X2: Wolverine's Revenge

RETRO NEWS

This week’s retro news is a nice mix of old-school nostalgia and modern hardware. Unico is looking to recreate some of that classic CRT-era feeling with a new 4:3 monitor designed with retro consoles in mind, while Anbernic’s latest handheld borrows more than a little inspiration from the Switch Lite while packing plenty of emulation-friendly hardware inside.

And if you’d rather just play the classics, Bubble Bobble is back, with the NES version joining the Console Archives lineup on PS5 and Switch 2.

PRESS START

An Introduction To Today’s Game

Logan has forty eight hours before a virus called Shiva finishes what Weapon X started. That is the ticking clock driving X2: Wolverine's Revenge, a Game Boy Advance adventure that arrived alongside the 2003 film and quietly turned into one of the better portable outings Marvel's favorite mutant ever got.

The console versions leaned into loud beat em up chaos, but this handheld cut goes for something moodier, mixing claw swinging combat with sneaking past guards who would very much like to shoot first.

Expect six acts, old rivals like Sabretooth and Magneto, and a healing factor about to get a serious workout. Let’s dive in!

BEHIND THE PIXELS

Let’s Dive Into The Game

Picture a side scrolling action game that borrows Wolverine's claws and Metal Gear Solid's patience. That is roughly what Vicarious Visions built here, and it holds up better than most movie tie ins rushed out to meet a release date.

You spend most of the game sneaking through Weapon X facilities and Canadian wilderness, only breaking into full claw mode when stealth runs out or you simply get spotted.

The genre sits somewhere between action platformer and stealth adventure, closer to a portable riff on Metal Gear Solid than any typical superhero brawler.

Wolverine can retract or extend his claws, punch, kick, slide, climb walls, and even go berserk when needed. A Strike system rewards stylish combos, and pulling off a well timed finisher against a dizzied soldier feels genuinely satisfying, assuming you survive long enough to land one.

That difficulty deserves a mention. Later stages stretch past ten minutes with no checkpoints, so one careless hit near the end of a level can send you all the way back to the start.

It is the kind of old school cruelty that either hooks you or sends the cartridge flying across the room, and there is not much middle ground.

For a Game Boy Advance cartridge, the visuals hold up well, with detailed sprite work and backgrounds that sell the Weapon X setting. The sound design leans on effects pulled straight from the era's X-Men cartoon, which fits the game's slightly cartoonish tone even when the story tries to go darker.

Controls come together quickly once you get past the first act, with retracting claws for sneaking and extending them for a fight.

A dedicated heightened senses button lets Logan sniff out nearby threats before they see him, which becomes essential once soldiers start setting traps. The point stays simple, find the antidote before the forty eight hours run out, but the road there rewards patience as much as aggression.

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GAME INFORMATION

WHERE TO PLAY

• The original copy or emulation will be your best bet in playing the original version.

• Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)

  • Loose: $10

  • Complete: $20

  • New/Sealed: $29

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GAME OVER

Why You Should Play This

So why bother tracking down a licensed Game Boy Advance game more than two decades after the movie it tied into left theaters?

Because X2: Wolverine's Revenge quietly beat its own console siblings at their own game, at least according to critics at the time, and it still holds up as one of the more thoughtful handheld action games Marvel ever put out.

The mix of stealth and claw driven combat gives it more personality than most movie tie ins ever bother with, even if the difficulty spikes will test your patience more than once.

There is no modern rerelease sitting on a storefront waiting for you, so your best bet is hunting down an original cartridge, including the 2005 Twin Pack that bundled it with Spider-Man: Mysterio's Menace, or firing up an emulator if that is more your speed.

Either way, Logan's forty eight hour countdown is still worth running. Just maybe keep your thumbs warmed up before those last two boss fights.

SUPPORT

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RETRO HARDWARE

The Miyoo Flip V2 is a tiny clamshell retro handheld that lets you carry a whole library of classic games in your pocket. With a bright screen, solid controls, and the nostalgic flip design we all remember, it’s perfect for quick gaming sessions anywhere. Click the picture to check it out. My readers can use the following code for a 12% discount: NY12