Similar to its PlayStation counterpart, X-Men: Mutant Academy on the Game Boy Color is a fighting game showcasing Marvel's well-known mutants. Recognising the inherent hardware limitations, the stages in this version have been crafted in 2D, and there are notable differences in gameplay.
The character roster features four X-Men (Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, and Gambit) and five villainous Mutants (Magneto, Toad, Mystique, Sabretooth, and Pyro). Additionally, there are two secret characters, and their unlocking codes are disclosed upon completing the game's story mode.
Beyond the story mode, where a single character faces off against others in consecutive battles, there are various modes such as training, battle (with teams of three characters), survival (one character taking on all others with only a single bar of health), and a versus mode using the Game Link cable.
The Game Boy's two buttons handle kicks and punches (or basic mutant abilities like Cyclops' eye beam). During a fight, a rage bar gradually fills, enabling the use of potent special attacks activated through specific button combinations.
