WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game
Encyclopedia
WWF WrestleMania is a professional wrestling
arcade game
released by Midway Manufacturing Co.
(now Midway Amusement Games, L.L.C.) in 1995. It is based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) professional wrestling promotion
.
Despite being based on professional wrestling, WrestleMania's digitized
graphics
and fast-paced gameplay
make it more of a fighting game
inspired by Midway
's popular Mortal Kombat
series. The game is regarded as over the top for its use of attacks. While actual wrestling moves are present, matches consist primarily of special strike attacks and insane combos, such as the Undertaker casting spirits at an opponent and Doink shocking the opponent with a joy buzzer
. There are other similarities to the Mortal Kombat games, such as the winner being the victor of two out of three rounds and players being awarded flawless victories, which are simply called "perfect" here.
WrestleMania's one-player mode has the player choose one of eight wrestlers - Bam Bam Bigelow, Bret Hart
, Doink the Clown
, Lex Luger
, Razor Ramon
, Shawn Michaels
, The Undertaker or Yokozuna. One unique feature is that each character can "bleed" his respective objects other than blood upon taking damage from most attacks in the Mortal Kombat sense. Such "bleeding" objects include Yokozuna's food and Bam Bam Bigelow's flames.
WWF WrestleMania features two single-player modes: the Intercontinental Championship
and the WWF Championship
. In the Intercontinental Championship mode, the player must win four one-on-one matches, two two-on-one matches, and one three-on-one match to win the title. In the more difficult WWF Championship mode, the player must win four two-on-one matches, two three-on-one matches, and finally a "WrestleMania Challenge," where the player must defeat every wrestler in the game in a gauntlet, starting with a three-on-one setup, with each eliminated opponent being replaced with another until all eight have been defeated.
The game also features two multi-player modes; head to head, a one-on-one match between two players, or cooperative, where the two players team up in a tag team version of the WrestleMania Challenge in which they must defeat the game's eight wrestlers in groups of two to become the Tag Team Champions.
Commentary is provided by Vince McMahon
and Jerry Lawler
, who also appear in the game sitting at the announcers' table to the right of the ring.
A hidden character rumor about the game was recently confirmed in a discussion with Sal DiVita. During a review of WWE All Stars
by XboxAddict.com, writer Matt Paligaru revealed Adam Bomb
was indeed hidden deep within the game. The article stated:
"he even confirmed the existing rumor that Adam Bomb is hidden within the annals of the game, though he would not divulge how to obtain him, stating only that the character was incomplete and there was no sense in attempting to procure him"
Acclaim, who published the console versions of the game, developed a follow-up, WWF in Your House
for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn
, and DOS
.
were developed for Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, 32X, SNES
, PlayStation, Sega Saturn
, and DOS
. The SNES release omits Bam Bam Bigelow and Yokozuna
. When the maximum of three characters are on screen simultaneously, the game slows down. It also lacks several voice and commentary samples and damage taken by in-game fighters from attacks was reduced.
The Genesis version retains most of the voice and commentary samples from the arcade and allows for four wrestlers on-screen, also with slow down. The Sega 32X release is similar to the Genesis version, but with improved graphics and audio. However, the frame rate was reduced to 30 frame/s in the 32X port compared to 60 frame/s in all other versions.
The CD-ROM (PlayStation, Saturn, DOS) releases are visually more similar to the Arcade, but the graphics are still not as sharp and sprites are slightly smaller. There is also no in-game music on the PlayStation and Saturn ports. The PlayStation and Saturn ports also freeze for a moment during gameplay to load the next character in a Battle Royal after a character has been eliminated.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
released by Midway Manufacturing Co.
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
(now Midway Amusement Games, L.L.C.) in 1995. It is based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
.
Gameplay
Digitizing
Digitizing or digitization is the representation of an object, image, sound, document or a signal by a discrete set of its points or samples. The result is called digital representation or, more specifically, a digital image, for the object, and digital form, for the signal...
graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
and fast-paced gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
make it more of a fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
inspired by Midway
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
's popular Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat (series)
Mortal Kombat, commonly abbreviated MK, is a science fantasy series of fighting games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The first four renditions and their updates were developed by Midway Games and initially released on arcade machines. The arcade titles were later picked up by Acclaim...
series. The game is regarded as over the top for its use of attacks. While actual wrestling moves are present, matches consist primarily of special strike attacks and insane combos, such as the Undertaker casting spirits at an opponent and Doink shocking the opponent with a joy buzzer
Joy Buzzer
A joy buzzer is a practical joke device that consists of a coiled spring inside a disc worn in the palm of the hand...
. There are other similarities to the Mortal Kombat games, such as the winner being the victor of two out of three rounds and players being awarded flawless victories, which are simply called "perfect" here.
WrestleMania's one-player mode has the player choose one of eight wrestlers - Bam Bam Bigelow, Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling gimmick, originally used by Matt Osborne in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1995. Since Osborne's departure from the WWF, the character has been played by several wrestlers, primarily on the independent circuit, as well as in sporadic special...
, Lex Luger
Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
, Razor Ramon
Scott Hall
Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
, Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, The Undertaker or Yokozuna. One unique feature is that each character can "bleed" his respective objects other than blood upon taking damage from most attacks in the Mortal Kombat sense. Such "bleeding" objects include Yokozuna's food and Bam Bam Bigelow's flames.
WWF WrestleMania features two single-player modes: the Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
and the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. In the Intercontinental Championship mode, the player must win four one-on-one matches, two two-on-one matches, and one three-on-one match to win the title. In the more difficult WWF Championship mode, the player must win four two-on-one matches, two three-on-one matches, and finally a "WrestleMania Challenge," where the player must defeat every wrestler in the game in a gauntlet, starting with a three-on-one setup, with each eliminated opponent being replaced with another until all eight have been defeated.
The game also features two multi-player modes; head to head, a one-on-one match between two players, or cooperative, where the two players team up in a tag team version of the WrestleMania Challenge in which they must defeat the game's eight wrestlers in groups of two to become the Tag Team Champions.
Commentary is provided by Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, who also appear in the game sitting at the announcers' table to the right of the ring.
A hidden character rumor about the game was recently confirmed in a discussion with Sal DiVita. During a review of WWE All Stars
WWE All Stars
WWE All-Stars is a professional wrestling video game published by THQ and developedby THQ San Diego for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems and Subdued Software for the PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 2 systems. The game features current and former WWE wrestlers competing...
by XboxAddict.com, writer Matt Paligaru revealed Adam Bomb
Bryan Clark
Bryan Emmeth Clark, Jr. is a American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.-Early career:...
was indeed hidden deep within the game. The article stated:
"he even confirmed the existing rumor that Adam Bomb is hidden within the annals of the game, though he would not divulge how to obtain him, stating only that the character was incomplete and there was no sense in attempting to procure him"
Acclaim, who published the console versions of the game, developed a follow-up, WWF in Your House
WWF In Your House
WWF In Your House is a video game for the PlayStation, DOS, and Sega Saturn released in 1996. It was developed by Sculptured Software and published by Acclaim Entertainment.-Description:...
for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, and DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
.
Ports
PortsPorting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
were developed for Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, 32X, SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, PlayStation, Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, and DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
. The SNES release omits Bam Bam Bigelow and Yokozuna
Rodney Anoa'i
Rodney Agatupu Anoa'i was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation where he wrestled under the ring name Yokozuna. The term yokozuna refers to the highest rank in professional sumo wrestling in Japan...
. When the maximum of three characters are on screen simultaneously, the game slows down. It also lacks several voice and commentary samples and damage taken by in-game fighters from attacks was reduced.
The Genesis version retains most of the voice and commentary samples from the arcade and allows for four wrestlers on-screen, also with slow down. The Sega 32X release is similar to the Genesis version, but with improved graphics and audio. However, the frame rate was reduced to 30 frame/s in the 32X port compared to 60 frame/s in all other versions.
The CD-ROM (PlayStation, Saturn, DOS) releases are visually more similar to the Arcade, but the graphics are still not as sharp and sprites are slightly smaller. There is also no in-game music on the PlayStation and Saturn ports. The PlayStation and Saturn ports also freeze for a moment during gameplay to load the next character in a Battle Royal after a character has been eliminated.
External links
- WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game at GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...