Best N64 Wrestling Game

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

As a kid I remember playing a couple different ones, but can't, for the life of me, remember my favorite... but I know I did have a favorite. 

Anyways, I'm not so much worried about that, I just want to know which N64 wrestling game you think is the best, because I'm going to buy one to start and see if I can find the one I liked so much as a kid.

So which one should I buy first?

(There are way more than I remember...)

 

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

WWF No Mercy is far and away the top of the ladder.  It's actually in the conversation for best wrestling game ever.  You can't go wrong with any of the games using that engine (the pre-Mayhem WCW games and WWF Wrestlemania 2000), but No Mercy had refined it to the point of being nigh unbeatable on the console.  The Acclaim engine was alright when it was released (WWF War Zone, WWF Attitude, ECW Hardcore Revolution), but the reliance on button combos to do moves made it hard to just pick up and play.  I'd avoid WCW Mayhem and WCW Backstage Assault, they were just plain shit by comparison to any other N64 wrestling game.  And I guess that pretty much covers all of them

[twiztor | 855]

my personal favorite is WCW/NWO Revenge, but @the_wizard_666is correct that WWF No Mercy is the king and culmination of that series. i think i just prefer Revenge because i'm nWo 4 Life.

i still have all my CAWs on a memory card somewhere. i pretty much replicated the majority of the roster from World Tour/Revenge. down to playing each character, and writing down what each and every button did (weak grapple, down + A. weak grapple, right + A. etc.) took forever but i was so happy with how all of it turned out.

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

1 hour ago, twiztor said:

my personal favorite is WCW/NWO Revenge, but @the_wizard_666is correct that WWF No Mercy is the king and culmination of that series. i think i just prefer Revenge because i'm nWo 4 Life.

i still have all my CAWs on a memory card somewhere. i pretty much replicated the majority of the roster from World Tour/Revenge. down to playing each character, and writing down what each and every button did (weak grapple, down + A. weak grapple, right + A. etc.) took forever but i was so happy with how all of it turned out.

This is where I have varying memories. I always loved NWO and the Wolf Pack, specifically, so I kind of thought that might've been the one, but I really remember playing with Undertaker and Kane, so the WCW ones don't make sense.

No Mercy definitely rings some bells. I guess I'll have to get both!

[Webhead123 | 687]

Although I've tried multiple titles across multiple consoles over the years, I never really found myself able to get into wrestling video games. Somehow (I honestly don't remember), one of the small handful of games I had for the N64 was WWF War Zone. My brother and I got some good fun and hearty laughs out of it, mostly thanks to the "create-a-wrestler" feature and coming up with the most exaggerated and ridiculous wrestlers possible. I think that's the only wrestling game I've actually played on the console but I remember it being half decent for the time.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Webhead123

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

Can't comment on the N64 version, but WWF Warzone for the PS1 was an absolute blast. For me, it's the pinnacle of wrestling games and I doubt I'll ever play another. I must've played through that game a hundred times with every premade character and tons of created ones as well.

Edited February 23, 2023 by DoctorEncore

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

My vote is Wrestlemania 2000. I admit No Mercy is more refined, but Ive always had and played WM2000 since back in the day

[Tanooki | 4,946]

Was it Revenge?  My friend keeps saying buy it because it has the most traditional 80s and 90s wrestlers we all grew up with and it still has aged well to be a lot of fun.

[MagusSmurf | 577]

Does Hybrid Heaven count?

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

Big wrestling fan here, esp back in the day. Definitely played all of these. The sentiment here is correct. My personal favorite is WCW/nWo Revenge (I was a WCW guy back in the late 90's). But No Mercy is king. If you get a copy, make sure you get the -1 revision which fixes a problem which will erase all of the data on the cart randomly.

You can't go wrong with any of the big 4 though. I'd rank them:

1. WWF No Mercy
2. WCW/nWo Revenge
3. WWF Wrestlemania 2000
4. WCW/nWo World Tour

And World Tour rules, so that's saying something. I played through all 4 games last fall, unlocking everyone and in No Mercy, buying everything and also (for the first time ever) completing every possible path in the Story Mode. Hell of a game. 

Also side note, I got this book called Wrestling Pixels on Amazon for like $15 and it's a history of basically every wrestling game ever. It's pretty amazing and worth checking out. 

[srbossman79 | 25]

No argument on your ranking.  I think you have it right.  I was also a big WCW guy in the 90's.  Up until the time the NWO really jumped the shark.  They had better matches, a longer show and their cruiserweight division is still unmatched. 

I have played all the games mentioned.  I still remember getting my buddies to rage quit on No Mercy.  Good times.  I can't get into modern wrestling games though.  They just don't have the "sweet science" and flow that the N64 ones did.  The N64 games were more strategy, where it seems to be more just button mashing with the more recent titles. 

LOL, by more recent, the most recent one I've played is probably like 2014 or so.  They stunk so bad I have not had the itch to try another one.  Also, the switch doesn't offer anything great in the area of wrestling games that I'm aware of.  The N64 wrestling game clone is so buggy it's hardly playable.  I can't remember the name at the moment.  "Wrestle World" maybe?

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

41 minutes ago, CodysGameRoom said:

Big wrestling fan here, esp back in the day. Definitely played all of these. The sentiment here is correct. My personal favorite is WCW/nWo Revenge (I was a WCW guy back in the late 90's). But No Mercy is king. If you get a copy, make sure you get the -1 revision which fixes a problem which will erase all of the data on the cart randomly.

You can't go wrong with any of the big 4 though. I'd rank them:

1. WWF No Mercy
2. WCW/nWo Revenge
3. WWF Wrestlemania 2000
4. WCW/nWo World Tour

And World Tour rules, so that's saying something. I played through all 4 games last fall, unlocking everyone and in No Mercy, buying everything and also (for the first time ever) completing every possible path in the Story Mode. Hell of a game. 

Also side note, I got this book called Wrestling Pixels on Amazon for like $15 and it's a history of basically every wrestling game ever. It's pretty amazing and worth checking out. 

Awesome. It sounds like No Mercy is a great starting point, and thanks for the heads up on getting a -1 copy.

I'll probably start there, and grab one of the WCW titles, too.

Also, it's great that they have a history of wrestling games available on Amazon. Most of my recent interest in these games (aside from the strong nostalgia) is tied to the A&E docuseries, Legends and Rivals. Watching wrestling, for me, in the 90s went hand and hand with the N64 and playing these games with my friends.

I'm stoked to play them again.

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

3 hours ago, DoctorEncore said:

Can't comment on the N64 version, but WWF Warzone for the PS1 was an absolute blast. For me, it's the pinnacle of wrestling games and I doubt I'll ever play another. I must've played through that game a hundred times with every premade character and tons of created ones as well.

Maybe I'll snag this for PS1 as well. Doesn't hurt to diversify the portfolio. 

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

6 hours ago, CodysGameRoom said:

 If you get a copy, make sure you get the -1 revision which fixes a problem which will erase all of the data on the cart randomly.

That's a complete myth.  My copy that I've owned from launch has held its save the entire time.  No idea why this keeps being thrown around, but it's not as common an issue as it's made out to be.

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

10 hours ago, the_wizard_666 said:

That's a complete myth.  My copy that I've owned from launch has held its save the entire time.  No idea why this keeps being thrown around, but it's not as common an issue as it's made out to be.

It's not a myth. My launch copy also works fine. My best friends non "-1" version resets all the time. I've literally seen it happen. It is definitely a thing that happens. You might be fine with a non "-1". But many of them reset. The best option is to get a "-1" revision to ensure you don't have to worry about it.

[twiztor | 855]

13 hours ago, the_wizard_666 said:

That's a complete myth.  My copy that I've owned from launch has held its save the entire time.  No idea why this keeps being thrown around, but it's not as common an issue as it's made out to be.

 

2 hours ago, CodysGameRoom said:

It's not a myth. My launch copy also works fine. My best friends non "-1" version resets all the time. I've literally seen it happen. It is definitely a thing that happens. You might be fine with a non "-1". But many of them reset. The best option is to get a "-1" revision to ensure you don't have to worry about it.

definitely not a myth. i can't speak to how common it is, but i have a preordered launch copy as well. it didn't erase ALL of my data, but certain parts were certainly corrupted somehow. I kept everything i had unlocked (characters, costumes, etc.), but all of the 'story mode' progress was wiped. can't remember if it wiped all my created stuff of not, but there was definitely a set of data gone.

 

20 hours ago, srbossman79 said:

I can't get into modern wrestling games though.  They just don't have the "sweet science" and flow that the N64 ones did.  The N64 games were more strategy, where it seems to be more just button mashing with the more recent titles. 

there's a new game coming out called "AEW Fight Forever" that is made by the old AKI or Yukes team, whoever made the n64 games. haven't heard a release date yet, but should be sometime this year. if you're looking to scratch that itch, may want to keep an eye open for it.

[AirVillain | 490]

On 2/22/2023 at 9:59 PM, the_wizard_666 said:

WWF No Mercy is far and away the top of the ladder.  It's actually in the conversation for best wrestling game ever.  You can't go wrong with any of the games using that engine (the pre-Mayhem WCW games and WWF Wrestlemania 2000), but No Mercy had refined it to the point of being nigh unbeatable on the console.  The Acclaim engine was alright when it was released (WWF War Zone, WWF Attitude, ECW Hardcore Revolution), but the reliance on button combos to do moves made it hard to just pick up and play.  I'd avoid WCW Mayhem and WCW Backstage Assault, they were just plain shit by comparison to any other N64 wrestling game.  And I guess that pretty much covers all of them

 

On 2/23/2023 at 4:13 PM, CodysGameRoom said:

Big wrestling fan here, esp back in the day. Definitely played all of these. The sentiment here is correct. My personal favorite is WCW/nWo Revenge (I was a WCW guy back in the late 90's). But No Mercy is king. If you get a copy, make sure you get the -1 revision which fixes a problem which will erase all of the data on the cart randomly.

You can't go wrong with any of the big 4 though. I'd rank them:

1. WWF No Mercy
2. WCW/nWo Revenge
3. WWF Wrestlemania 2000
4. WCW/nWo World Tour

And World Tour rules, so that's saying something. I played through all 4 games last fall, unlocking everyone and in No Mercy, buying everything and also (for the first time ever) completing every possible path in the Story Mode. Hell of a game. 

Also side note, I got this book called Wrestling Pixels on Amazon for like $15 and it's a history of basically every wrestling game ever. It's pretty amazing and worth checking out. 

Respectfully, fellas..... I'm not sure why No Mercy gets so much hype. Mostly because I feel as though there weren't enough improvements on WM2000 and the running and grappling function with a bit clunky and took away from the simplicity of the other games.  Like, the backstage stuff and all the tables were neat.... but.... I feel the gameplay took a slight hit from the previous iterations. 

I mean, I DO understand it, but with the other options, I disagree. 

No doubt the answer to this question HAS to be a THQ game. They literally changed the game (and I don't think there's been as good of wrestling games since?) with the grapple function so it 100% has to be a THQ game. 

Now.... how to decipher which it should be?

I feel lucky to have been playing these games since they came out.

You have the OG World Tour. Solid party game and blew our minds in terms of a wrestling video game. We had no idea who most of the guys were though. Then there's Revenge which takes gameplay up a knotch and brings in more wrestlers we actually knew. 

BUT THEN.... THEN THQ JUMPS SHIP TO WWF AND WM 2000 gets released.  

Here we get our FAVOURITE wrestlers, music, and finishing moves. You get the Stone Cold Stunner, you get the Rock Bottom, Tombstone, Sweet Chin Music, Pedigree, entrances with pyro, etc. etc. etc. 

IT WAS THE GREATEST THING TO EVER HAPPEN IN A TEENAGER VIDEO GAME/WRESTLING FANS LIFE. 

It was a perfect mix of the awesome THQ gameplay with WWF wrestlers and moves. 

So like I said before, because No Mercy tried to get a bit "too fancy" with it's gameplay I think it took a bit away from the game itself.... thoughts? 

I understand this, though.... WCW fan = Revenge. WWF fan = WM 2000 

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

Yea, no. Anyone who thinks that WM2000 is better than No Mercy is simply blinded by their personal nostalgia for the game. More options doesn't make a game worse just because you don't like them. 

It's No Mercy. General consensus. 

[guitarzombie | 927]

For nostalgia WCW vs NWO Revenge.  The other WWF game are great.  But I also love the added characters (Hawk Hana who we called Rockman, Eric Bischoff in Reys purple gear I called the Magician, Dr. Frank, etc)

[guitarzombie | 927]

I should also add the older WWF games (War Zone, Attitude) were more like Mortal Kombat.  I had those, my friends had the n64 games.  We all liked em, esp that the WWF roster was incredible (Cactus Jack!) as well as their create a wrestler was amazing, but the n64 was way more pick up and play fun, without knowing what you were doing.  Didn't have to learn it.  Something I think may be missing in newer games. 

The latter WWF AKI games went into great detail about moves, entrances and stuff which, also great, are way overwhelming.

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

No Mercy also seems to be getting the higher price points on ebay, so that may reflect overall popularity.

I'm about to head out to some locals and see what I can find.

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

They had 1 copy of each of these. Time to dive in...

(Also, what the hell is up with retro game shop owners acting like you being in their store is a hassle? Seems like a recurring theme...)

Anyways, on to the games!

Edit: not the USA-1 copy, since it wasn't available. So wish me luck...

Edited February 25, 2023 by 3rdStrongestMole

[AirVillain | 490]

17 hours ago, CodysGameRoom said:

Yea, no. Anyone who thinks that WM2000 is better than No Mercy is simply blinded by their personal nostalgia for the game. More options doesn't make a game worse just because you don't like them. 

It's No Mercy. General consensus. 

But.... why? 

There's nothing really THAT mind blowing about No Mercy. The extra tables weren't THAT great. 

No Mercy gameplay feels a bit stretched, to me. I get that my one gripe is something that's "added", but overall the feel of the gameplay is not quite as tight as WM2000. Like there's a small hesitation when you run at someone, and it's not quite as fluid as WM2000.

I mean, don't get me wrong... some of the guys have cool running grapples, but it wasn't enough for me to put it over WM2000. 

Also... the menu music for No Mercy, while funny as hell, is awful. 

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

55 minutes ago, AirVillain said:

But.... why? 

There's nothing really THAT mind blowing about No Mercy. The extra tables weren't THAT great. 

No Mercy gameplay feels a bit stretched, to me. I get that my one gripe is something that's "added", but overall the feel of the gameplay is not quite as tight as WM2000. Like there's a small hesitation when you run at someone, and it's not quite as fluid as WM2000.

I mean, don't get me wrong... some of the guys have cool running grapples, but it wasn't enough for me to put it over WM2000. 

Also... the menu music for No Mercy, while funny as hell, is awful. 

I played some last night and I have to second that about the menu music

[WhyNotZoidberg | 586]

My favorite is WCW nWo Revenge, and I’d recommend picking that one since it’s insanely cheap.