Gamers in North America would finally get their mitts on Gotham’s vigilante with the release of Ocean’s Batman : The Caped Crusader. Developed by Ocean, a company that had enjoyed success with several other licensed video games titles, Batman was received favorably by gamers and the media, opening the door for countless titles to come featuring the pointy-eared vigilante.
Remarkably enough, Batman’s first appearance in a video game never saw an American release, as European fans were treated to his exploits a full two years before their brethren across the pond would get the chance to play as The Dark Knight.Released for a variety of home computers across the European market, Batman was a 3D isometric game that saw the player attempting to rescue Robin by exploring the Batcave and trying to locate the pieces necessary to repair the Batmobile. Here are some of the Caped Crusader’s most infamous digital exploits of the past decades.
His arsenal of weapons and gadgets, fleet of battle-ready vehicles and vessels, world-class martial arts training, and his unmatched reasoning skills and acumen help Batman more than hold his own alongside gaming’s all-time greats.įor almost 30 years now, fans have guided Bruce Wayne through various games by leaping pits, tossing Batarangs, piloting the Batmobile, and taking the fight to The Joker. Comic book characters seem especially well-suited for video games, with their larger-than-life personalities, colorful costumes, and action-packed adventures, but Batman feels almost tailor-made for gaming. However, in video games, The Dark Knight has really found a second home. Though most artists would like to believe that the work they create will be enjoyed by others, Kane and Finger probably never anticipated that their comic book protagonist, a man dressed as a bat, would become a household name and one of the most legendary characters in the medium.ĭue to the public’s fascination and affection for him, Batman has always been successful in other forms of media, such as movies and television.
75 years ago, Bob Kane and Bill Finger created a character that would go on to become one of the most enduring icons of the century, capturing the imaginations of hundreds of millions of people all over the world.