Xavier is sending in the X-Men to rescue some captured mutants from Genosha. Due to heavy security, the five available members must try to infiltrate the enemy base from different areas. Once inside, it's an all out rush to destroy the enemy and bring back those who have been kidnapped.
Gameplay is extremely basic, but with the usual solid mechanics the company's beat-em-ups contain, this one has more going for it than you would expect. Fighting at its core is simple but enjoyable. The usual round of blows is enough to take out any enemies on the single plane field. Wolverine, Cyclops, Psylocke, Beast, and Gambit fill out the roster, each with their own special moves.
Not surprisingly, you can pull these off with various fighting game d-pad and button combinations. Each move comes off precisely thanks to spot-on controls that never lag behind. When the game first starts, players need to clear a stage using each of the characters. After that, you're free to choose for the final few levels. Every one of these stages is tailor made for the specific X-Men in order to show off their specific abilities. You have two lives with each of the mutants. Lose both lives with just one and it's game over.
That's really the games biggest problem. There are countless frustrating moments, from cheap double teams to some rather infuriating platform sections. It's extremely hard to turn around while in the midst of a combo since jabbing on the attack button is a natural response. Your character will usually just keep on throwing punches whether you realize you're the one actually at fault or not.
There's a strong graphics engine here, one with detailed, large sprites as the highlight. The same group that handled the Mega Man X titles has obviously done the backgrounds. The same art style applies. Animation is solid if not unconvincing, but the sizes of these characters make up for it.
Again, the music and sound effects have been done by some of the same members as well. A few of the effects are lifted directly from the 16-bit Mega Man titles. Thankfully, all of the music is original while providing a nice backdrop to the on screen action.
If it wasn't for the license, this one probably would have just been tossed aside with the countless other similar titles and we certainly wouldn't be revisiting it today. But, with a helping hand from Capcom and a strong comic backing it, this one is still a blast to pick up. You'll have to fight with feelings of frustration to get all the way through, though that's a minor problem that is far outweighed by the quality of the action.
