Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The core of X-Men’s appeal lies in its tight side-scrolling action. Players choose from four distinct heroes—Gambit, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and Cyclops—each with unique movement and attack patterns. Wolverine excels in close quarters with his claws, Cyclops delivers ranged optic blasts, Nightcrawler teleports around enemies with agile hits, and Gambit charges and hurls explosive cards. The gameplay loop revolves around mastering these abilities to navigate the Danger Room’s ever-changing challenges.

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One of the standout features is the ability to call on additional X-Men for support. When situations become overwhelming, summoning a teammate provides a dramatic, screen-filling special attack. This mechanic not only injects strategic choices—deciding when to call for help versus conserving that resource—but also celebrates the team ethos of the X-Men franchise. Timing your assist right can turn the tide in demanding boss fights or hordes of robotic foes.

Level design does an excellent job of keeping the action fresh. Because the Danger Room is meant to simulate diverse scenarios, you’ll fight through ruined cities, alien landscapes, and Magneto’s metallic strongholds. Each area introduces new traps, enemy types, and environmental hazards, such as conveyor belts or electric floors, that require quick reflexes and clever use of your character’s mobility. While the difficulty spikes in later stages, the learning curve feels fair, rewarding patient players who experiment with each mutant’s powers.

Graphics

X-Men’s graphical presentation channels the vibrant energy of the comics. Character sprites are large and detailed, capturing each hero’s iconic costume and movement style. Wolverine’s lunges, Nightcrawler’s rapid teleports, and Cyclops’s beam attacks are all animated with satisfying fluidity. You’ll notice subtle flourishes—Gambit’s cards crackling with kinetic energy, for instance—that bring each power to life.

The backgrounds are equally noteworthy, blending layered parallax scrolling with dynamic environmental effects. As you progress through Danger Room simulations, backgrounds shift seamlessly between crumbled cityscapes, asteroid fields, and techno-organic chambers. This not only provides visual variety but reinforces the story beat that Magneto’s virus is warping the training environment.

Special effects, from explosive assist moves to boss encounter set pieces, really stand out in the mid 90s hardware. Vibrant colors and screen-shaking animations heighten the stakes when Magneto’s merciless robots and sentinels storm the arena. While the resolution is limited by the era, the artistic direction compensates with bold designs and clear visual cues, so you always know when a hazard is approaching.

Story

The narrative premise is classic X-Men: Professor Xavier’s Danger Room, designed as a safe training ground, is compromised by Magneto’s malicious virus. What should be routine practice quickly spirals into a life-or-death struggle as simulations twist into deadly scenarios. This setup cleverly allows the game to cycle through a variety of environments while keeping the stakes personal for the team.

Cutscenes between stages, rendered with in-game graphics and interlaced dialogue text, flesh out the conflict. You witness Magneto’s philosophy clash with Xavier’s ideals, underscoring the larger mutant struggle for acceptance. Even though the storytelling is straightforward, it hits the right notes for fans: the loyalty among teammates, Wolverine’s reluctant heroism, and Gambit’s playful banter add personality to each mission.

Boss battles serve as narrative milestones, often pitting you against foes specially crafted by Magneto’s virus. From distorted Sentinels to phantasmagoric recreations of classic X-Men adversaries, these encounters reinforce the theme of technology run amok. The story builds momentum towards its climax, maintaining tension as the X-Men race to purge the virus and restore the Danger Room’s stability.

Overall Experience

X-Men delivers a memorable blend of character-driven action and cooperative strategy. Its straightforward premise—Magneto sabotages the Danger Room—provides a flexible framework for varied, fast-paced levels. Fans of the comics will appreciate how faithfully the game captures each mutant’s powers and personality, while newcomers can still enjoy the tight controls and explosive combat.

The game’s primary drawback is its escalating difficulty, which may frustrate less experienced players. However, the assist-summon mechanic and multiple character choices cushion the challenge, allowing casual gamers to find a mutant that suits their style. Speedrunners and completionists will find plenty of depth in unlocking every character and mastering all levels.

In sum, X-Men stands out as a solid side-scrolling action title with memorable characters, varied stage design, and a fun co-op vibe—if you view the support calls as a form of asynchronous teamwork. Whether you’re a longtime Marvel enthusiast or a lover of tight 2D action, this game offers an engaging ride through the twisted simulations of the Danger Room, culminating in a satisfying showdown with Magneto’s malevolent scheme.

Retro Replay Score

7/10