Super Heroes have never been more popular and profitable than they ever have. Whether from Marvel, DC, or somewhere else, it’s never been a better time to be a Super Hero fan. Luckily, some of the best Super Heroes of all time have also been part of the very best that the gaming industry has to offer. Spider-Man, Batman: Arkham City, Injustice, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, the list goes on and on. While some heroes have been given the light of day, some are still stuck in the shadows, praying when they can get the game that they deserve.
These are just some of the heroes that deserve their own game. Even if they’ve co-starred with other heroes or starred in a forgotten gem, it’s about time they get the game that does them justice in today’s age.
1. The Punisher
Frank Castle has had an interesting life in the gaming world. He starred in a few titles back in the early ‘90s and even had a pretty decent movie game that saw Thomas Jane reprise his role from the 2004 flick. After a god-awful Multiplayer game on the PS3, he has stuck to the sidelines as a playable character in games like Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 and a few mobile titles. The Punisher can be an easy character to adapt, but you either need to have an over-the-top bloodbath game or a gritty-noir story to do the character justice. We can easily see studios like Naughty Dog, for its grounded storytelling in The Last of Us, Machine Games, for its delightfully violent Wolfenstein games, or Remedy Entertainment, for basically making a Punisher game called Max Payne, taking on a project like this.
2. Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman has been featured in many games that starred the Justice League, but not so much as her own solo adventure. With Gal Gadot bringing the heroine to life on the big screen, you’d think that people would want to play an action-adventure game starring Comic’s First Lady. Warner Brothers have plenty of studios under its belt, with Shadow of Mordor developer Monolith being the perfect devs to bring her first digital adventure to life. Who doesn’t want to see Wonder Woman stabbing and chopping heads off in an M-rated action game?
3. Black Panther
It’s hard to put into words how much of an impact Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther had on the entertainment industry. While Marvel has had a few black Super Heroes, none have become as iconic as Prince T’challa. He’s become a symbol of black empowerment and has starred in the highest-grossing solo superhero movie. While he’s made appearances in Marvel’s Avengers and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, it’s about time we see the industry give him his own solo adventure. Marvel’s Avengers had some elements to make a Black Panther game, but they were never fully realized so that the developers could make another expansion for the live-service experiment. If given a chance, Crystal Dynamics could knock a Black Panther game out of the park.
4. Batman Beyond
Batman is no stranger to the Gaming Industry, with the Arkham series being one of the most iconic Super Hero franchises. Though his sidekicks will be taking the stage in the upcoming Gotham Knights, his future successor hasn’t had the best luck. Batman Beyond has plenty of potential for a brand new take on Terry McGuiness and his relationship with a retired Bruce Wayne. The younger version of Batman needs at least one good game under his belt, especially after that awful Return of the Joker game. Even if it’s not Rocksteady, we can see WB Montréal create a digital version of Neo-Gotham.
5. Jessica Jones
There have been plenty of detective games, but few with a grounded, Super Hero protagonist. Jessica Jones is the ultimate private eye of the Marvel Universe. She has immense strength, but rather than go up against alien threats, she keeps things grounded and investigates the dirty underbellies of the Marvel universe. This could allow for some intriguing, crime-solving gameplay, similar to games like LA Noir or Judgement. While Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Daredevil have had their moments as playable characters, Jessica Jones could benefit the most of all the Defenders.
6. Captain America
Captain America has been no stranger to the gaming world, but few have put him at the center stage. Those that have done so have been less than exciting, ranging from generic 2-D Beat’em ups or licensed-tie-ins. His last game, Captain America: Super Soldier, had a lot of potential but was ultimately wasted so it could coincide with the 2011 flick. If given another chance for a similar Prince of Persia meets Arkham Asylum style of game, Steve Rogers could knock it out of the park. But if they feel like Rogers is too played out, there’s always the chance of bringing his recent replacement, Sam Wilson.
7. Black Widow
Spy games were all the rage back in the late ‘90s and throughout the 2000s. Splinter Cell, Metal Gear, and Perfect Dark were just some of the biggest names in the spy genre, but we haven’t seen much of them in the AAA scene. What better way to bring it back than having the most famous super spy around, Black Widow? The game could take inspiration from Splinter Cell Blacklist and allow players to customize the way they play. Or, we could see an action RPG from Obsidian, similar to the cult hit, Alpha Protocol. The possibilities are never-ending.
8. Blade
Before Black Panther, Spider-Man, X-Men, and The Avengers made it to the big screen, Blade was the character that helped prove that Marvel movies could be entertaining and violent. While he’s headlined a few games, they were the typical licensed movie tie-in garbage. With the character set to make his MCU debut, it is a perfect time to make a Blade video game that does him justice. Blade is a snarky, one-line throwing bad-ass that wields a sword and guns. While Capcom creating it might be a stretch, we can see Ninja Theory, who developed DMC: Devil May Cry and Heavenly Sword, taking on the mantle.
Conclusion
With Marvel’s Guardian’s of the Galaxy coming out next month and Gotham Knights out next year, we’re slowly starting to see the big two comic book companies finally take some risks in the gaming industry. No one would’ve guessed the Avengers would ever assemble in gaming or expected that Batman starred some of the best games of all time. Now that Marvel and DC have made their marks in the gaming space, they’ll both need to take more risks if they want to stay on top.