Long gone are the days when superhero games were subject to the licensed tie-in curse, resulting in legendary stinkers like Superman 64 and Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis. Between hits like Insomniac's Spider-Man (which immediately cemented itself as one of the best PS4 exclusives) and the Batman: Arkham series, it's clear that superhero games make for incredible power fantasies when done right. Which got us thinking: which superhero (or antihero, or straight-up villain) is long overdue for their own stellar game? Sure, they might've made a cameo in recent titles, or had so-so games back in the day - but which comic book characters deserve to shine in a well-done virtual adventure? Here are our picks for what we'd love to see next. This is the latest in a series of big questions we'll be interrogating our writers with, so share your answers and suggestions for topics with us on Twitter.
Harley Quinn
Give me a Harley Quinn origin game. One of Batman's most intriguing (and sympathetic...at times) villains, she's perfect for her very own game, plus she's much more than the Joker's sidekick. Think about it: you start off as Dr Harleen Quinzel, the razor-sharp psychiatrist beginning her tenure at Arkham Asylum. During your sessions with its inmates (the Joker being the central antagonist/love interest, obviously) you play through dialogue segments just like Detroit: Become Human or the interrogation scenes in L.A. Noire before gradually working your way to sneaking through the Asylum at night to free the Joker. Avoiding guards, hacking into the computer mainframe at the asylum, perhaps even having a few sidequests based around a growing friendship with Poison Ivy. Finally, it would build to a melee-focused final act where you become the red-and-black-suited Harley Quinn, complete with an oversized mallet. Seriously, gimme. Zoe Delahunty-Light
Ms. Marvel
With her literal power to stretch her body into strange shapes and different sizes, and her metaphorical power to stretch between the life of a superheroine and a high school girl who isn't allowed to hang out with boys let alone supervillains, Ms. Marvel would make for an excellent superhero video game. On the action side, the game could do all kinds of fun stuff with scale, letting you shrink down for stealth segments or pull off all kinds of weird melee combos with inflating fists and stretchy legs. But no matter how big (or small) your adventures got, you'd have to make sure you got home before curfew lest you face the wrath of Kamala Khan's super strict, yet undeniably loving, parents. Connor Sheridan
Doctor Strange
I can see it now: a sweeping, surreal Metroidvania starring Doctor Strange, the freaky-deakiest hero to ever achieve Marvel stardom. The Sorcerer Supreme would need to collect an expansive arsenal of arcane artifacts, retrieved from some of the most exotic locations on this and many other planets. Stephen Strange's ability to travel between various dimensions and realities could make for some outstanding environments rife with mind-bending visual effects (I'm envisioning a heady mix of Thumper, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and LSD: Dream Emulator). Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 did a fantastic job of setting the stage for the Master of the Mystic Arts, as well as his atypical archenemies like Dormammu and Shuma-Gorath - but it's time we got to know them a little better in a game all their own. Lucas Sullivan
Spawn
Look, I'd be lying if I said my pick wasn't due largely to just how much love I have for the character, but there are a few more reasons why now would be a great time to give ol' big, burnt, and brooding a new game. For starters, Rocksteady's Arkham games gave us a great foundation to build off of in terms of gameplay: like Batman, Spawn is all about keeping to the shadows when he can, and becoming a vicious fighter when he needs to. Add in some extra wrinkles and emphasize the brutality of Spawn's world and it should feel familiar enough to be comfortable but unique enough that it doesn't feel like a copycat. Second, there's a new Spawn movie on the way, with Jamie Foxx playing our red-caped anti-hero. The character may not be the biggest name on the block anymore, but I imagine you'll hear some old fogies like myself getting nostalgic the closer he comes to a big-screen revival. Sam Prell
The Incredibles
Now that The Incredibles 2 is a real thing that actually happened, I’d love to see a follow up to the original licensed game of 2004 from Heavy Iron Studios. For a tie-in product of its time, The Incredibles was an unexpectedly decent title in its own right, featuring bespoke levels tailored to all of the different characters’ traits and abilities, while maintaining an authentic presentation that did justice to the movie’s unmistakable retrofuturist animation. Plus, imagine what a proper video game sequel could do now that the Incredibles 2 has shed light on the full extent of Jak-Jak’s superpowers.... Alex Avard
Judge Dredd
The tombstone-chinned lawman of the future is, of course, the correct answer. Dredd is both hero and villain, and his beyond zero tolerance approach to policing the mean streets of Mega City One would provide plenty of scope for biting social satire. (Arguably the character, is even more relevant in these days of police brutality than he was back in Thatcher's UK of the 1980's.) Ignoring the thinky stuff for a second, there are the more obvious delights of being able to dispense instant justice using a 'Lawgiver' hand cannon that fires seven different kinds of speech-activated ammo. Eat your heart out, Alexa. Sadly, I don't hold out much hope for a blockbuster, given that the Dredd rights are owned by Rebellion, which owns the 2000 AD comic that birthed the character, and also develops the decent Sniper Elite games. To truly do Dredd, ahem, justice, I'd want the shooter mechanics that only a studio like Respawn can deliver, married to the world-building of a BioWare. Oh well, guess I'll just have to make do with Cyberpunk 2077 and the Netflix Dredd TV series instead. Tim Clark
Morbius, the Living Vampire
I'm not ashamed to admit that I first met old Mo' through the '90s Spider-Man animated series, which I would devour along with a dozen or so bowls of Coco Pops every Saturday morning. His gifts are the result of a combination of vampire bat DNA and electroshock therapy, a misguided attempt to cure the blood disorder that afflicts him. His powers - flight, super strength and speed, echolocation, - and his weakness - light - would make for some great gameplay mechanics, and his profession as a biologist could have him whipping up chemicals to boost his abilities in a crazy number of ways. His various comic book storyline have painted him as hero and villain, so perfect for a game where the hero needs to have a few redeeming moments. Also, while I usually like my vampires a little more conventionally handsome, there's no denying that the whole pale skin, Voldemort nose and huge ears are striking. Move over Batman, there's a new chiroptera challenger in town. Rachel Weber
Batman Beyond
I like the Batman: Arkham games, but I'm getting a bit tired of the same old Batman. Batman Beyond, a spin-off starring a teenaged Batman working under an elderly Bruce Wayne in a futuristic rendition of Gotham, would be the ideal shot in the arm for ol' Bats, at least in my book. Spider-Man's latest game proved that young heroes can contribute some interesting struggles to hero stories, and I always enjoyed Terry's constant battle to balance normal teenage life and his duties as Batman Beyond. I also like the sound of working alongside Bruce Wayne, perhaps trying to earn his approval in the style of Persona's social ranks or the like. Plus Batman Beyond's take on Gotham taps into cyberpunk and sci-fi elements not really explored in the Arkham games. Beyond a great setting, those could make for some interesting gadgets and abilities in, say, an open-world action game. Austin Wood
Did we miss your favorite super? Want to blast us with your laser eye-beams for our choices? Let us know on Twitter.
