With this week marking the 30th anniversary of the NES in North America, Tech Times thought it would be fun looking back at some of the console's original sports games, beginning with the 1989 game, WWF WrestleMania.
The fact that TechTimes' editors summoned me to look back at WWF WrestleMania and offer a perspective on it is apropos, considering how much time I spent playing the game as a kid. I was a month shy of turning six-years-old, when the January 1989 title by Acclaim hit stores.
Looking back at the first WWF video game — and second pro wrestling video game ever — it takes about two seconds to remember how laughably bad this game was. But of course, you couldn't tell me that as a kid, who absolutely loved anything World Wrestling Federation, was a huge Hulkmaniac at the time and would spend mindless amount of time tapping my thumbs to games like this.
The game featured six playable wrestlers — Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, Bam Bam Bigelow, The Honky Tonk Man and 'The Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase. Gamers could either choose to have a singles match (versus the computer or fellow player) or go through a single tournament mode, in which you'd have to defeat the other five wrestlers in the game to win the championship. Oh yeah...you could also input your name, which was funny more than anything because it would be under your character's likeness at the top of the match's gameplay screen.
Watching YouTube footage from this game brings back a ton of memories...most of which in awe of how basic and bad the game was. How basic? Well, the view of the bottom ropes was cut off and you couldn't even grapple for God sake. What's a wrestling match without grappling? Well, WWF WrestleMania is the answer!
Throughout a singles match, each wrestler's theme music alternates playing and as your character's energy decreases, you have the opportunity to grab energy icons bouncing at the top of the ring. Each energy icon is catered to your character — for example, DiBiase's was a dollar sign, Honky Tonk Man's was a guitar and Hogan's was a crucifix.
You instantly remember how limited each wrestler was, restrained to basic punches, kicks and headbutts. Poor Andre couldn't climb to the top ropes nor could Bam Bam. For some reason, Bam Bam nor Honky Tonk Man could perform a simple bodyslam, either. But every wrestler could throw a back elbow or back punch, just in case you were going for a sneak attack. Also, tapping the A and B buttons simultaneously would allow each wrestler to perform their special move, one that would see a decrease in your own energy just for attempting it. Savage's was an elbow, while Andre's was a headbutt.
When watching footage from the game, I literally laughed out loud remembering that the computer had zero intelligence, as evidenced by your opponent spending much of the match running or pacing around the ring like a chicken with his head cut off. Occasionally, the computer who get some quick hits in and go right back to pacing around the ring.
Better than anything, though, is the way wrestlers fell in this game. A few punches and kicks would drop your opponent in an awkward, arms-sprawled, backwards-diagonal position, resembling a crime scene more than an actual match. Good grief.
Looking back, the game had the nerve to bill the title as "Bigger, Better, Badder." How about just, bad. Still, a game being bad, doesn't take away its fun, as seen by my willingness to cough out a lung, blowing into the cartridge — as if that did anything — and playing this for hours with my brother, cousins and friends.
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