X-Men

From Sega Retro

n/a

XMen MD title.png

X-Men
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Licensor: Marvel Entertainment Group
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US
$54.9954.99[1] 1057
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1057
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£39.9939.99[3][2] 1057
Sega Mega Drive
GR
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Mega Drive
BR
044210

X-Men is a side-scrolling action game for the Sega Mega Drive. It was followed by X-Men 2: Clone Wars.

Unusually, the game requires the use of the console's reset button in order to progress through a certain point in the game. This means the game is impossible to complete on systems (or emulators) lacking a soft reset, including the Sega Nomad.

Story

X-Men MD, Introduction.png

Magneto

The game takes place in the Danger Room, a training area for the X-Men inside the X-Mansion. A virus transmitted via satellite has infected the Danger Room, disabling control and safety limits. The X-Men must endure the unpredictable behavior of the Danger Room until the virus can be located and eliminated. Once the virus is eliminated, the X-Men discover that Magneto is behind the computer virus and the final zone involves a battle with him.

Gameplay

X-Men MD, Danger Room.png

Danger Room

The game is an action platformer played as any of four X-Men characters. Characters walk with Left and Right and crouch with Down. They jump with C. Most characters can perform a spin jump or a somersault by pressing C again while in mid-air. Characters perform a "super high jump" by pressing C twice very rapidly. Characters can jump off platforms with Down+C. Some stages have background layers that are accessed with C; characters can move back into the foreground with Down+C. Characters do a basic melee attack with B. They also have special mutant abilities that are used with A but which cost energy. Energy slowly regenerates when it is not being used.

The game uses the Danger Room as a hub. One of the four playable X-Men characters is selected initially, then the player can enter the first combat zone by moving the character to the upper-left of the room. The character can be switched during gameplay by pausing the game with  START  and selecting a different character, but the player can only switch characters a certain number of times depending on the zone. Zones are maze-like and often require collecting keys or destroying panels to unlock doors and progress, and they each involve one or more encounters with X-Men villains.

After a zone is completed, the player returns to the Danger Room. The player can change the character here by hitting the switch under the monitors (with Down+B). The player can replenish the current character's health and energy by attacking orbs that fly around the Danger Room. Characters retain their health and energy in between zones. The player is automatically progressed to the next combat zone after a short duration, though this duration can be extended by destroying a machine in the top-right of the Danger Room.

In addition to the four playable X-Men, five other X-Men characters appear as part of the "backup team." These characters can be summoned during gameplay by pressing  START  and selecting one. They provide support such as attacking enemies or building a temporary platform. Assist characters can only be summoned one time, but the player can find tokens for each character throughout the game to gain additional summons.

Characters have a health bar that goes down when they take damage from enemies. If a character loses all health, the character is lost for the rest of the game and the player must restart the zone with a different character. The game ends if the player loses every character.

The game supports two-player simultaneous play, with each player controlling a different character. The game has three selectable difficulty levels (Amateur, Hero, and Superhero), but only the first three stages can be played on the lowest difficulty.

Characters

Playable

X-Men MD, Characters.png
Gambit
Gambit attacks with a bō staff, which has greater reach than the melee attacks of the other characters. His mutant ability is throwing energy-charged cards with A that seek enemies. He does a spin jump by pressing C twice and a spinning slash attack by pressing C twice followed by B.
X-Men MD, Characters.png
Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler can perform a diving kick with B while in the air. His mutant ability is teleporting with A. Enemies that touch the teleportation clouds are harmed. The teleportation can be aimed by pressing a direction on the D-pad while pressing A. Teleportation can be used to close distances on foes or to bypass barriers and find shortcuts or secrets. If it is not aimed, Nightcrawler teleports in and out in the same place, which does not cost any energy. He can somersault by pressing C twice.
X-Men MD, Characters.png
Wolverine
Wolverine attacks by punching. He can extend his claws with A, which causes his attacks to do more damage but cost mutant ability energy. While his claws are extended, he can perform a lunging slash with B while in the air or a spinning slash by pressing C twice. His mutant ability is his passive health regeneration.
X-Men MD, Characters.png
Cyclops
Cyclops attacks by punching. His mutant ability is shooting laser beams from his eyes with A. He can shoot his eye-beam while crouching or jumping. He performs a spin jump by pressing C twice. He can perform an optic blast spin attack, in which he shoots his eye-beams in several directions while spinning (similar to Joe Mushashi's spinning shuriken attack in Revenge of Shinobi), by pressing C twice followed by A. However, this maneuver costs significantly more energy than his usual eye-beam attack.

Helper

X-Men MD, Helper Characters.png
Storm
Storm attacks all enemies on screen with violent winds.
X-Men MD, Helper Characters.png
Rogue
Rogue appears and punches a single enemy.
X-Men MD, Helper Characters.png
Archangel
Archangel flies by three times, firing a hail of projectiles with each pass.
X-Men MD, Helper Characters.png
Iceman
Iceman builds a bridge that lasts for a limited amount of time.
X-Men MD, Helper Characters.png
Jean Grey
Jean Grey automatically appears to rescue characters who fall into bottomless pits. There is no limit to the number of times she can do this, though characters still lose some health from falling. In two-player games, she can be summoned to reunite the players by bringing the character who is farther ahead back to the other.

Items

X-Men MD, Items.png
Yellow X
Restores part of the current character's health.
X-Men MD, Items.png
Blue X
Restores part of the current character's mutant ability energy.
X-Men MD, Items.png
Key
Collect to open doors or deactivate devices.
X-Men MD, Items.png
Orb
Destroy to restore the current character's health and energy. Orbs appear in the Danger Room after completing a zone.

Combat Zones

X-Men MD, Stage 1-1.png

X-Men MD, Stage 1-2.png

X-Men MD, Stage 1-3.png

X-Men MD, Stage 1-4.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 1-1.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 1-2.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 1-3.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 1-4.png

The Savage Land
The player can switch characters up to three times in this zone. The bosses are Juggernaut and Zaladane.

X-Men MD, Stage 2-1.png

X-Men MD, Stage 2-2.png

X-Men MD, Stage 2-3.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 2-1.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 2-2.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 2-3.png

Shi'ar Empire
The player can switch characters up to three times in this zone. The boss is Deathbird.

X-Men MD, Stage 3-1.png

X-Men MD, Stage 3-2.png

X-Men MD, Stage 3-3.png

X-Men MD, Stage 3-4.png

X-Men MD, Stage 3-5.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 3-1.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 3-2.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 3-3.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 3-4.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 3-5.png

Excalibur's Lighthouse
The player can switch characters twice in this zone. The bosses are Sabretooth, Juggernaut, and Apocalypse.

X-Men MD, Stage 4-1.png

X-Men MD, Stage 4-2.png

X-Men MD, Stage 4-3.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 4-1.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 4-2.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 4-3.png

Ahab's Future World
The player can switch characters twice in this zone. The boss is Ahab.

X-Men MD, Stage 5-1.png

X-Men MD, Stage 5-2.png

X-Men MD, Stage 5-3.png

X-Men MD, Stage 5-4.png

X-Men MD, Stage 5-5.png

X-Men MD, Stage 5-6.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 5-1.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 5-2.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 5-3.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 5-4.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 5-5.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 5-6.png

Mojo's Crunch
The player can switch characters once in this zone. The boss is Mojo. A timer appears as Mojo's face on the left side of the screen; the zone must be completed before time runs out.

At the end of the zone, after defeating Mojo, the screen locks and the character becomes stuck. Professor X appears in the Danger Room before this stage and provides a hint on how to complete this section: the player must attack a screen of the Danger Room to destroy it and then "reset" the computer that controls the Danger Room by pressing the  RESET  button on the Mega Drive in order to progress.

X-Men MD, Stage 6-1.png

X-Men MD, Stage 6-2.png

X-Men MD, Stage 6-3.png

X-Men MD, Stage 6-4.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 6-1.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 6-2.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 6-3.png

  • X-Men MD, Stage 6-4.png

Asteroid M
The player can switch characters up to three times in this zone. The boss is Magneto.

Production credits

Source:
In-game credits
X-Men MD credits.pdf
[4]
Source:
US manual
Xmen md us manual.pdf
[5]

Uncredited

  • Cover artwork: Phil Winslade

Magazine articles

Main article: X-Men/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in GamePro (US) #46: "May 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Mega Sega (ES) #1: "xxxx 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[8]
Æskan (IS)
92
[9]
Alaab Alcomputtar (SA)
82
[10]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
17
[11]
Consoles + (FR)
78
[12]
Cool Gamer (RU)
70
[13]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
72
[3]
Digitiser (UK) PAL
70
[14]
Digitiser (UK)
84
[15]
Electric Brain (UK)
65
[16]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
85
[17]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
68
[18]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
60
[19]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 2 (RU)
80
[20]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
88
[21]
Freak (IL)
84
[22]
GameFan (US)
86
[23]
Game Power (IT) PAL
85
[24]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
95
[25]
Gamers (DE)
60
[26]
GamesMaster (UK) PAL
73
[27]
Joypad (FR) PAL
85
[28]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
91
[29]
Mega (UK) PAL
85
[30]
Mega Action (UK) NTSC-U
80
[31]
Mega Force (FR)
92
[32]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
60
[33]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
82
[34]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
88
[35]
Player One (FR)
80
[36]
Power Up! (UK)
82
[37]
ProGames (BR)
100
[38]
Power Unlimited (NL)
82
[39]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
81
[40]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
78
[41]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
87
[42]
Sega Force Mega (UK) NTSC-U
82
[43]
Sega Force (SE)
78
[44]
Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
70
[45]
Supergame (BR) NTSC-U
77
[46]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
70
[47]
Video Games (DE) PAL
42
[48]
Sega Mega Drive
77
Based on
42 reviews

X-Men

Mega Drive, US
XMen MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Xmen MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Xmen md us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Special Edition)
XMen MD US Box SE.jpg
Cover
Xmen MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Xmen md us manual.pdf
Manual
X-Men MD US Poster Back.jpgX-Men MD US Poster Front.jpg
Poster
Mega Drive, EU
XMen MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
XMen MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
X-Men MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
XMen MD EU pcb.jpg
PCB
Mega Drive, GR
<div style="margin:auto; max-width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px"> 320x120px
Cover
XMen MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AU

X-men MD AU Cart.jpg
Cart
X-men MD AU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
Xmen md br cover.jpg
Cover

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 f71b21b4
MD5 63274bdd105d2abf265aa2d2934635c5
SHA-1 2f2b5d018c98b78faf9ab6b172947f5cd65d5cf0
1MB 1993-01 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 0b78ca97
MD5 26c49c46b8e2574dde481132bbd34fd4
SHA-1 111d696b317ad5b57bc66e037a935d3f123d41c2
1MB 1993-01 Cartridge (EU)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 GamePro, "May 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 53
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mega, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 41
  3. 3.0 3.1 Computer & Video Games, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-15), page 42
  4. File:X-Men MD credits.pdf
  5. File:Xmen md us manual.pdf, page 26
  6. VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "June 1993" (US; 1993-0x-xx), page 24
  7. Sega Visions, "October/November 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 28
  8. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 271
  9. Æskan, "" (IS; 1993-10-01), page 1
  10. Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-06-xx), page 81
  11. Aktueller Software Markt, "Dezember 1993" (DE; 1993-11-08), page 57
  12. Consoles +, "Juin 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 120
  13. Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 241
  14. Digitiser (UK) (1993-04-08)
  15. Digitiser (UK) (1993-08-10)
  16. Electric Brain, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-26), page 24
  17. Electronic Games (1992-1995), "May 1993" (US; 1993-04-xx), page 53
  18. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 30
  19. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 368
  20. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 2, "" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 296
  21. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 117
  22. Freak, "3/93" (IL; 1993-xx-xx), page 1
  23. GameFan, "Volume 1, Issue 5: April 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 14
  24. Game Power, "Giugno 1993" (IT; 1993-0x-xx), page 80
  25. GamePro, "May 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 52
  26. Gamers, "Juli/August 1994" (DE; 1994-07-01), page 48
  27. GamesMaster, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 64
  28. Joypad, "Juin 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 120
  29. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-04-29), page 28
  30. Mega, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 40
  31. Mega Action, "October 1993" (UK; 1993-09-09), page 16
  32. Mega Force, "Juin 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 88
  33. Mega Fun, "06/93" (DE; 1993-05-19), page 38
  34. MegaTech, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-23), page 42
  35. Mean Machines Sega, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-24), page 40
  36. Player One, "Juillet/Août 1993" (FR; 1993-07-10), page 82
  37. Power Up!, "Saturday, August 14, 1993" (UK; 1993-08-14), page 1
  38. ProGames, "Julho 1993" (BR; 1993-0x-xx), page 28
  39. Power Unlimited, "Nummer 4, November 1993" (NL; 1993-10-27), page 32
  40. Sega Power, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-06), page 52
  41. Sega Pro, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-08), page 38
  42. Sega Zone, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-08), page 18
  43. Sega Force Mega, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-06-24), page 48
  44. Sega Force, "5/93" (SE; 1993-08-26), page 10
  45. Sonic the Comic, "29th May 1993" (UK; 1993-05-29), page 12
  46. Supergame, "Junho 1993" (BR; 1993-06-xx), page 12
  47. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 230
  48. Video Games, "11/93" (DE; 1993-10-27), page 128


X-Men

XMen MD title.png

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X-Men games for Sega systems
Sega Mega Drive
Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge (1993) | X-Men (1993) | Wolverine: Adamantium Rage (1994) | X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995) | X-Women: The Sinister Virus (unreleased)
Sega Game Gear
Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge (1994) | X-Men (1994) | X-Men: GamesMaster's Legacy (1994) | X-Men: Mojo World (1996)
Sega Saturn
X-Men: Children of the Atom (1995) | X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1997)
Sega Master System
X-Men: Mojo World (1996)
Sega 32X
X-Men: Mind Games (Unreleased)
X-Men related media
Music
Sega Tunes: X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1996)
Unlicensed X-Men games for Sega systems
Sega Mega Drive
X-Men vs. Street Fighter (Mega Drive) (1998)