Play Uncanny X-Men, The Online

Uncanny X-Men came out for the NES in 1989, published by LJN. It was one of those licensed games from the era that tried to capture the energy of the comics, but on hardware that often struggled with ambitious concepts. You could tell they wanted to make something big, even if the execution felt a little rough around the edges.

You control one of several X-Men, like Wolverine or Cyclops, and move through side-scrolling levels to rescue captured teammates. The game uses a screen-by-screen exploration system; you clear enemies from one area before moving to the next. Combat relies on close-up attacks or projectiles, but hit detection can be unpredictable, and some characters feel underpowered until you adapt. The pacing is slow in parts, and the difficulty spikes sharply, especially when enemies swarm you. It feels like a game that demands patience more than skill.