X-Menhas re-entered popular culture with the release ofDeadpool and Wolverineand the belovedX-Men 97 series.In light of these highly regarded entertainment properties, gamers have rediscovered classic, top-tier games suchX-Men Origins: Wolverineand theX-Men Legendsseries.
TheX-Mengames have been plentiful on handheld consoles such as the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS. However, quantity does not mean quality, as X-Men games on handheld have lacked the class of othersuperhero games on consoles. Despite this, several handheldX-Mengames have stood the test of time as the series' best.
Metacritic Score: 50
X-Men: The Official Game
MASTER THE POWER OF THE X-MENUnleash the fury of Wolverine, the speed of Iceman and the agility of Nightcrawler as you battle through events leading up to the feature film X-Men: The Last Stand.• Encounter key elements of the X-Men movie universe, from villains to locations.• Join forces with Storm and Colossus against Sabretooth, Multiple Man and others.• Evolve your characters' powers over time, in environments talored to their skills.• NEXT-GEN HD GRAPHICS• Featuring the voices ofHugh JackmanPatrick StewartAlan CummingShawn Ashmoreand others.
Anoften-forgottenX-Men titleand the weakest entry on this list isX-Men:The Official Game.An okay beat-up game at best,X-Men:The Official Gameis a mediocre title on the Nintendo DS, with simplistic but satisfying gameplay mechanics suited to the game’s main character abilities.
The major standout ofX-Men: The Official Gameis the story, with the title exploring the backstory behind X-Menand letting players take the reins of unfamiliar characters such as Nightcrawler.
Metacritic Score: 60
X-Men Origins Wolverine
UNLEASH THE RAZOR SHARP ADAMANTIUM CLAWS, FERAL INSTINCTS AND MUTANT POWERS OF THE WORLD’S FIERCEST HERO • WOLVERINE • TO UNCAGE THE STORY OF HOW THE ULTIMATE WEAPON WAS CREATED.UNCAGED EDITION • FULLED BY UNBRIDLED FEROCITY. THE AUTHENTIC. RELENTLESS, UNCOMPROMISED WOLVERINE EXPERIENCE.
A fan favorite among Wolverine fans,X-Men Origins: Wolverinewas the video game version of the hitX-Men Origins: Wolverinemovie released in 2009. The games faithfully follow the events in the film surrounding Wolverine’s creation and his relationship with his half-brother, Sabretooth. Fans regard it as one of thebestX-Mengames.
The title was released on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) alongside its console releases. The PSP version ofX-Men Origins: Wolverineis, unfortunately, a mixed bag and far inferior to the console versions, with lower graphical fidelity and rougher gameplay. Nevertheless, the game still has an excellent story and cinematics, such as the final scene that portrays Logan void of his memories after his battle with Deadpool.
Genre(s)
Beat ‘em up
X-Men: Reign of Apocalypseis a unique sidescrolling beat ‘em up game released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001.Reign of Apocalypsehad players control famousX-Men, such as Wolverine and Storm, in the quest to return to their universe after being transported to a parallel one ruled by the villain Apocalypse.
X-Men: Reign of Apocalypseis a fun beat-up with excellent animations and a great soundtrack. However, beyond that, it lacks substance, relying heavily on its cast of characters to do the heavy lifting. Despite this,Reign of Apocalypseis an indearing side scroller that is, above all, great to play with satisfying gameplay.
Released in 1992,X-Men: The Arcade Gameis the quintessential side-scroller beat ‘em-up that defined theX-Menseries of games for years to come. Tasked with stoppingX-Men’sgreatest villain, Magneto, and saving Professor X, the X-Men must beat their way to glory across eight levels.
An arcade classic,X-Men: The Arcade Game,had a re-release on the Apple app store and was playable on Apple devices. Although simplistic in design and controls,X-Men: The Arcade Gameis genre-defining, with some of the best beat-em-up gameplay.X-Men: The Arcade Gameis one ofKonami’s greatest arcade games.
While not a full-blownX-Mengame,Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Orderfeatured titular characters from the series when it was released in 2019. Debuting on the Nintendo Switch,Ultimate Alliance 3enabled players to take control of their favorite superheroes, including Wolverine and series villain Magneto, to stop Thanos and his nefarious cronies from finding the infinity stones.
At its core, an RPG,Ultimate Alliance 3, featured cooperative multiplayer, allowing players to choose and switch between their favorite superheroes in a standout video game in the superhero genre.
X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
A COMMON ENEMY CALLS FOR AN UNCOMMON ALLIANCE
A secret prophecy has fallen into Apocalypse’s diabolical hands. Unite the X-Men with their sworn enemy - the Brotherhood - and liberate Earth from the ultimate tyranny.
Command a brand-new story in the epicX-Men Legendssaga.
Assemble previously unimaginable teams from 16 playable X-Men and evil Brotherhood characters.
Upgrade, customise and unleash a massive arsenal of over 160 superpowers.
Co-op online and off with up to 4 players.“More than a sequel, it’s a bold new chapter for the X-Men."* -GameInformer
X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypseis the bestX-Menbeat ‘em up game released. Following the return of Apocalypse, the Brotherhood of Mutants and theX-Menteam up to take down the villain in a top-down role-playing game that features excellent visuals and fun but addictive gameplay. The game lets players take control of iconic charaacters such as Magneto, Iceman, and Juggernaut and includes an online mode with up to 4 players on PSP.
Alongside an extensive list of playable characters, the PSP version had exclusives such as Dark Phoenix, Cable, and Cannonball, each with unique moves and abilities.X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypsefeaturedoutstanding superhero boss fights, with certain characters triggering dialogue options, adding to gameplay depth.
