Comics, cartoons and films, all in one cave

Batman Board Games: Gotham City Chronicles, Monopoly, Chess and More

By Updated

The batman board game list has more variety than you might expect. It covers 11 licensed Batman board games, from miniature games and quick card games to Monopoly and chess. Each entry lists players, time, age and the Batman version it draws on.

  • 11 games
  • 2012 to 2024
  • 1 to 6 players
  • 2 classic editions

To the Batcave! The games are sorted by comics, cartoons and films.

Batman tabletop games draw from the comics, the Animated Series and recent films. That mix puts the same hero in a one-versus-many miniatures game, a 20-minute card game and a chess set. For more heroes, the superhero board games hub puts Batman alongside the rest.

Fancy playing the villain? Gotham City Chronicles lets one player lead the bad guys.

Choosing a Batman board game to start with

There are two Batman Monopoly editions: 2005 and 2024.

  • Co-op with the Animated Series

    Batman: The Animated Series: Gotham City Under Siege

    A cooperative dice game for 1-5 players, 45-60 minutes, ages 14+. Its four acts draw on first-season episodes of Batman: The Animated Series.

    Difficulty2 out of 5
    Time to explain3 out of 5about 15 min
    Player experience3 out of 5
    Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
    How we rate

  • Miniatures campaign night

    Batman: Gotham City Chronicles

    One player runs the villains while 1-3 others team up as heroes. Games take 60-90 minutes with 2-4 players, ages 14+.

    Difficulty4 out of 5
    Time to explain5 out of 5about 40 min
    Player experience5 out of 5
    Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
    How we rate

  • Quick card game

    Love Letter: Batman

    A 20-minute Love Letter retheme for 2-4 players, ages 10+, about chasing villains who escaped Arkham Asylum.

    Difficulty1 out of 5
    Time to explain1 out of 5about 3 min
    Player experience1 out of 5
    Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
    How we rate

A quick guide to the cards: the 14+ games are heavier, while Love Letter, Fluxx and Cluedo are lighter. Out-of-print status matters here: IDW's games and both card games are hard to find. For a lighter Hasbro pick from 2024, see Batman Monopoly.

Batman board games, card games and chess sets

DC Deck-Building features Batman, though the game covers the wider DC universe.

Showing all 11

Main games

Batman: Gotham City Chronicles

  • 2018
  • 2-4 players
  • 60-90 minutes
  • Ages 14+

The big Batman miniatures game. One player controls the villains while the others play heroes, tackling scenarios one at a time.

How it plays

Heroes spend and regain energy to move and attack. The villain player activates characters with a command board, and both sides race to complete their scenario objectives.

The film or show connection

This game draws on the Batman comics universe, not a film or TV show. Its scenarios, heroes and villains come from Gotham City.

Difficulty4 out of 5
Time to explain5 out of 5about 40 min
Player experience5 out of 5
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type strategy board game

  • miniatures
  • one vs many
  • comics
Publisher
Monolith Board Games
Designers
Frédéric Henry
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Wayne Manor, Arkham Asylum, Batmobile and Versus Mode (2018)
  • Season 2 (2019)
  • Season 3 (2022)
  • Gotham in Flames (2024)

Batman: The Animated Series: Gotham City Under Siege

  • 2018
  • 1-5 players
  • 45-60 minutes
  • Ages 14+

A cooperative dice game and one of two Animated Series board games on this page. Play through four acts.

How it plays

Players roll and assign dice to take actions, weighing street threats and villains against story-card missions. You lose if Gotham's destruction or civilian casualties reach zero.

The film or show connection

Story cards draw on first-season episodes of Batman: The Animated Series.

Difficulty2 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 15 min
Player experience3 out of 5
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type cooperative game

  • co-op
  • dice
  • Animated Series
Publisher
IDW Games
Designers
Richard Launius, Michael Guigliano
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Masterminds & Mayhem (2019)

Batman: The Animated Series Adventures: Shadow of the Bat

  • 2021
  • 1-5 players
  • 60-90 minutes
  • Ages 14+

Batman Shadow of the Bat board game is a separate IDW title from Gotham City Under Siege. IDW left tabletop publishing in 2021, and the game is out of print.

How it plays

Choose heroes for scenario battles, roll shared custom dice and use gadget cards. Play cooperatively against the game, or have a fifth player control the villains.

The film or show connection

Its 24 scenarios take inspiration from Animated Series episodes. Batman, Batgirl, Robin, Commissioner Gordon and Catwoman face villains from the show.

Difficulty3.5 out of 5
Time to explain4 out of 5about 30 min
Player experience5 out of 5
Geek Level9 / 10Reads the wiki for fun
How we rate

Type cooperative game Out of print

  • miniatures
  • scenarios
  • out of print
Publisher
IDW Games
Designers
Pete Walsh, Kevin Wilson
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Arkham Asylum expansion (announced)

Batman Miniature Game

  • 2012
  • 2 players

Knight Models' skirmish game has players build a crew of Gotham miniatures. Its designers, time and age were not confirmed.

How it plays

Players choose who leads, secretly assign action markers to their models, carry out the actions, then resolve end-of-turn effects. Games last up to four turns, with victory points deciding the score.

The film or show connection

The game draws on Batman comics, films, video games and television. A 2022 starter box is based on the film The Batman.

Difficulty3.5 out of 5
Time to explain5 out of 5about 45 min
Player experience5 out of 5
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type miniatures game

  • skirmish
  • two players
  • build your crew
Publisher
Knight Models
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • 3rd Edition (2019)
  • Back to Gotham starter (2021)
  • The Batman starter box (2022)

Love Letter: Batman

  • 2015
  • 2-4 players
  • 20 minutes
  • Ages 10+

Batman Love Letter is the small-box pick. It appears to be out of print, with only used copies in the listings we checked.

How it plays

On your turn, draw a card and play one of your two, resolving its effect. A round ends when one player remains or the deck runs out. Round wins earn Batman tokens.

The film or show connection

This comics-based retheme has players pursue villains who escaped Arkham Asylum.

Difficulty1 out of 5
Time to explain1 out of 5about 3 min
Player experience1 out of 5
Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
How we rate

Type card game Out of print

  • quick
  • deduction
  • out of print
Publisher
AEG
Designers
Seiji Kanai
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (arstechnica.com)

Batman Fluxx

  • 2015
  • 2-6 players
  • 5-30 minutes
  • Ages 8+

Fluxx in a Batman costume. Looney Labs says a reprint is unlikely.

How it plays

Cards change the rules and the current Goal. Play Keepers to match the Goal, while villain Creepers stop anyone from winning unless the Goal calls for a villain.

The film or show connection

The cards feature Batman characters, mostly from Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures.

Difficulty1.5 out of 5
Time to explain1 out of 5about 5 min
Player experience1 out of 5
Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
How we rate

Type card game Out of print

  • party
  • changing rules
  • out of print
Publisher
Looney Labs and Cryptozoic Entertainment
Designers
Andrew Looney
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (looneylabs.com) Source 2 (faq.looneylabs.com)

DC Comics Deck-Building Game

  • 2012
  • 2-5 players
  • 30-45 minutes
  • Ages 15+

This DC-wide game lets you choose Batman as a hero. Batman-specific content comes in expansions.

How it plays

Choose a hero with a unique ability and starting deck. Each turn, play cards for power, then buy from the shared lineup or defeat Super-Villains to score Victory Points.

The film or show connection

Based on DC Comics rather than a specific Batman film or show. Rivals: Batman vs. The Joker (2014) and the Batman Ninja crossover pack (2019) add Batman content.

Difficulty2 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 15 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
How we rate

Type deck-building game

  • deck-building
  • DC heroes
  • Batman is playable
Publisher
Cryptozoic Entertainment
Designers
Matt Hyra, Ben Stoll
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Rivals: Batman vs. The Joker (2014)
  • Crossover Pack 8: Batman Ninja (2019)

Source 1 (cryptozoic.com) Source 2 (cryptozoic.com) Source 3 (cryptozoic.com)

DC Comics Dice Masters

  • 2015
  • 2 players
  • Ages 14+

A collectible dice game for two players. Batman appears in the Justice League set, and a 2017 Batman expansion adds Gotham heroes and villains.

How it plays

Build a team of character dice and roll for resources and character results. Then send your characters to attack the other player.

The film or show connection

Based on DC Comics, with no documented film or TV adaptation.

Difficulty2.5 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 20 min
Player experience3 out of 5
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type trading card game

  • dice-building
  • collectible
  • two players
Publisher
WizKids
Designers
Eric M. Lang, Mike Elliott
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • DC Comics Dice Masters: Batman (2017)

Source 1 (wizkids.com)

Licensed classic editions

Monopoly Batman Edition

  • 2024
  • 2-4 players
  • Ages 8+

Batman Monopoly comes in two editions. The 2024 Hasbro version rewrites the rules; the 2005 USAopoly version sticks to traditional Monopoly with a Batman theme.

How it plays

In the 2024 version, villains take the place of properties, and cardboard batarangs replace money. Capture villains to collect their Calling Cards, play Bat-Signal and Alfred cards, and win with the most batarangs once every villain is caught.

The film or show connection

This comics-inspired edition has Batman, Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl tokens. The 2005 edition has six pewter tokens, including the Batmobile and the Joker's Chattering Teeth.

Difficulty1.5 out of 5
Time to explain2 out of 5about 8 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type licensed classic edition

  • property trading
  • two editions
  • capture villains
Publisher
Hasbro Gaming
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • USAopoly Batman Collector's Edition (2005)

Cluedo: Batman

  • 2021
  • 2-6 players
  • 40-45 minutes
  • Ages 8+

A family mystery centered on a kidnapping. Details on this edition are limited, so treat the specs as provisional.

How it plays

Move around Gotham locations and use clues to figure out who kidnapped Commissioner Gordon, where he is held and which gadget was used. Rumour or Power cards can change the game.

The film or show connection

Batman investigates Commissioner Gordon’s kidnapping at locations across Gotham City.

Difficulty1.5 out of 5
Time to explain1 out of 5about 5 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type licensed classic edition

  • deduction
  • family
  • Gotham
Publisher
Winning Moves
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (winningmoves.co.uk)

Chess sets

Batman Chess Sets

  • 2016
  • 2 players

Batman chess sets come from two main sources. They play standard chess with Batman-themed pieces.

How it plays

The rules are standard chess; only the piece designs and board artwork change.

The film or show connection

These sets draw on the wider Batman franchise, rather than a specific film or show. The Noble set pits Batman and Batgirl against the Joker and Harley Quinn.

Difficulty2 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 15 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type chess set

  • chess
  • collectible
  • Batman vs Joker
Publisher
The Noble Collection; Eaglemoss
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Noble Collection Batman vs The Joker
  • Eaglemoss DC Comics Complete Batman Chess Set (2016)

Source 1 (noblecollection.co.uk) Source 4 (diamondcomics.com)

Batman Monopoly, Love Letter and the rest, compared

Batman games compared by year, players, play time, age, type and print status
GameYearPlayersPlay timeAgesTypeIn print
Batman: Gotham City Chronicles20182-460-90 minutes14+strategy board gameNot listed
Batman: The Animated Series: Gotham City Under Siege20181-545-60 minutes14+cooperative gameNot listed
Batman: The Animated Series Adventures: Shadow of the Bat20211-560-90 minutes14+cooperative gameNo
Batman Miniature Game20122Not listedNot listedminiatures gameNot listed
Love Letter: Batman20152-420 minutes10+card gameNo
Batman Fluxx20152-65-30 minutes8+card gameNo
Monopoly Batman Edition20242-4Not listed8+licensed classic editionNot listed
Cluedo: Batman20212-640-45 minutes8+licensed classic editionNot listed
DC Comics Deck-Building Game20122-530-45 minutes15+deck-building gameNot listed
DC Comics Dice Masters20152Not listed14+trading card gameNot listed
Batman Chess Sets20162Not listedNot listedchess setNot listed

A Batman tabletop timeline

Batman tabletop releases, 2005 to now.

Fancy playing the villain? Gotham City Chronicles lets one player lead the bad guys.

  • 2005

    USAopoly puts out a Batman Collector's Edition of Monopoly with six pewter tokens.

  • 2012

    Cryptozoic publishes the DC Comics Deck-Building Game, while Knight Models launches its Batman Miniature Game.

    Source 1 (cryptozoic.com)

  • 2015

    Looney Labs and Cryptozoic release Batman Fluxx, and AEG publishes Love Letter: Batman.

    Source 1 (looneylabs.com)

  • 2018

    Monolith's Gotham City Chronicles and IDW's Gotham City Under Siege both hit the table.

    Source 1 (comicbook.com)

  • 2021

    IDW releases Shadow of the Bat in the same year IDW Games exits tabletop publishing.

  • 2024

    Hasbro releases Monopoly Batman Edition, while Gotham City Chronicles gets the Gotham in Flames expansion.

    Source 1 (comicbook.com)

Three products here draw on the Animated Series, and they’re easy to confuse: two IDW board games and a Fluxx deck. The Batman Shadow of the Bat board game is the miniatures-driven game, now out of print.

Batman: The Animated Series board game and the Batman Shadow of the Bat board game

Two IDW games and one card game share the Animated Series look, but they’re separate products.

Gotham City Under Siege (2018)

1-5 players, 45-60 minutes. A four-act cooperative dice game based on first-season episodes.

Shadow of the Bat (2021)

1-5 players, 60-90 minutes. A miniatures game with 24 episode-inspired scenarios, playable cooperatively or with one player as the villains. Out of print.

Batman Fluxx (2015)

2-6 players, 5-30 minutes. A card game featuring characters mostly from The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures.

For minis, choose between a story and a skirmish. Gotham City Chronicles gives one player the villains and the others the heroes; Knight Models pits two crews against each other. Marvel fans considering a similar choice can compare our Marvel board games.

IDW's Batman games are out of print, so look for secondhand listings.

Batman miniatures game: Gotham City Chronicles or Knight Models?

Two miniatures games take very different paths through Gotham.

Gotham City Chronicles

2-4 players. Scenario-driven and asymmetric, with one villain player facing a team of cooperating heroes. Its first Kickstarter in 2018 passed $1 million in its first hour.

Batman Miniature Game

2 players. A crew skirmish with secret action markers and up to four turns. The 3rd Edition came out in 2019, followed by a starter box based on The Batman in 2022.

Chess is the oldest game on this page, and the licensed sets give it a Batman makeover. The rules stay the same, with Batman and Joker pieces, so compare piece count, board and display. The Batman chess set entry above covers the Noble Collection and Eaglemoss options.

Batman chess set options from Noble Collection and Eaglemoss

Several licensed Batman chess sets are out there, including one released as a long-running magazine collection.

  • Noble Collection: Batman vs The Joker

    The set has 32 silver- and gold-finished pieces and a foldable 18.5-inch comic-inspired board. Batman and Batgirl face off against the Joker and Harley Quinn.

  • Eaglemoss complete Batman set (2016)

    The set has 32 characters at 1:25 scale on a raised board styled as a Gotham skyscraper.

  • Eaglemoss DC Chess Collection

    The 96 issues came in three runs: Batman, Justice League and Forever Evil. The Justice League run comes closest to a Justice League chess set.

  • The Dark Knight Returns special (2012)

    This two-piece set features opposing Batman and Joker kings, based on Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.

Batman board game facts

There are two Batman Monopoly editions: 2005 and 2024.

  • Gotham City Chronicles' first Kickstarter in 2018 topped $1 million in its first hour, against a $500,000 goal.

  • Monopoly Batman Edition (2024) swaps money for cardboard batarangs, and players capture villains instead of buying properties.

  • Batman Fluxx draws mostly on Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. Looney Labs says a reprint is unlikely.

    Source 1 (faq.looneylabs.com)

  • In 2021, IDW Games said it was leaving tabletop publishing but would finish its announced Batman projects.

  • The Eaglemoss DC Chess Collection ran for 96 issues across three runs: Batman, Justice League and Forever Evil.

  • Knight Models' 2022 Batman Miniature Game starter box takes its cues from the film The Batman.

Batman board game questions

What is the Batman Shadow of the Bat board game?

Batman: The Animated Series Adventures: Shadow of the Bat is a 2021 IDW miniatures game for 1-5 players, with 24 episode-inspired scenarios. It is separate from Gotham City Under Siege and is out of print.

Is there a Batman The Animated Series board game?

Yes, two. Gotham City Under Siege (2018) is a cooperative dice game, and Shadow of the Bat (2021) is a miniatures game. Batman Fluxx also features Animated Series characters.

How does Monopoly Batman work?

The 2024 Hasbro edition swaps properties for villains and cash for cardboard batarangs. Capture villains to collect Calling Cards; the player with the most batarangs wins once all villains are caught.

Are there any Batman card games?

A few. Batman Fluxx and Love Letter: Batman are out of print. DC Comics Dice Masters and the DC Comics Deck-Building Game let you play as Batman.

How does Batman Love Letter work?

It uses the 20-minute Love Letter format for 2-4 players. Draw a card, play one of the two cards in your hand, then resolve it. Win rounds to earn Batman tokens.

Which Batman miniatures game is right for my group?

It comes down to what your group likes. Gotham City Chronicles suits 2-4 players who enjoy one-versus-many scenarios. Knight Models' Batman Miniature Game is a two-player crew skirmish.

Can I get a Batman chess set?

Yes. The Noble Collection sells a Batman vs The Joker set with 32 pieces. Eaglemoss also made a 32-character Complete Batman Chess Set in 2016.

Is there a Justice League chess set?

The closest match we found is the Justice League run of the Eaglemoss DC Chess Collection, issues 33-64 of a 96-issue series. We found no separate standalone set.

DC Deck-Building features Batman, though the game covers the wider DC universe.

Fancy playing the villain? Gotham City Chronicles lets one player lead the bad guys.

Sources

  1. Looney Labs: Batman Fluxx FAQ faq.looneylabs.com
  2. Cryptozoic: DC Deck-Building Game cryptozoic.com
  3. Noble Collection: Batman vs Joker chess set noblecollection.co.uk