Superman: The Man of Steel

Superman: The Man of Steel is an action game built around one of the most difficult tasks in gaming: making Superman feel appropriately powerful without making the entire game completely effortless. Released in 1989, it sends the Man of Steel into a series of missions involving enemies, obstacles, and the usual collection of threats that apparently cannot wait five minutes before causing trouble in Metropolis. The gameplay mixes flying, combat, exploration, and Superman's various abilities, giving the player plenty to do beyond simply standing around looking heroic. The presentation is unmistakably from its era, but that is part of its appeal today. It captures a particular late-eighties vision of superhero gaming, when a licensed character and a keyboard were apparently all the ingredients required for saving the world. Kryptonite remains, unsurprisingly, a terrible career hazard.