WCW/NWO Revenge
a game by | THQ, and AKI Corporation |
Genre: | Sports |
Platform: | Nintendo 64 |
Editor Rating: | 7.5/10, based on 5 reviews, 9 reviews are shown |
User Rating: | 6.0/10 - 5 votes |
Rate this game: | |
See also: | WCW Games |
I guess there is no denying the fact that this wresting thing just ain't going away. As much as I find it a joke in real life, I can't help but enjoy the wrestling games on home consoles. Since I can't stand wrestling in real life but enjoy the video games, I have no doubt that fans of the actors -- umm, I mean wrestlers -- just eat these games up. One need go no further than the top 10 monthly sales charts to see that wrestling games are just as popular as the real thing.
For at least a year, THQ was unchallenged when it came to wrestling on the N64. Then along came Acclaim and the awesome WWF War Zone. This is still one of my favorite games on the N64, so WCW/NWO Revenge is really going to have to show me something to take away my attention from it. Can it be done? If anyone can pull it off, it is the wrestling pros at THQ. I mean, this game is bursting with wrestler options and play modes. Wrestle in the real life events and see if you can take your favorite wrestler to the top.
Gameplay
When it comes to volume of wrestlers available, Revenge is the hands-down winner. No game out there can compete with the types of numbers we are looking at. The game boast more than 60 wrestlers. That is a hell of a lot of different wrestlers and moves to learn. One downside to having all these wrestlers is that there are sure to be a bunch you have never heard of before. I know that there is a tremendous loyalty to wrestlers by the fans, so my guess is that most people will only play their favorites instead of trying out the other wrestlers, but for a guy like me who doesn't know the difference between Diamond Dallas Whoever and Jimmy Somethingorother, I really liked all the variety.
I think the game developers did a great job of making this game easy for anyone to pick up and play. There are only a few button combinations to pull off the moves, and every wrestler uses the same combination. This means that no matter whom you choose, the commands are the same to get them to perform moves. Don't get me wrong; the moves are different between the wrestlers, but the button sequences are the same to get them to pull the moves off. I didn't like the fact that you had to move the player with the d-pad, and the analog stick was used for the crowd taunt. I can't tell you how many times I would have a guy down and be circling in for the kill, only to find my guy not moving but raising his hands to the crowd. What the hell? Oh yeah, I just grabbed the analog stick out of instinct. So instead of maneuvering my wrestler in for the finishing blow, I constantly missed the opportunity.
Once again, I am not a fan of real-life wrestling, but even I have not been shielded from the mass marketing hype that is professional wrestling. I have seen commercials for every Pay-per-View ripoff -- er -- event since they started doing them. I guess things just soak into your subconscious without you knowing, because I've heard of every single one of the match locations. You have things like Bash on the Beach and Souled Out, just to name a few. Even I can appreciate the fact that the developers have gone to great lengths to make the game feel as realistic as possible. Now only if the wrestlers could do the same...
All of this is fine and dandy, but the real question is, how does it play? The answer? Pretty darn good. The control is dead-on and your wrestler seems to execute your commands instantly. A common problem with wrestling games in the past has been the sluggish feeling, but this does not seem to be a problem with this game. Like I mentioned above, all of the moves are the same button presses, so once you perfect the moves, you will be able to check out the other wrestlers and still be successful.
One thing that THQ wrestling games use is the Spirit Meter. In this game, the Spirit Meter plays a huge role. This meter can help decide the outcome of matches by giving the wrestler more powerful moves. Eventually, the meter will flash Special and you will be able to perform a special move that is very powerful and leaves your opponent in a sad state. These moves can mean the difference between winning and losing a match.
All this is great, but the one thing that made War Zone so much fun was the create feature. I spent hours and hours creating my wrestlers. Since I spent that much time working on a wrestler, I was damn sure going to enjoy wrestling with him. You may have over 60 wrestlers to choose from, but there is nothing that even comes close to being able to create your own wrestler.
Graphics
If there is one thing this game does correctly, it is creating the right atmosphere. From the first match, it becomes abundantly clear that the developers tried to cram in all the theatrics of professional wrestling. You get to see your wrestler enter the arena with smoke shooting up all around him and the crowd cheering. You really feel like you are about to watch a wrestling match. As far as the in-game graphics go, they did a pretty good job as well. All the moves are lifelike, although I did have a few instances where the collision detection seemed to be off. The wrestlers looked good and were very detailed. You will see all the pain and agony on their detailed faces.
Bottom Line
This is a damn good wrestling game. Even if you are not a fan of wrestling, you should still enjoy it. There are plenty of wrestlers to choose from, and the real-life arenas are a great touch. Unfortunately for Revenge, I would give the nod to War Zone because of the create feature alone. The gameplay is very comparable, yet very different. If you are a starving N64 owner like most, you will do just fine owning both games.
Download WCW/NWO Revenge
System requirements:
- PC compatible
- Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
Game Reviews
Updated wrestling game that plays slightly better than WWF Warzone, but doesn't look as polished with slightly blocky wrestlers.
Taste The Fear!
A game that N64 owner should be without. By far the best beat'em-up on the N64 with unmatched multiplayer action! A wrestling fan's dream. Takes WWF Warzone into the ring and teaches it how to really wrestle. A top class brute- bashing bonanza... the amount of moves are amazing. Wrestling fans never had it so good. An essential buy!
Improved sequel with loads of wrestlers. Looks primitive compared to Warzone.
Kanyon: Get the TV title to get Kanyon in the WCW.
Kidman: Get the Cruiserweight Belt to get Kidman.
Meng and Barbarian: Get the Tag Team Belts and you'll be able to play as Meng and Barbarian.
Extra modes: Achieve the following challenges within the game to get these extra modes.
TV Title Mode: Win the Cruiserweight Belt to get TV Title Mode.
World Heavyweight Mode: Win the U.S. Heavyweight Belt to get World Heavyweight Mode.
In fact, professional wrestling draws some of the highest ratings on cable TV. It should come as no surprise, then, that wrestling games are incredibly popular as well. THQ certainly knows this with their successful line of WCW games for the Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation. Now, they are preparing to unleash the sequel to their N64 game WCW vs. NWO: World Tour, entitled WCW/NWO Revenge.
Fans of last year's version should feel right at home here. The gameplay is quite similar to before, but with enough tweaks before, but with enough tweaks and additions to make it feel that much better.
For starters, there are a bunch of little features that serve to improve the game. You can now fight in actual WCW Pay-Per-View events such as Bash at the Beach and the ever-spooky Halloween Havoc. The wrestlers saunter into the ring while their theme music plays, just like TV. Even the crowd looks nicer, with crazed fans holding up homemade signs and sporting face paint. Graphically, the game looks nicer than it ever has before. The wrestlers now look much smoother and animate more fluidly, and you'll be able to identify the pros just by looking at their faces or even their tattoos.
Even though they sport more detail, the total number of wrestlers has been practically doubled from last year. There are now more than 80 wrestlers you can choose from.
Out of those, 50 of them are your favorite (or most despised) WCW and NWO stars. With that many characters to choose from, it should be a long time before you master everyone.
You're going to need all those wrestlers, too. One of the new features is a 40 (count 'em)-man Battle Royale Mode. Four wrestlers compete in the ring at once, just like in the last game. The only difference is that whenever someone gets defeated, he gets thrown out and a new combatant runs in. This cycle continues until all 40 people have gone. The man left standing in the ring is the winner.
In addition to the Battle Royale Mode, you can also play the Championship Mode which gives you the chance to try to win the different WCW belts. The game will keep track as to your win/loss record and what belts you have won. While you're competing to earn the belts, you can edit your wrestler and change their allegiance from WCW to NWO at will, allowing you to mimic what is currently happening in the real sport. It's a pretty safe bet that if you enjoyed World Tour, you'll love Revenge. There's plenty of new features that should give this game some very long-term playability.
The sequel to last year's best wrestling game is on its way, and WCW/NWO Revenge hopes to win back the title from the new champ, WWF War Zone.
Venis Envi
Revenge's graphics pear to be a major upgrade over World! Tours (smoother textures, tansj in the arena with'signs and Sting masks), but j the characters still aren't. up to the overall (detail of WWF War Zone;s wrestlers; Another downer is that the announcer's and wrestlers' voices, which added so much personality'to War Zone, are absent from Revenge, And while the wrestlers' entrances will be included, no theme music will accompany them on their way to the ring. WCW/NWO Revenge has the gameplay that wrestling fans love, but it will need more training before its September debut if it wants to challenge War Zone's ring supremacy.
Flock You
WCW/NWO Revenge plays like WCW vs. NWO steroids--same game, only everething's bigger. About 80 wrestlers including over 50 stars from the WCW and NWO such as Raven, Hogan, and Goldberg) are featured, alon'g with i arcool costumie-change, option that lets you put any outfit on any wrestler. The rpost enjoyable new option is the Royal Battle time someone is eliminated, a man enters the fray uritil only one wrestlfer is left standing. Othier higfilights include instant replays after; finishing moves, all five authentic WCW championships (TV, Cruiserweight, Tag Team, U.S., and,Heavyweight), and actual pay-per-view arenas like Halloween Havoc and Bash at the Beach.
The Nintendo 64 wrestling wars continue to explode as WCW/NWO Revenge steps into the squared-circle in an attempt to snatch back the championship from the new King of the Ring, WWF War Zone . Revenge hits fast and furiously, providing fens with an awesome number of wrestlers, a cool new Costume Change option, blood, and the best battle royals in the business. Unfortunately, though, it's what's missing--a create-a-wrestler feature, cage matches, chanting crowds--that ultimately crowns WCW second best. But because both games are so wickedly fun to play, being the runner-up this year isn't so bad.
Burn Holliwood, Burn
Revenge's "bout it, bout it" game-play features the buffest, most outrageous brawlers from World Championship Wrestling, Raven's Flock, the New World Order, and the Wolfpac. In fact, over 60 grapplers pack the ring, including current sensations Goldberg and Booker T. as well as old-timers like Roddy Piper, Sting, and "Hollywood" Hogan. Revenge also includes managers, such as Eric Bischoff and Kimberly, who accompany their wrestler to the ring and cheer them on from ringside.This provides great thrills and laughs, especially when you swing a bat at your opponent and pummel Miss Elizabeth by accident (it was an accident, right?).
Another fun new feature is the Costume Change option. Now you can put any existing outfit in the game on any wrestler you choose: If you want to see Raven in an NWO shirt or put Scott Hall's chest hair on Lex Luger, it's only a button press away. The Costume Change is great if you want to make hybrids of your favorite stars but, because the create-a-wrestler feature in WWF War Zone lets you do so much more, it's somewhat disappointing by comparison.
ProTips:
- In battle royals, concentrate on eliminating one wrestler at a time. If you try to beat everyone at once, you'll be the one getting beat.
- When playing as a highflying wrestler like Rey Myste-rio Jr., you can jump over the top rope onto your opponent outside the ring. Just walk against the ropes and tap A.
- To uncover hidden wrestler Roddy Piper, first win the U.S. Heavyweight Championship. After winning that belt, the World Heavyweight division will be unlocked. Win the World Championship, and you can play as the feisty Scot.
- To perform your finishing move (like Chris Jericho's Uon Tamer), wait until your Spirit meter is flashing "Special" and charge A for two seconds to grab your opponent Once locked-up, press the analog stick In any direction.
Graphics
The WCW wrestlers move and react like their real-life counterparts (Booker T. even breakdancesl), but the skins and the game's overall look aren't up to War Zone's championship standards.
Control
Revenge's control scheme is simple to learn (although too masher friendly) and features more reversals and high-flying moves than War Zone. Martial arts characters can even perform punch and kick combos to bloody their opponent
Sound
Bones crunch and bodies get smacked around nicely--but the absence of theme music, announcers, and wrestler catch phrases is unforgivable.
Fun Factor
WCW/NWO Revenge might not deliver all the features and flashy graphics of WWF War Zone, but it's still fun enough to deserve some serious playing time from all fighting- and wrestling-game fans.
Who's next? The WCW and NWO are stepping back into the N64 ring, adding new features, moves, and wrestlers to the already fun gameplay established in WCW vs. NWO: World Tour. Revenge includes over 80 wrestlers, a new 40-man Battle Royal (four wrestlers in the ring--when someone gets eliminated, a new grappler takes his place), and instant replays that show off all the wicked finishers such as the Outsider's Edge and Sharpshooter. Revenge also features combo moves for martial artists like the Ultimo Dragon, fights up and down the aisle, and a bunch of hidden weapons including baseball bats and stop signs. The game is fun, but still needs some more juicing if it wants to compete against the awesome WWF War Zone.