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If you want to explore the superhero games that followed the first published superhero videogame, play them in this order: Superman on Atari 2600 for historical context, Spider-Man on Atari 2600 for a focused climbing challenge, Superman: The Game on Commodore 64/128 for an unusual Superman-versus-Darkseid interpretation, Batman (1989) for movie-based platform action, and the X-Men arcade game from the 1990s for cooperative brawling.
One date needs correcting before you start. The often-mentioned “1940 Superman game” is not the milestone identified by the authoritative records used here. Guinness World Records identifies Atari’s Superman for the Atari 2600 as the first published superhero videogame: an initial release in December 1978 followed by wider production in January 1979. That game is the proper starting point for this retro tour.
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The short list: five games, five different kinds of superhero play
These games are best understood as a progression in design rather than as interchangeable recommendations. The Atari 2600 titles turn a licensed hero into a compact action-adventure or reflex challenge. The Commodore 64/128 game experiments with a versus scenario. Batman translates a film into platform action, while X-Men makes group play its central attraction.
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| Game | Platform and date | Main activity | Play format | Why it belongs on the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superman | Atari 2600; December 1978 release, wider production January 1979 | Navigate an open map, change disguise, rebuild a bridge, rescue Lois Lane, capture Lex Luthor and return to the Daily Planet | Solo | First published superhero videogame and an early action-adventure experiment |
| Spider-Man | Atari 2600; 1982 | Climb a skyscraper while the Green Goblin tries to knock Spider-Man down | Solo | The clearest same-platform follow-up to Superman |
| Superman: The Game | Commodore 64/128; 1985 | Compete as Superman or Darkseid | Versus scenario | A computer-era reinterpretation that treats the license as a contest |
| Batman | 1989 film tie-in | Jump across platforms, throw batarangs and fight the Joker | Solo | A bridge from early experiments to recognizable movie-based superhero action |
| X-Men | Arcade; 1990s | Beat-’em-up combat with a selectable team | Cooperative arcade play for up to six players | The strongest choice when multiplayer scale matters most |
1. Superman on Atari 2600: begin with the historical milestone
The 1978/1979 Atari 2600 Superman is the essential first stop because it established the superhero videogame as a published commercial form. Guinness World Records credits John Dunn with the design. Dunn described the motivation simply: “Superman was my favourite comic-book hero from childhood so I thought doing a game based on this character would be cool.”
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The game asks you to do more than move toward a high score. Its map spans multiple screens, and the objectives include rebuilding a bridge, rescuing Lois Lane, capturing Lex Luthor and returning to the Daily Planet. A disguise change, kryptonite hazard and open-map structure make it an early attempt to represent a superhero’s identity, vulnerability and responsibilities within a small cartridge game.
What the game feels like
Expect primitive presentation and controls by later standards. The interest is in discovering how much structure fits into an early console game: a map to read, hazards to avoid and several objectives that must be completed in sequence. It is closer to a compact action-adventure experiment than to the level-based brawlers that became common later.
Why play it first
- It provides the historical baseline for every game that follows.
- Its open map and rescue objectives contrast with the more focused climbing challenge in Spider-Man.
- The disguise and kryptonite mechanics show designers translating comic-book concepts into simple interactive rules.
- It is short enough to study as a design artifact rather than a long campaign.
Do not judge it only by modern visual or control expectations. The value is seeing an early licensed game attempt to express superpowers through movement, mission structure and risk.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2. Spider-Man on Atari 2600: the natural same-console follow-up
After Superman, play Atari 2600 Spider-Man from 1982. It keeps the same hardware context but narrows the action to a clear vertical objective: Spider-Man climbs a skyscraper while the Green Goblin attempts to knock him down.
How it differs from Superman
Superman asks you to explore and complete several mission tasks across an open map. Spider-Man is about sustained upward progress and managing the threat posed by the Green Goblin. That contrast makes the pair useful together: one demonstrates an early map-and-mission structure, the other concentrates the superhero fantasy into a single climb.
Who should choose it
- Choose it for a quick session: the goal is immediately understandable.
- Choose it for Atari continuity: it shows how a second hero was adapted on the same platform only a few years later.
- Choose it for focused pressure: the Goblin’s attempt to knock you down gives the game a direct risk-and-reward loop.
It is not a replacement for Superman; it is the complementary experiment. Playing both back to back makes the limitations and possibilities of Atari 2600 superhero design easier to see.
Rank #2
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3. Superman: The Game on Commodore 64/128: the historical oddity
Superman: The Game, released in 1985 for the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128, is the choice for readers interested in computer-game history and alternate interpretations of a famous character. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History records that First Star Software made the game and that it lets players compete as Superman or Darkseid.
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The Atari 2600 game treats Superman as a hero moving through a mission-driven world. The Commodore title reframes the license as a contest between two powerful characters. That makes it historically useful even if your priority is not the smoothest action. It shows that licensed superhero design was already broad enough to support a competitive scenario rather than a straightforward rescue adventure.
When to put it in your play order
Play it after the two Atari games. You will then recognize the shift from compact console action to a computer-era interpretation built around opposing sides. Readers who want polished platforming should start with Batman; readers who want unusual design decisions should make this game a priority.
4. Batman (1989): move into movie-based platform action
The 1989 Batman movie tie-in is the bridge between early superhero experiments and the more recognizable licensed action games that followed. ABC’s retrospective describes it as platform-jumping action in which Batman throws batarangs while battling the Joker.
What changes compared with the Atari games
The emphasis is no longer an open map with several named objectives or a single vertical climb. Platform movement and a signature weapon define the experience. The film connection also gives the game a different kind of identity: instead of adapting a comic-book concept in isolation, it translates a specific movie version of Batman into game situations.
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Why it remains a useful retro pick
- Recognizable action verbs: jump, throw a batarang and confront the Joker.
- A clear transition in licensed design: the game is built around a film interpretation rather than only a character name.
- A good midpoint in this list: it is more immediately legible than the earliest Atari experiments but still firmly rooted in late-1980s design.
Choose Batman when you want a solo game that feels closer to the platform-action template many players associate with retro superheroes.
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5. X-Men in the 1990s arcade: choose cooperation and scale
The 1990s X-Men arcade game is the endpoint of this sequence because its defining feature is not a single hero’s mission but cooperative combat. ABC notes that the brawler could support up to six players.
Why six-player support changes the experience
Earlier games on this list are primarily solo or one-on-one experiences. A cabinet that supports up to six players changes the social role of the game: the attraction is coordinating attacks, sharing space and surviving together. Even if you play alone today, its design makes more sense when you understand that group participation was the headline feature.
Who should pick it
- Arcade fans: the format is built for short, repeatable sessions.
- Groups: up to six-player support gives it the broadest multiplayer option in this selection.
- Readers who want a brawler: it emphasizes direct combat instead of exploration, climbing or a versus scenario.
Play it after Batman to see the move from individual platform action to large-scale cooperative superhero combat.
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How the five games compare
| Comparison point | Superman (Atari 2600) | Spider-Man (Atari 2600) | Superman: The Game | Batman (1989) | X-Men arcade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform access | Atari 2600 | Atari 2600 | Commodore 64/128 | Home or computer version associated with the 1989 film tie-in | Arcade cabinet |
| Core structure | Open map and multiple objectives | Vertical skyscraper climb | Competitive Superman-versus-Darkseid scenario | Platform jumping and batarang attacks | Cooperative brawler |
| Power representation | Disguise change, kryptonite hazard and rescue abilities | Spider-Man’s climb under pressure from the Green Goblin | Two opposing super-powered characters | Batarang use and Batman movement | Team-based superhero combat |
| Best for | Historical context and exploration | Short, focused challenge | Computer-game curiosity | Solo platform-action fans | Multiplayer groups |
| Historical importance | First published superhero videogame, released in 1978 with wider production in 1979 | Early same-platform superhero follow-up | 1985 Commodore interpretation | Movie-based licensed action | Large-scale cooperative arcade play |
How to play these games today
Using original cartridges and hardware
If you are looking for the Atari starting point, the most precise product search is “Atari 2600 Superman game cartridge.” Listings may describe original cartridges, reproductions, manuals or bundles. Before buying, verify three things:
- Compatibility: confirm that the cartridge is intended for Atari 2600 hardware or the specific compatible system you own.
- Condition: distinguish a tested original from an untested cartridge, and check whether the listing includes only the cartridge or additional packaging and manuals.
- What is actually included: a bundle can contain reproduction materials rather than original documentation, so read the item description carefully.
Original equipment is not required to understand the games, but it changes the experience. Atari titles were designed around the console’s controller and display limitations, while the Commodore game belongs to a keyboard-and-computer context and the X-Men title to an arcade cabinet.
Compatible retro hardware
Readers without original systems can look for Atari 2600-compatible retro hardware, Commodore-compatible options or an arcade-capable setup. Match the hardware to the game rather than assuming one device supports all five. The Atari cartridges, the Commodore 64/128 software and the arcade game come from different platforms and should be treated as separate compatibility questions.
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- Join the fight for justice as Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Batgirl from the animated series DC Super Hero Girls
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- Save Metropolis with each Super Hero or Super-Villain’s unique abilities by defeating the tinkering terror of Toyman
- Explore the city like a hero or a regular teenager and visit iconic hangout spots from the show. Metropolis High School and Sweet Justice: here we come! But be careful not to reveal your secret identity
- Build up Hob’s Bay, an abandoned part of Metropolis, and put your own stamp on its fresh new look
Emulation and legal access
Emulation can be convenient when original hardware is unavailable, but use software and game images obtained in accordance with the law where you live. Check controller mapping before judging a game: a poor mapping can make an early title feel less responsive than it did on its original control scheme.
Pick your next game by the experience you want
You want the historical starting point
Play Superman on Atari 2600. Its December 1978 release and January 1979 wider production make it the milestone, and its map, missions and hazards show why it matters beyond its age.
You want a short Atari challenge
Choose Spider-Man. The skyscraper climb and Green Goblin threat give you one plainly defined objective without requiring the broader map structure of Superman.
You want the strangest interpretation
Choose Superman: The Game on Commodore 64/128. The option to compete as Superman or Darkseid is the most unusual premise in this group.
You want recognizable platform action
Choose Batman (1989). Platform jumping, batarang throwing and the Joker provide the most conventional solo action format on the list.
You want to play with a group
Choose the 1990s X-Men arcade game. Its support for up to six players makes it the clear multiplayer choice.
Common pitfalls when revisiting these games
- Expecting modern controls: early console games have simpler input and presentation. Approach Superman as a historical action-adventure experiment, not as a modern open-world game.
- Mixing up the dates: the relevant first-game milestone is Atari’s 1978/1979 Superman, not a 1940 release.
- Buying the wrong format: an Atari cartridge, Commodore software and an arcade title are different products. Confirm platform compatibility before purchasing.
- Choosing by character alone: these games express their heroes differently. Superman is mission-driven, Spider-Man is a climb, the Commodore title is competitive, Batman is platform action and X-Men is cooperative combat.
- Assuming multiplayer is universal: the six-player option belongs to the arcade X-Men game; it should not be treated as a feature of the Atari or Commodore titles.
A practical first-weekend itinerary
- Start with Atari’s Superman: identify the map, try the disguise change, note the kryptonite hazard and work through the bridge, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor objectives before returning to the Daily Planet.
- Switch to Atari’s Spider-Man: compare its single climbing goal with Superman’s broader mission structure.
- Try Superman: The Game: play both sides, Superman and Darkseid, to experience the change from rescue adventure to competition.
- Move to Batman: focus on how platform jumping and the batarang turn a film license into action stages.
- Finish with X-Men: use cooperative play if possible; otherwise, observe how the brawler’s design assumes a group rather than a lone hero.
This order preserves the historical progression while giving you a different play style at each stop. It also prevents the earliest Atari game from being judged against the later arcade format: each title is solving a different design problem with different hardware and audience expectations.
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