Press Pause 08.27.07: Wrestling Games, Part 1 of 3
Posted by Cory Moore on 08.27.2007
A look at what impact the '90s - arguably the most turbulent decade in pro wrestling history - had on wrestling games.
No matter how hard I try, I can't escape wrestling. I first tuned in when The Rock held his memorial service for that "dearly trailer park trash" Steve Austin, and haven't been able to kick it since. I haven't watched Smackdown on a regular basis since 2001, been out of it altogether for a year (2003-4), haven't been to a live show since 2002, and even boycotted RAW when it sucked. But none of the above has quite curbed my appetite for the wacky nature of sports entertainment, so I've just embraced it because – let's face it – it's pointless denying it.
Since I've been into wrestling, there has been one constant to it all: video games. Even when I stopped watching for a while, I always bought the home console titles because they were so fun to play. I'm always seeking out older titles to experience, still enjoy the classics from the '98-2000 period, and have bought every Smackdown! title since the series debuted in 2000. So, for the next few weeks, I thought we'd take a look at some of my favorites and some of the ones that made a significant impact on bringing wrestling games to the mainstream…
Laying The Smackdown: A Look at Wrestling Games Over the Years Part 1: The ‘90s
The ‘80s brought about the first mainstream attention to professional wrestling, thanks to the likes of Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Andre the Giant. At the same time, video games were being resurrected from the crash of 1983 thanks to a renewed interest in the arcades and a home console boom led by Nintendo and Sega. Wrestling games, as you may expect, were simple and family friendly. Such an instance was Tecmo World Wrestling, one of the first console games of the sport to be produced…
Tecmo World Wrestling
Nintendo Entertainment System, 1990
• 10 fictional grapplers, including "Kung Fu Master" Jackie Lee and "Iguanaman" Julio Falcon
• Defeat competitors in a singles tournament to earn the right to face the dominating "Manic Warrior," Blue King
• Train between matches to boost endurance and strength
• First wrestling game to feature play-by-play commentary (via on-screen text) and cut-scene replays to highlight signature moves Claim to Fame: Unlike other games at the time, this title stands out because of its unique grappling system. The scheme is quite advanced for a title its age. To tie up with an opponent, simply move towards him. Once tied up, a combination of A or B with a directional button performs a wrestling move. When his health is drained, pressing A & B together pulls of your special move. As Playstation's Smackdown series would prove almost a decade later, balancing button-masher elements with proper execution can be a lot of fun. The game's legacy: Sports games have always relied on licensed properties to sell the products. Wrestling is no different. Tecmo was the king of the unlicensed sports games in the 1980s (Bad News Baseball, anyone?), and followed suit with wrestling as the decade turned. Tecmo World Wrestling may not be a household name, but it is still a tremendous old school title with gameplay that holds up remarkably well when compared to today's flashier presentations.
Vince McMahon's WWF product may have been untouchable in the ‘80s, but the flair had died down significantly as the new decade progressed. Hulk Hogan had focused on movies and fan interest went with him. The WWF was still the strongest national wrestling promotion…until WCW signed Hulk Hogan. Any wrestling fan knows that history, so I'll spare you the story. But as the tides were turning in the real sport, Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game, was anything but lackluster…
WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game
Arcade, 1995
• Playable characters include: Bam Bam Bigelow, Bret Hart, Doink the Clown, Shawn Michaels, Lex Luger, Razor Ramon, Undertaker, and Yokozuna
• Commentary provided by Vince McMahon and Jerry "The King" Lawler
• Challenge for the Intercontinental and WWF Championships Claim to Fame: Midway was brought on to develop this game for coin-ops, and Midway has a history with fighting games. So, naturally, this game feels more like a one-on-one fighter like Mortal Kombat than a true wrestling game. Characters have special attacks – the Undertaker throws fireballs and Shawn Michaels hurls chairs, for instance – that stretch the imagination. Sure, it may not be a game of holds and submission maneuvers, but it is still a blast to play. The game's legacy: In the mid-‘90s, the WWF was seen as the fun, kid-friendly brand of sports entertainment. It featured characters that were larger than life and made traditional wrestling fans scratch their heads in confusion. Nevertheless, this Wrestlemania game's over-the-top antics capture that environment perfectly. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that this game was the first exposure some kids had with the sport. If Vince McMahon was truly trying to target that demographic with this game, the test passed with flying colors.
Shortly after the release of the WWF's arcade game, WCW began picking up steam and was soon the leader in the Monday Night Wars. While the WWF took a break producing video games for most of '96 and all of 1997, WCW was a multimedia machine. It partnered with THQ to capitalize on the video game market. While WCW vs. The World (released on the Playstation) was the first game to cross over into the 3D realm, the Nintendo 64 products raised the expectations of wrestling games to new heights. First, there was WCW vs. nWo World Tour, followed by the pinnacle of games based on Ted Turner's prized child…
WCW/nWo Revenge
Nintendo 64, 1998
• Playable characters include 31 WCW, 13 nWo, and 12 fictional superstars circa Spring 1998
• Customizable costumes
• Single, Tag Team, Handicap, and 40-Man Battle Royal Matches
• Championship Mode has you take individual paths to compete for the WCW World Heavyweight, United States, Tag Team, Cruiserweight, and Television Titles Claim to Fame: Developer Aki built a unique control system from the ground up with World Tour, and sequel Revenge expanded upon it. The reason the scheme is so highly regarded is because it allows for a variety of attacks. Weak moves are easier to pull off, but are blocked easily. Strong moves, meanwhile, take longer to execute, but damage your opponent and raise your spirit level significantly more. The grapple hold – much like a collar-and-elbow tie-up, also makes pulling off moves easier compared to the extensive button combos of games before it. In short, the controls are fluid and feel very natural. The game's legacy: WCW Revenge will likely be remembered as the best WCW game ever produced. The game has a massive roster, near-flawless controls, and great multiplayer to boot. The graphics show their age now, but that hardly factors into just how fun this game can be when you get into it. This was the first wrestling game I ever played, and it was the perfect introduction to the sport. If you have a N64, you should really check this one out.
It seems as though the virtual world reflected that of reality, for WCW reached its peak just as its best game hit shelves. 1998 was a solid year for Turner's "wrasslin" brand, but after that it started to slide down the slippery slope to no return. You'll see what I mean when I cover Mayhem in my next column. In the meantime, the WWF was gaining momentum with Stone Cold swilling beer all the way to the bank. While the following game wasn't quite up to WCW's standards yet, it was still the first WWF video game really worth checking out in four years…
WWF Attitude
Playstation/Nintendo 64/Dreamcast, 1999
• 41 WWF grapplers circa Spring 1999
• Authentic theme music and entrances for every superstar
• Create-a-PPV and Create-a-Stable
• Match types/stipulations include: 30-Man Royal Rumble, Lumberjack, Hardcore, Finisher Only, Cage, and First Blood (among others)
• Career mode takes you from opening at House Shows to headlining RAW is WAR and monthly PPVs Gameplay: Attitude's input style is a lot like Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game before it, though fireballs and fatalities are scrapped for realistic wrestling moves. The controls are very elaborate, often forcing the user to enter 5-6 button presses to execute a move. One screw-up and you are pretty much done. Memorizing combos is not easy, either, and many times the pause menu has to be brought up to see maneuvers. Needless to say, this breaks the flow of the game considerably. Claim to Fame: The first and last time a wrestling game had a Create-An-Arena option. This customization is one of my favorite features of almost any wrestling game to date. You could choose the type of arena (RAW, PPV, House Show), stage sign, the color of the stage curtains, the ring apron, the lighting of the arena, and so much more. With retro and current logos included in the game, this was truly a blast to see what you could come up with. If there is one feature that needs to return to wrestling games, this would be it. The game's legacy: Despite taking the reigns on the Monday Night Wars in 1999, the WWF was still the underdog when it came to video games. The N64's WCW Revenge cartridge – despite being a year older – was considered far superior even after WWF Attitude was released. Nevertheless, this game was significant because it embodied the Attitude era. From the foul language to the edgy match types found on TV during Russo's time at the helm, this game had it all. It's worth seeking out on the presentation alone.
Now, let's pause and reflect on today's topic…
• The early ‘90s were a time of experimentation with wrestling games. Tecmo World Wrestling and Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game, for example, demonstrated very different styles of play.
• Wrestling games finally garnered mainstream attention late in the decade thanks to 3D gameplay and the Monday Night Wars of WWF and WCW.
• WCW Revenge is arguably the best WCW game ever produced, while WWF Attitude is one of the deepest wrestling titles of the 32-bit era.
Next week we'll be taking a look at the games released when the WWF peaked in 2000 and the industry's marketing machine couldn't be touched. Feedback, questions, and comments are always welcome. Until next time, later.
(Thanks goes to Gamefaqs.com's database for making my compiling of details so much easier!)
