 2.This sequel changes very little from the first game, only improves the graphics and makes the fighting feel more fluid. The story this time sees the evil Brainiac arrive on Earth to takeover now that Superman is no longer in charge. As a result, this game adds plenty of new faces tothe roster of playableDCcharacters.
However, the big difference withInjustice 2is how it handles its online features. Players can now upgrade their fighters by earning points to collect new gear items. As a result, some characters will get better the more they are used in Multiverse fights. This makes each player’s roster of fighters feel unique, and therefore, it vastly improves the online fighting matches in the bestDCfighting video game released so far.
