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We take a look at two giants of 1990s video game wrestling, and determine which brand truly honoured the spirit of sports entertainment.
The first generation of 3D gaming consoles were dominated by two publishers: namely, Acclaim Entertainment and THQ. The WWF games released by popular game publisher Acclaim spanned the original Playstation (PSX), the Nintendo 64 (N64) and the Sega Dreamcast, while THQ’s most successful WCW games were made N64 exclusive.
For that reason, the N64 versions will be used as the point of comparison.
WCW vs NWO: World Tour and its sequel broke new ground, but it would soon be challenged for the video game wrestling crown.
Phenomena such as online gambling on WWE events, fantasy wrestling stables and social media forums have provided the younger generation with a wider scope when consuming the brand. However, it could be argued with confidence that video games represent the most long-living projection of wrestling other than television.
It was WCW v NWO: World Tour that struck first on the N64 in 1997, THQ making the most of their license from the very start. Today, WWE - and elements connected to it such as pro-wrestling wagers - are nothing without megastars. THQ knew and respected this, and the picture of Hollywood Hogan and The Giant (later 'Big Show') on the box, and nothing else other than a generic background, ramming home the fact that this game would feature the very best of the best.
In lieu of a health meter, the spirit meter grew according to how much one wrestler was the aggressor, which again relates well to the real world. For instance, people aiming to use a free bet shrewdly in addition to a casino bonus, and make the most of wrestling markets know how much WWE fighters thrive off momentum.
World Tour reflected this reliance on momentum, with the innovative use of control sticks to build spirit and choose attacks – after tapping versus holding ‘A’ for weak vs strong grapples – making it extremely easy to play, but challenging nonetheless.
Prominent video game critic 'Kim Justice' includes Acclaim titles amongst his best and worst lists of wrestling games.
In 1998, an even better sequel to World Tour came along, with WCW v NWO: Revenge featuring a massively expanded roster, a more defined series of belts to win and a range of different PPV stadia. So too was there an inspired create-a-wrestler mode, in which four different costumes for each fighter could be selected, with each costume also coming with a name change option, giving gamers the chance to augment the roster even further.
That same year also saw Acclaim enter the N64 war with WWF Warzone, and display a very different set of priorities. There were only 18 characters (two hidden) on the roster, but they were smoother and more crisply presented. The create-a-wrestler facility also provided a much wider range of attire options, in addition to letting gamers choose a body type, skin colour and custom theme music.
The ‘career mode’ was distinctly limited, with gamers taking on 15 different opponents one-on-one, in unarmed combat. However, the 1999 release of WWF Attitude broke the mould. The crowd and the character models were sharpened even further, with a career mode now featuring all manner of different stipulations. There were also real-life PPVs, such as Summerslam, Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania, further enhancing the sense of authenticity and ‘ownership’ of a virtual franchise.
The year of 1998 saw WWE's output transform drastically, with the surge of Stone Cold Steve Austin's brash persona putting him on the cover of both Warzone and Attitude.
In the end, THQ had the last word at the dawn of Y2K, with Wrestlemania 2000 and WWF No Mercy proving highly popular, while Acclaim’s release of ECW Hardcore Revolution flopped in the dying embers of the N64’s lifespan. In that regard, AKI earn a retrospective victory, especially as they set the standard – in terms of controls and the flow of matches – for the upcoming Smackdown series.
Ultimately though, it boils down to what makes gamers tick.
Simply put, Acclaim’s releases were for the purists and the creatives, with the patience to see out a match in real life, and the preference using realistic moves to wear the enemy down. Meanwhile, THQ’s releases were all about the arcade experience, with every blow and fall resounding and sending sprites flying, and special moves being much easier to perform.
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