You remember the first time Superman flew onto the screen in a LEGO game, right? That John Williams score kicks in, and suddenly you aren’t just wandering around a gloomy Gotham anymore. You’re invulnerable. You’re soaring. It changed everything.
Back in 2012, LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was a massive pivot for TT Games. It wasn’t just the first time these plastic minifigures actually talked—it was the moment the roster exploded beyond the Bat-family. We went from a handful of Gothamites to a full-blown Justice League lineup. But even years later, people still argue about who the best LEGO Batman 2 characters actually are, or how the heck you’re supposed to unlock that one random goon in the corner of the grid.
Honestly, the roster is a bit of a mess if you don't know where to look. You’ve got your story stalwarts, your open-world boss fights, and those weirdly specific "Gold Door" heroes that cost a fortune in studs.
The Heavy Hitters and Why They Matter
Most players stick to Batman and Robin because, well, the game is named after them. But the utility of the LEGO Batman 2 characters really opens up once you stop looking at them as people and start looking at them as Swiss Army knives.
Take Lex Luthor. He’s arguably more important than Batman for 100% completion. Why? Because he’s the only guy with the "Deconstructor" gun. Without him, those shiny black LEGO bricks are basically indestructible walls. You can't finish the game without him. Period.
Then you’ve got the Flash. He’s fast, sure. But his real value is the "Speed Force" rebuild. Watching him piece together a pile of bouncing bricks in half a second never gets old. It’s a total game-changer for tedious Free Play runs.
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The Power of the Justice League
- Superman: He’s basically a cheat code. Flight, heat vision for gold bricks, freeze breath, and super strength. He does it all.
- Green Lantern: Necessary for those green LEGO constructs. You’ll find them scattered all over Gotham Park and the rooftops.
- Cyborg: He’s your magnet guy. If it’s blue and metallic, Victor Stone is your man. Plus, he’s got a laser for gold bricks too.
- Wonder Woman: She’s got the Lasso of Truth, which works like a grapple, but she also flies. She’s essentially a more agile Superman without the ice breath.
- Martian Manhunter: A bit of a late-game flex. He can fly and has Martian Vision (heat vision), but let's be real—most people just unlock him to complete the set.
Where Everyone Gets Stuck: Unlocking the Villains
Unlocking LEGO Batman 2 characters isn't just about finishing the story. If you want the bad guys, you have to go find them. They aren't just handed to you.
You have to hunt them down in the open world. You’ll see those red beams of light shooting into the sky from the Batcomputer terminals. Once you activate a terminal, a character icon pops up on your map. You go there, you punch them until their health bar hits zero, and then you buy them.
Some are cheap. Some will absolutely drain your stud bank.
Sinestro and Brainiac are the big ones. They usually require a massive amount of Gold Bricks just to even trigger their boss fights. I remember spent hours just scouring the rooftops near the zoo and the cathedral trying to find enough bricks to finally get Sinestro. It's a grind, but seeing that purple "Purchase" prompt is such a rush.
The DLC Factor
You might see people playing as Nightwing or Shazam and wonder why they aren't on your character grid. That’s the DLC trap. There were two main packs: the Heroes Pack and the Villains Pack.
If you didn’t get the "5-pack" extras, you’re missing out on:
- Nightwing (Dick Grayson)
- Katana
- Shazam
- Zatanna
- Damian Wayne (Robin)
- Bizarro
- Captain Cold
- Black Adam
- Black Manta
- Gorilla Grodd
It’s annoying. I know. But that’s how they got us back in the day.
The Weird Stuff: Goons and Secret Toggles
Did you know there are characters in this game that don't even have a slot on the main menu?
If you enable the "Extra Toggle" Red Brick, you can cycle through "secret" LEGO Batman 2 characters while you're in a level. We’re talking about the Mime Goon, the Clown Goon, and even the Two-Face Goon. They don't have powers. They just have basic punches or maybe a generic pistol.
But there’s a certain charm in playing as a random GCPD officer or a LexCorp scientist. It makes the world feel lived in.
And let's talk about Aquaman. Poor guy. In this game, he can spray water and walk underwater, which is great for like... two specific puzzles. Beyond that? He’s mostly there so you can say you have the whole Justice League. At least they gave him a cool trident.
How to Optimize Your Roster Early
If you’re starting a new save or trying to clean up your 100% run, don’t just buy whoever looks cool. You need a strategy. The game is designed to lock you out of secrets until you have specific abilities.
Priority 1: The Joker. You need him for the electrical conduits and the Joker Boxes. You can find him early on in the Gotham amusement park area.
Priority 2: Lex Luthor. Like I said, the black LEGO bricks. He’s usually hanging out near the Yacht Club area after you finish the main story.
Priority 3: Poison Ivy. She’s the only one who can go through those flower-bed warp points. You’ll find her near the Botanical Gardens.
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Once you have those three, plus the standard Superman/Batman/Robin trio, you can pretty much unlock everything else in the game.
Quick Reference for Key Abilities
- Silver Bricks: You need Batman’s Power Suit or Penguin’s bombs.
- Gold Bricks: Superman’s heat vision or Cyborg’s laser.
- Glass/Sonic: Batman’s Bat Suit or Black Canary’s scream.
- Magnetism: Robin’s Magnet Suit or Cyborg.
- Electricity: Joker or Batman’s Electric Suit.
Why We Still Love These Characters
There’s something about the way LEGO Batman 2 characters are animated. The way Robin does a little flip, or the way The Riddler leaves a trail of green question marks when he walks. It’s the small details.
Even though LEGO Batman 3 went to space and LEGO DC Super-Villains gave us custom powers, the second game feels the most "Gotham." It’s moody, it’s rainy, and the roster feels curated. It’s not just a list of names; it’s a collection of DC history.
If you’re stuck on 98.5% completion, check your map for the "Citizen in Peril" icons. Every time you save a citizen, you get a Gold Brick. And you need those Gold Bricks to build the doors that hide the final few heroes like Supergirl or Huntress.
Go finish your collection. Gotham is waiting.
Next Steps for Completionists:
- Locate the Red Bricks first: Specifically the "Stud Multipliers" and "Character Studs" to make buying expensive villains like Ra's al Ghul (100,000 studs) easier.
- Check the rooftops: Many of the best LEGO Batman 2 characters are tucked away on high-rise balconies that you can only reach with a flying character like Superman.
- Don't forget the Goons: If you're looking for that last "blacked out" circle on your grid, it's likely a generic henchman found in the open world near the villain hideouts.