2. Batman Forever - (1995 - Sega Genesis)
You're really just gonna have to trust me that
this was a lot of fun. Batman Forever, if you didn't play it, is probably one of the most pioneering brawlers to ever hit the market. It was as far beyond its contemporaries as I am mine. The basis synopsis of he game would make it sound rather dull, as it is,at its core, just a brawler. What set this game apart, though was the amount of thought that went into every aspect and the unnecessary, but beloved embellishments. As one of the first games to use Mortal Kombat's revolutionary motion capture system, Batman Forever started off a step ahead of games of its time. They used the mo-cap system to build a fairly complex and inclusive method of control, which gave the player a full range of combat moves, rather than the standard "heavy attack + light attack" system. Not content with the best combat system available, the developers decided to add a myriad of gadgets to choose from at the beginning of each level, each with its own combat advantages, such as stunning enemies, knockback, or long range damage. Other than that, Batman Forever was pretty run of the mill. Oh, except that it wasn't at all. The game also included intensely challenging level design that required puzzle solving, collectible items, cooperative/ competitive two player, a training mode (which allowed you to practice combat as many bad guys), hidden areas, and a partridge in a pear tree. Long story short, Batman Forever isn't just one of the best Batman games, it's one of the best brawlers ever made. Not only that, but this complex and well organized beat-em-up broke the mold at a time where simplicity was the rule of thumb.