It feels like it’s been ages since we saw the brief reveal trailer showcasing our favorite battle-weathered mutant sat at the bar, but the time is almost upon us to jump into Marvel’s Wolverine. The Adamantium-powered grump’s answer to Marvel's Spider-Man promises an opportunity to inhabit an amazing open-world that celebrates Logan, and by extension, all things X-Men — something that we also want to do ahead of the anticipated release.
If you can't quite contain your excitement and need a hearty fix of genetic freaks, we have just what you need. Here are the best X-Men games to play before Marvel's Wolverine launches this September.
X2: Wolverine's Revenge
It may be the nostalgia-fueled screams of my inner child doing the talking here. But regardless of the relatively lukewarm reception that Wolverine's Revenge received upon release, I would still consider it a worthwhile venture.
Despite what the 'X2' label might have you believe, this is not really a movie-tie-in game, but instead, an original story of Wolverine's origins. It features Mark Hamill in the role, too, which is as awesome as it sounds.
Admittedly, X2: Wolverine is a little rough around the edges, and isn't without its fair share of intense difficulty spikes. But even so, it offers memorable boss fights, some quirky mechanics under the hood, and an overall experience befitting of the yellow Spandex-wearing mutant.
There are perhaps better 'X-Men' games that could have edged this one, but for Wolverine fans specifically, this is a must-play.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
If you’re on the hunt for a Wolverine movie-tie-in game, then you can’t go wrong with the 2009 title, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. It’s a game that perhaps doesn’t deliver the same level of narrative grit or memorable boss fights as X2, yet it really ups the ante when it comes to pure, unadulterated fun.
The combat in X-Men Origins: Wolverine makes for a bountiful bloodbath of action, with over-the-top attacks and blood and gore galore that truly captures the twisted nature of Logan in all his glory. Few games starring Wolverine truly let him off the leash, but this one really does, and is all the better for it.
The downside is that the story is told haphazardly, and the combat, while satisfying and visceral, does become slightly repetitive as time goes on. But it’s a fantastically violent game, and one that X-Men fans can really appreciate.
X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
For those unaware, before the Ultimate Alliance series came along, it was the X-Men Legends games that were crafting and refining that blueprint. Admittedly, the first in the series is a little dated and doesn’t quite hold up, but the second is still a brilliant mutant-filled romp.
Serving as a stellar co-op endeavour, X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse was, and still is, a superb way to team up for hack and slash action. It even pays homage to Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, a game with DNA that is clear to see in Legend’s makeup.
The steady progression is rewarding, the cast of characters is varied and fun to play, and the combat gets better as you grow stronger. It’s a recipe for a brilliant ARPG, and one that does the X-Men name proud.
Marvel: Cosmic Invasion
Marvel: Cosmic Invasion is a glorious modern-meets-retro beat-em-up, and a spiritual successor to TMNT: Shredder's Revenge. Offering a seamless tag team format that allows for combos and synergy between your favorite heroes, allowing for replayability in spades.
Marvel: Cosmic Invasion sports all the key components of a game that'll get arcade rats excited: Classic arcade action blended with the modern polish of today, pixel-perfect visuals, and a punchy soundtrack.
To be fair, perhaps including this one is cheating a little, as this isn't purely an 'X-Men' game. Instead, you play as a Marvel ensemble cast. However, with the likes of Wolverine, Dark Phoenix and Storm within that cast, I think there's enough of Professor Xavier's students involved to warrant the inclusion.
X-Men: Next Dimension
The PS2 era was a veritable treasure trove of glorious fighting games, but one that stands out from the pack (feeling like a Marvel precursor to the DC Injustice series in many ways) was X-Men: Next Dimension. This fighter really used the variety of the mutant powers the X-Men franchise boasts to great effect.
Not only did every fighter feel like a distinct combatant, but they also felt like they did justice to the mutant in question, with a killer moveset, but equally, enough flaws that another mutant would be poised to serve as the ideal counter.
Whether it was abusing the range of Toad's tongue attack, or teleporting around as Nightshade, there were loads of ways to get that coveted KO in X-Men: Dimensions. It's a fighter that still holds up today, and is well worth picking up for some button-mashing madness.
While you wait for Marvel’s Wolverine, be sure to check out our July 2026 Video Game and Tech Release Calendar.
