This Capcom masterpiece not only ventured into uncharted territory by bringing Marvel’s beloved characters to life but also introduced a new era of intense battles and innovative gameplay.
A Cast of Heroes and Villains
At the heart of X-Men: Children of the Atom lies a cast of characters that includes six iconic X-Men and four of their most formidable foes. The X-Men roster boasts Colossus, Cyclops, Iceman, Psylocke, Storm, and Wolverine.
On the flip side, the villains’ lineup features Omega Red, Sentinel, Silver Samurai, and Spiral. But that’s not all – brace yourself for epic battles against the ultimate bosses, Juggernaut and Magneto.
And if you’re up for a secret challenge, unlock Akuma as a hidden character.
Unraveling the Plot
The game’s plot draws inspiration from the “Fatal Attractions” comic arc, with Magneto as the central antagonist. His nefarious plan involves unleashing an electromagnetic pulse on Earth, wreaking havoc on the world’s electrical systems.
His goal? To plunge the planet into a Dark Age, with mutants reigning supreme. As Magneto’s most formidable allies unite under his banner, the X-Men rise to face this menacing threat.
“X-Men: Children of the Atom – Where mutant powers collide in a battle for the ages!”
Battles Beyond Imagination
The battles in X-Men are nothing short of intense. Engage in thrilling one-on-one fights, with a traditional best-two-out-of-three match setup. Choose between automatic or manual blocking, and unleash your moves strategically.
But what sets this game apart is the X-Power gauge, reminiscent of the Super Combo gauge in Super Street Fighter II Turbo. As you perform moves, this gauge fills up, allowing you to execute powerful X-Abilities or Hyper X special moves when it reaches its peak.
Take advantage of super jumps, roll maneuvers, and precise projectile aiming to dominate your opponents.
The Birth of a Marvel Classic
X-Men: Children of the Atom marked Capcom’s debut into the world of licensed Marvel characters. Released during the mid-1990s X-Men animated series craze, the game featured voice actors from the series reprising their roles.
The game’s storyline drew inspiration from the “Fatal Attractions” comic arc, pitting players against the magnetic menace, Magneto. Each battle is a one-on-one showdown, culminating in epic clashes with Juggernaut and Magneto.
Pioneering Gameplay
Building on the foundation laid by Capcom’s previous fighting games like Super Street Fighter II Turbo and Darkstalkers, Children of the Atom introduced a groundbreaking combo system. Players could unleash lengthy combos, even in mid-air, adding a new layer of depth to battles.
The game also featured tactical maneuvers such as rolling and multi-tiered fighting environments where the ground crumbled, adding dynamism to each match.
These innovations became the blueprint for Capcom’s beloved Marvel vs. Capcom series, starting with X-Men vs. Street Fighter.
Gaming Beyond the Arcade
X-Men: Children of the Atom wasn’t confined to the arcade, it found its way to various platforms. Ports were developed for the Sega Saturn, PlayStation, and personal computers.
While the game received acclaim on most platforms, the PlayStation version faced some criticism due to occasional slowdown and missing frames of animation.
The Ultimate Showdown
In X-Men, the gameplay adheres to the conventions Capcom established with the Street Fighter II series and Darkstalkers. Players select one of ten characters and engage in a series of intense one-on-one battles.
The X-Power gauge plays a pivotal role, building up as you execute moves, allowing you to unleash devastating X-Abilities or Hyper X moves when maxed out.
The game introduces advanced maneuvers like super jumps, rolls, and precise projectile targeting.
Play X-Men: Children of the Atom Online!
Play X-Men: Children of the Atom online on the web, as well as on your mobile devices and tablets!
This is an amazing game from my childhood! But on PC, it’s a bit hard to play. Would be great if you posted a guide here on how one should set up the keyboard controls, what each control means, how to use the Ultimate / Hyper-X, etc. Still trying to figure it out for myself.