Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes features an open world setting, where full exploration of Gotham City is granted. The gameplay is similar to its predecessor, Lego Batman: The Videogame, but allows players to play as classic Batman characters and other various DC Comics superheroes, such as Robin, Batgirl, Green Lantern, Superman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman.[6] There are 75 playable characters.[7] New gadgets such as Robin's Hazard Cannon, Green Lantern's Power Ring, Superman's heat vision, and a Power Suit for Batman were introduced.[1][2] An optional 2-player cooperative play mode is also present.[8] However, a split screen is used, due to the game having an open-world environment.[8] The Wii U version allows the use of the gamepad's screen instead of a split screen, allowing both players to have independent screens.[9] Most of Gotham City can be broken into "bricks", as players can use the broken bricks to build new suits or construct objects that can help solve puzzles.[7]

An award show is being held in Gotham City, attended by the city's finest. Lex Luthor ends up losing the "Man of the Year" award to Bruce Wayne, but the ceremony is interrupted by a band of villains led by the Joker, who rob the audience while the Joker steals the award; in the process, the Joker presents a film about himself, which includes a showcase of his laughing gas that can briefly make people adore him. Sneaking out, Bruce dons the Batsuit and, alongside Robin, defeats Harley Quinn, the Riddler, Two-Face, and the Penguin. The Joker attempts to escape via motorboat, but is ultimately defeated at Amusement Mile.[1][7][10] The villains are imprisoned at Arkham Asylum, while Superman arrives to congratulate Batman and Robin, much to the former's frustration. Later, believing that the Joker's gas could help him get elected President, Luthor breaks the Joker out of Arkham using the "Deconstuctor" - a kryptonite-powered weapon which deconstructs unbreakable black objects. The Joker uses the Deconstructor to release more inmates before he and Luthor make their escape. Batman and Robin respond to Commissioner Gordon's distress call and round up the Penguin, Two-Face, Harley, the Riddler, Catwoman, Bane, and Poison Ivy after chasing them through a maze in the asylum's yard, as well as Scarecrow inside the asylum. Batman then realizes the Joker has escaped, and finds some bricks affected by the Deconstructor, which emit an energy signature.

While responding to a break-in at Ace Chemicals, Batman and Robin realize it was the Joker's doing and search for clues as to what he is planning, but the factory is destroyed by a series of explosive chemical reactions caused by the Joker before he left. The pair are rescued by Superman, who puts out the fire, but Batman declines his help in dealing with the situation at hand. Later, Batman learns that the chemicals Joker stole can be mixed into synthetic kryptonite, and uses the Batmobile's on-board computer to track the signature to Luthor's mobile operations center. Batman and Robin board the vehicle and retrieve a piece of synthetic kryptonite, but are thrown out and can't continue the pursuit due to the Batmobile being destroyed by the Deconstructor. The pair return to the Batcave, unware that the synthetic kryptonite has a tracking device inside, which Luthor and the Joker use to find them. The villains destroy the Batcave and escape with Batman's supply of real kryptonite - which was their target all along - while Batman and Robin are again rescued by Superman, whom the former reluctantly allows to help.

While Robin attempts to salvage what's left of Batman's equipment, he and Superman travel to Metropolis, where they infiltrate LexCorp and stumble upon a giant Joker-esque robot piloted by Luthor and the Joker. The villains use the robot's kryptonite weapon to subdue Superman and crush Batman with a large crate (unware that the heroes have swapped costumes minutes prior), before taking off. Having survived, Batman and Superman follow them and fight them in mid-air, damaging the robot's flying gear and exposing its kryptonite power source, which weakens Superman, causing him and Batman to crash-land in Gotham. The pair make their way to the city hall, where Luthor's plan backfires, because people affected by the Joker's gas can only adore him, as shown when the voters begin to cheer for the Joker instead of Luthor. After another fight, Superman damages the robot's power source, causing it to leak liquid kryptonite, but is left completely weakened. Robin arrives in a multi colored Batmobile, which can counter the effects of the Deconstructor, and he and Batman trick Luthor and the Joker into chasing them around Gotham. The kryptonite creates a giant Joker face, which is seen from the Watchtower by Martian Manhunter, who contacts the rest of the Justice League: Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Green Lantern and the Flash. Once they arrive to help, Luthor concedes defeat and decides to destroy Wayne Tower in an act of retaliation against Bruce Wayne before the heroes can destroy the Joker robot.

Superman recovers his strength and he and Wonder Woman try to save Wayne Tower, while the others battle the Joker robot on top, sending it plummeting onto the street down below. With the robot destroyed, the Joker and Luthor (who is wearing power armor) come out to fight the heroes, but are ultimately defeated, while Green Lantern rebuilds Wayne Tower's supports, stablizing it. As the two villains are arrested, Commissioner Gordon thanks Batman for saving the day, to which he admits he couldn't have done it without his friends' help, and that he is glad to have friends that he can always count on. As the League prepares to rebuild the Batcave, Green Lantern shoots a beacon from his power ring into space in victory, which is seen by Brainiac, who utters "I have located it"; hinting at a future title.[11]

A promo for the game was leaked online by Lego fansite, Bricktuts.[12] On 15 March 2012, the game's first reveal trailer featuring gameplay for Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was released to the public.[7][13] During the 2012 Game Developers Conference a 45-minute demo of the game was limited to eyes-on only.[8] A demo was later released on Xbox Live on 19 June, the day of the game's release, and PlayStation Network on 26 June 2012, while a Microsoft Windows demo was released on 20 June 2012.

Warner Premiere released Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite, a direct-to-video animated film adaptation of the video game produced by TT Animation. The film uses cutscenes from the game as well as new scenes to replace gameplay.[16] The film, produced and directed by Jon Burton, was released on 21 May 2013.[17]

The game was well received, with critics praising its refined gameplay, story, and voice acting, although it was criticized for some minor and sporadic technical glitches.[18] Game Informer gave it an 8.25 out of 10.[10] The game holds an 80 on Metacritic for the Xbox 360 version,[19] and an 81 for the PlayStation 3 version.[20] Andrew Laughlin, of Digital Spy reported that Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was the best Lego game yet, admiring the game's new features, and original story.[15]

On 27 May 2014, it was announced that the third installment in the Lego Batman series would be called Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. The game was released in November 2014. A spin off to the Lego Batman trilogy called Lego DC Super-Villains was announced on May 30, 2018 and released on October 16, 2018.

• Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. Authored by Stephen Stratton. Published by Prima Games, 2013. ISBN 0-80416-161-5

• Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes at Lego.com
• Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes at IMDb