Man, X-Men 2 – Clone Wars on Genesis was one of those games I rented over and over as a kid until my thumbs hurt. You pick from six mutants—Wolverine slashes through enemies like butter, Gambit throws cards (which somehow work as weapons?), and Nightcrawler teleports in this awesome blue puff of smoke. The first level throws you right into a Sentinel attack, and the screen just fills up with explosions and energy blasts.

What I loved was how each character actually felt different. Cyclops’ optic beams could clear a room, but good luck if someone got too close. And the soundtrack? Pure 90s synth-rock adrenaline. Some of the later stages get brutal (that lava level still gives me flashbacks), but nailing a perfect combo with Psylocke’s psychic knife never gets old. Still holds up if you dig classic arcade-style brawlers.