TheBatman Arkhamseries is legendary for a multitude of reasons, and across four titles from Rocksteady Studios and WB Games Montreal,Batmanhas thrived in the gaming scene, especially when it comes to presenting brilliant renditions of his fighting style, gadgets, and Rogues Gallery that culminates in some truly epic boss battles.
The best boss battles in theArkhamgames range across the four main titlesseparated from spin-offs, and each of them offers players a unique combat experience that is hard to forget thanks to their innovation, fun, and genuine feeling of being Batmanagainst his most deadly foes.
10Professor Pyg
A Twisted Surgeon Uses Dollotrons That Feel No Pain to Fight
Professor Pyg is easily one of the creepiest Batman villains out there, and this demented surgeon can have his evil plans thwarted in The Perfect Crime side mission, which involves taking him down alongside his creations. What makes Professor Pyg’s boss fight fun is the Dollotrons, which are emotionless and unfeeling people who will fight Batman to help their creator.
Batman cansmack them down with gadgets, fists, and kicks, but they will not go down permanently unless Batman uses a takedown on each one. Meanwhile, Professor Pyg throws knives at Batman in an attempt to thwart his combo, making for a rather fun fight with familiar mechanics, but with a twist.
9Jason Todd, the Arkham Knight
Batman’s Former Robin Uses All of Batman’s Tricks to Take Him Out
The ultimate reveal of the Arkham Knight might have been predictable, but it still brings forth emotional heights for Batman thanks to the unparalleled performance by the late and great Kevin Conroy. The boss fight itself against the Arkham Knight after he is revealed to be the formerly dead ward, Jason Todd. The boss fight doesn’t really involve beating up the former second Robin and instead has Batman commit to stealth.
Batman’s tasked with stealth takedowns of the Arkham Knight’s militia so that he can make his way to the perch that Jason is on to confront him. This occurs multiple times, and each time, a new area will open up with further bad guys that change their gear. Some are medics to revive fallen friends, while others have thermal suits to avoid Detective Mode. It’s engaging and puzzling to complete a stealth encounter where Jason usesall the tricks in Batman’s booksto deter him.
8Killer Croc
A Hunt Through Arkham’s Sewers
While players do not actually get to battle Killer Croc themselves untilBatman: Arkham OriginsandBatman: Arkham Knight(DLC), the technical boss fight for him inBatman: Arkham Asyluminvolves Batman navigating through the sewer system of Arkham Asylum, all while Croc hunts Batman’s scent and his sound patterns thanks to the wooden platforms above the water.
Batman will instantly be killed if Croc grabs him, so he has to find his way through the sewers while avoiding detection from Croc, or else he will become a Bat-Snack. Dealing with Croc is extremely terrifying, especially with his hulking size that can only be stopped by a well-timed Batarang to the shock collar. This isn’t a fight with fists, but more so a stealthy maze to escape.
7Ra’s al Ghul
When Ra’s al Ghul’s desire to be killed by Batman is rejected, rhe reinvigorates himself with the youthful yet maddening power of the Lazarus Pit to become worthy of a fight against the Caped Crusader. The battle itself takes place in an illusion, where Batman must battle multiple sand ninjas at once while avoiding Ra’s al Ghul’s surprise attacks.
Ra’s al Ghul also summons a larger sand version of himself, where Batman must avoid his sword slashes, and shurikens, all while quick-firing the REC Gun through his weak points, which all ends in a Y/Triangle-spam of counters for a rapid flurry of blocks that makes for an epic fight between Batman and an expert martial artist.
6TN-1 Bane
A Hulking Monster That Must Be Evaded For Stealth Takedowns
Near the climax ofBatman: Arkham Originsinvolvesa riot in Blackgate, where Bane and Joker scheme to makeBatman break his no-kill rule. In an effort to beat the Bat for the final time, Bane injects himself with the TN-1 formula, the early formula for the Titan drug that would eventually take Joker’s life. In this form, Bane is a hulking brute, almost brainless and just as deadly thanks to his gigantic size.
TN-1 Bane is like a lighter version of the Mr. Freeze fight, where players must evade detection by him as they attempt alternating stealth takedowns on Bane, who may suddenly turn to face Batman or check through hiding spots within vents. Bane can be smashed into walls and electric panels for an intense game of cat and mouse.
5Scarecrow
Terrifying Encounters That Trick Players As They Fight Hallucinations
The Scarecrow encounters inBatman: Arkham Asylumis one of the many memorable aspects of the game, and it’s easy to see why. While all encounters are great, it’s the third one that will truly take players to new scares, as it begins so unexpectedly as the game begins to crash, resulting in many players at the time thinking their console had just broken. That is until the game resets to the beginning with Joker driving a subdued Batman to Arkham Asylum.
What follows is an incredible “gotcha” segment where players are forced to hit the retry button, only to find themselves emerging from a grave in Scarecrow’s nightmare hellscape, where they must stealth through and avoid his deadly gaze, and also battle an assortment of skeletons and Titan skeletons to take Scarecrow down.
4Clayface
The Finale’s Twist Features a Freezable Monster of Clay
Clayface comes at the climax ofBatman: Arkham Cityand his reveal is one of the best twists in gaming. The fight itself will have Batman utilize fast reflexes to dodge Clayface’s morphing attacks, that will take the shape of a relentless hammer, violent spins of clay, vertical slashes, and a deadly ball of clay. To defeat Clayface, players must use the Freeze Grenades, or trick Clayface into throwing himself into an explosive wall.
The second phase of the fight is even better, where Batman takes Ra’s al Ghul’s sword and slashes his way through mini-Clayface creations with immense fury, all while throwing a Freeze Grenade at the melting clay that holds the cure that can save both Batman and Joker from a death there’s no coming back from.
3Bane
An Incredible Tactician Uses Venom to Become a Deadly Adversary
When players first meet Bane inBatman: Arkham Asylum, they might be a tad disappointed to see him act more as a large brute than as the legendary adversary who broke the Bat. Luckily, the prequel,Batman: Arkham Origins, does Bane justice – especially in his first boss fight where he uses Venom for some mighty effects.
Bane is a fast fighter, and trying to get a combo on him isn’t going to be possible without efficient cape stuns and well-timed counters. When Bane decides to use Venom, it’s time to get out of his way, and his brutish charges can only be avoided at the last second, all while further goons jump into the fight to overwhelm Batman as he tries to defeat Bane and tear the Venom tubes from his back.
2Deathstroke
Batman Meets The Terminator in an Epic Clash of Fists and Gadgets
Deathstroke’s fight with Batman builds into immense suspense and anticipation for a clash of two legends. It’s an early years Batman against a veteran assassin, and the fight itself compliments their expertise well since Deathstroke can block and counter Batman’s attempt to build combos, while also using his own gadgets to threaten Batman with an unexpected demise.
Players will need to use quickfire gadgets and an assortment of different combat formulas to try and battle against Deathstroke, all while being cautious of his own fast attacks and counters to Batman’s moves that will prove why this brawl isso fun to engage with.
1Mr. Freeze
Batman Must Utilize All His Tactics and Gadgets to Take Down This Chilling Villain
Mr. Freeze is undoubtedly and undisputedly the best boss fight in theBatman Arkhamgames. It’s smart, intense, creative, and makes use of everything fans loved about theBatman Arkhamseries. Battling Mr. Freeze was unique in the sense that it wasn’t just a standard thug to fight who needed a Batarang or two thrown at his head. Instead, Mr. Freeze needed to be dealt with through a different assortment of tricks.
Batman had to try and fight Mr. Freeze with his tactics and gadgets, as taking him head-on is suicide thanks to his bulky armor and freeze gun. Utilizing an assortment of stealthy takedowns from glide kicks to vent takedowns makes this a creative battle, where Batman can never fool Mr. Freeze with the same tactic twice.
