Best X-Men Games of All Time Ranked | Wealth of Geeks

The mutant students and protégés of Charles Xavier include iconic superheroes, such as Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Jean Grey, and many more. 

With such an impressive group of X-Men, it should come as no surprise how many video games integrated the X-Men. The best X-Men games of all time listed below showcase the most impressive of the bunch. From fighting games to full-on action RPGs, fans need to play these best X-Men games of all time. 

1. X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse

This sequel to the already excellent action RPG amps up everything up several notches. More playable characters, richer RPG mechanics, and a much more impressive storyline make for one of the most robust superhero video games ever. Add in the welcome cooperative multiplayer elements, and no other X-Men game comes close to this experience, which deserves a third entry at some point. 

2. X-Men Arcade (1992)

This side-scrolling brawler game remains one of the finest examples of how to bring the X-Men group to life. It started as an arcade title with some of the most impressive colorful graphics at the time, which hold up well today. The dedicated but straightforward controls for each playable character and terrific multiplayer component make this one of the most enjoyable X-Men experiences in gaming. 

3. X-Men Legends

This spin-off sub-series takes the X-Men and throws them into a top-down action RPG format, which works so much better than it should. With 15 playable characters, each with their own unique moves and plenty of customization, fans have almost no better way to roleplay as the mutants in a game. 

4. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

If players want a character-driven X-Men game with the most detailed combat and mechanics possible, look no further. This licensed game based on the 2009 film at the time features the strongest mechanics for Wolverine in a game to date. The RPG mechanics with levels and experience add substance to this surprising and gory title. 

5. Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade’s Revenge

With a mix of both Spider-Man and X-Men members like Cyclops, Storm, and Gambit, this retro game offers some of the most variety. The dark and surprising tale feels engaging enough while featuring beautiful 16-bit graphics and tight controls, no matter the version. 

6. X-Men Sega Genesis (1993)

This action platforming adventure features only four mutants to play: Cyclops, Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine. Even still, each character feels distinct enough with their powers and attacks to capture the idea of playing each one. Though it has immense challenges, the levels remain spectacular. 

7. Madness in Murderworld

As only the second X-Men video game ever created, this title for personal computers in 1989 went above and beyond other licensed games at the time. The beautiful side-scrolling arcade levels feature the intriguing and underrated setting of a terrifying amusement park. This led to excellent enemies, bosses, and a solid selection of playable characters with a few surprises like Dazzler and Colossus. 

8. X-Men vs. Street Fighter

When it comes to fighting games featuring the X-Men, this remains the game to play decades later. The gorgeous 2D art aged so much better than the 3D models of later games, feeling like a comic book come to life. While it doesn’t feel quite as fun as typical Street Fighter games, it represents the best place to see the likes of Magneto and Ryu battling each other. 

9. X-Men Game Gear (1994)

The original handheld Game Gear title remains one of the most impressive titles for the Sega console. It features lengthy side-scrolling levels with multiple characters to control. Though later Game Gear titles expanded its systems, the original feels like the strongest out of the bunch. 

10. X-Men: The Official Game

This video game adaptation of the film trilogy from the early 2000s plays it quite safe. Its gameplay feels exciting enough with the different characters like Wolverine and Nightcrawler, but the missions often feel a bit too linear. But when it comes to pure action-packed representations of the mutants, this one stands near the top. 

11. Next Dimension

The next iteration of the X-Men fighting game sub-series doesn’t evolve the formula all that much. Even with the switch to PS2, its graphics only look somewhat better. Outside of that, the controls feel far too similar to its predecessor, which still feels great and has enough depth to be fun for hours. 

12. Mutant Academy 2

This fighting game sequel improved upon every aspect of the first PlayStation title. It benefited from its existing engine, producing better graphics, character models, playable mutants, and controls. This feels much more like a full-fledged fighting game than the first Mutant Academy. 

13. Reign of Apocalypse

This GBA beat-em-up game features some gorgeous 2D levels but with rather simplistic gameplay. If players get past the almost too-easy difficulty, they’ll find a fun game that ends far sooner than it should. 

14. Mutant Academy

The PlayStation version of this fighting game stands out as the better of the two versions available. A solid enough fighting game with some intriguing 3D polygonal character models, it plays pretty well. It just lacks some of the depth of better fighting games in existence. 

15. Mutant Wars

This Gameboy Color title features the 2D side-scrolling levels and gameplay of earlier best X-Men games but for the 21st-century handheld audience. Its boss battles feel a bit too unfair and uneven at times, but solid gameplay exists for players if they get past the sometimes awkward controls. 

16. The Ravages of Apocalypse

This game has intriguing gameplay based on the first-person shooter Quake but switches out much of the aesthetic for X-Men characters. The worst part about this game remains how little it emphasizes the mutants themselves, which disappoints, given how fun the game feels.

17. X-Men 3: Mojo World

This third game for the Game Gear improves upon what the past games already offered. The already stunning and detailed levels look even more colorful and fun in this iteration. The gameplay feels a bit tighter with a better selection of characters to play as. Even still, some of the annoying parts, like platforming, remain. 

18. X-Men 2: Clone Wars

If players ignore this game’s messy two-player multiplayer mode, the single-player experience remains a decent time. Players start with a random mutant as their first character and later switch between them for the various 2D levels. Its intro feels the best, though, with the later parts of the game looking great but playing average. 

19. Game Master’s Legacy

To this Game Gear side-scrolling action title’s credit, it has a wide variety of mutants to choose from, including Cyclops, Wolverine, Gambit, Storm, Rogue, and more. Outside of that, the eight stages in total in the game feel too swift and shallow, even with the multiple villainous bosses available. 

20. X2: Wolverine’s Revenge

This challenging action hack-and-slash game featuring the most famous X-Men of them all feels bloated with unnecessary content. While Wolverine has various mechanics and moves, the emphasis on bland stealth moments and unfair difficulty leaves this as one of the lesser Wolverine games. 

21. X-Men 2: The Fall of the Mutants

This sequel to the much more impressive Madness in Murderworld follows a similar gameplay loop of a mix of top-down views and side-scrolling battles. The levels and villains all feel a bit disappointing compared to what its predecessor accomplished. 

22. Children of the Atom

One of the first of many fighting games for the X-Men, this remains the weakest of the bunch. Sure, it features a decent selection of characters and competent gameplay, but it lacks any substance and solid animations to make it worth checking out. Plus, only the Saturn and Arcade versions work the best.