WWF Wrestlemania (Genesis)

There's the time of my life (around 90s or 2000) when i enjoy wrestling show just like other. Until the only TV station that broadcast the shows, is forced to cease them due to many case of teens practicing wrestling move on their friend/brother/classmate and many suffers of broken bone or skull even death. Although there's the usual warning "Don't this at home!" and it's already translated. It's "Jangan lakukan ini di rumah!" in case you're curious about Indonesian a bit. Nowadays, we can only watch wrestling entertainment show from international channel. Anyway, here's my review about Midway's WWF Wrestlemania (1995) on Sega Genesis. 

That's hardcore title screen for wrestling game. The fonts are cool except for "Midway®" which is just bold white letters. That harsh opinion is based on their logo on Mortal Kombat 3. I think the logo for WWF and Wrestlemania is right for its time. If that's not the case, i apologize because my knowledge about this sport entertainment is limited due to aforementioned problem. So my said knowledge is mainly based on WWF Smackdown 2 game on PS 1. But at least i know a bit about Randy Orton and John Cena because of meme.

Here's the main menu or rather character selection screen with bit of option menu. The option contain difficulty setting, life/hitpoint setting, Music On/Off, and control configuration which allow you to choose for 3-button joystick setting or 6-button joystick setting but you can't figure them manually by yourself. They're all pre-fixed and you can't change button for run within 1 button press which kind of baffling to me. For the roster, we got

Doink The Clown	Razor Ramon
The Undertaker	Yokozuna
Shawn Michaels	Bam Bam Bigelow
Brett Hart	Lex Luger

 I'll be honest, i only recognize 2 of them which means 25% of the roster. But don't worry! I know who i will pick.

Next i have to choose whether i go for Intercontinental Championship or World Wrestling Federation Championship. WWF is stands for World Wrestling Federation, duh. Of course, i choose the bottom option.

My first match is against Bam Bam Bigelow and Lex Luger. With American Flag pattern around his pants and knee pad. I assume he's as nationalist as Kurt Angle. By the way, i reckon The Undertaker will be everyone's pick so i go with the flamboyant sod: Shawn Michaels.

It goes without saying that to take 2 opponents at once, is really difficult. But these rapid side kick helps me to control opponent more than 1 person. It's executed by down, forward, kick (if it connects keep hitting kick button up to 3 times). Yes, the move input is kind of like any fighter game. But you shouldn't be surprised by that as Midway is well known for Mortal Kombat series.

 

Well, shoot! I thought i had it but no. I lost a round and another round next. Back to character selection, then. But i still pick Shawn Michaels.    

 

This time also not better than before. Enemies tend to surround me from left and right. What happen most of the time: i manage to get 1 enemy and the other will get me. Like in this case where Yokozuna about to press me with his massive buttock after i manage to beat Bam Bam Bigelow once. Ok! No more Mr. Nice Guy. I will no longer rely on my memory instead i will see the full movelist in some FAQ and using save state.       

Turns out i don't miss much by not reading the movelist. It's nice to have good memory. The other way to deal with this handicap situation: to throw one of the enemies out of the ring so you can have little breather for a moment. You think The Undertaker is reluctant to take on handicapped opponent but no. I know that not how real The Undertaker does (except if he's really hate Shawn Michael). At least he should be teamed up with Kane.    

 

Now that's more like it. Thank to savestate. Well, i believe Shawn Michaels is kind of guy who like to use underhanded trick so i stay true to his nature.

Beating The Undertaker and Lex Luger, will take closer to WWF champion title. There's total 7 matches that i have to deal with. Those bold stripes on match list bar represent border to new kind of challenge. So there's 4 matches of 1-on-2, 2 matches of 1-on-3, and the final match is...i will talk about it when the time is come.

 

How do you finish a round? Of course, by pinning the weakened opponent. To pin your opponent, just simply press any of kick button near him when he's out of hitpoints. But there's no count to 3. It just end briefly when you manage to pin your opponent. But there's second wind (that reminds me of Borderland 2) in which pinned wrestler can get another chance to back in action with just a sliver of health bar but any retaliation counts in this game. Second wind can be activated by roughly mashing the buttons. In this case, Razor Ramon escape from my pin but later i can beat him again. Instead of pinning him again, i pin Bam Bam Bigelow instead. It's just coincidence. But i have grudge toward him from first match.  

 

Oh, great. I confront against the fat git again. 2 of them!  

 

Since they're same person with same moves, i thought the match is easier. Turns out, it's not. It goes without saying that later match become harder than previous one. I think that's because the A.I is getting more aggressive and less idling. You can inflict twice if you land first attack. There's also way to inflict twice or even thrice damage if your attack outmaneuvers enemy's. That's the kind my thing. I can't get into Mortal Kombat series because you can only inflict constant amount of damage whereas Street Fighters or Tekken will reward you with extra damage on your hit if you can outmaneuver enemy. It seems Midway learns about that a bit and applies it to this game.

 

This time i go against 3 wrestlers at once and again rapid side kick helps me a lot to keep enemies on one side. Also it's important to make distance between them.

 

Naturally, fighting 3 enemies is harder than 2 enemies. Ramon is down. But i'm surrounded by other 2. Also Yokozuna throws rice at me from behind and for some reason blinding me even though my eyes aren't in the back of my head! So much for Sumo Wrestler's honor.

 

More often than not, enemy hit others even though he want to hit me. Think it like how big monsters in Monster Hunter has little tendency to miss you with their attack although they're really focused to kill you. Or maybe Doink wants shake his hand with his partner there but he forget to turn off the buzzer. XD

 

The final match is Royal Rumble or at least that's what Midway want to create. The match is more like 1-on-3 match but the defeated enemy will be replaced with new one (total 8 enemies). And get this: you don't defeat your enemies by tossing instead by pinning them or just depleting their hitpoints. That's so...how should i put it? Not Royal Rumble! Enemies can just get in the ring once they're out so you have no choice but to beat them to submission. At least you got tiny bit healing for each defeated enemy. By the way, i though i'm free from mirror match but turns out no.

 

Naturally, i saved state a lot and the match is down to me Vs The Undertaker. The announcer said "Is that legal?" when i smack The Undertaker with baseball bat. In my defense, he launch some ghosts (you can see it above Ramon a bit) at me first and that certainly illegal in any wrestling match than me beat him with some sport equipment. At least it's the least sensible. When i read wikipedia about Royal Rumble, i find that Shawn Michael won it in 1995. So i kind of recreating the event from 24 years ago. I'm so proud! :D

Here's the ending. Yep, just this. If you're expecting extraordinary prologue like Johnny Cage will create Mortal Kombat the movie after the tournament, tough luck for you. Well, at least Shawn looks happy and i feel relieved and proud. But wait! I think we miss something. It's his signature super move: Sweet Chin Music!

 

Well, there's none. Instead, we have super combo. If you hit your opponent, combo bar on the bottom of life bar is filled. Once it's fully filled, you can perform combo that can deal hefty damage at the cost of the combo bar but there's no exact way how to pull it out. The best i can come up is this: first you have to hold your enemy's head (forward twice + special punch) then press forward, forward + punch, punch multiple time and end with special kick. It takes a lot of trial and error for me to find this combo. To be fair, 'forward, forward + punch' input is once for arm breaker where Shawn uppercuts his opponent's elbow like what Scorpion do in Mortal Kombat 4 but once my combo bar filled it become chainable front kick. But still, this is no Sweet Chin Music. :c

 

Midway's WWF Wrestlemania (1995) is fast paced wrestling video game as expected of home console port from arcade game. The gameplay is fun and great also difficult. But if you change the difficulty setting to 'Easy' (like what i did in super combo demonstration) , the game becomes fairer and more enjoyable. As in every wrestling game, there's button mashing factor in here but not everytime. It only appears if you get Irish whipped or laying down or hoping to get Second Wind. If your head get held by enemy, you can input any move that follow-up head hold so you can execute reversal. You can climb turnbuckle to initiate aerial attack that unblockable, but i seldom do that because it feels inaccurate but again that's due to my ineptitude. The digitized graphic is fairly good as you as expected from experienced Midway. And if you fight 1-on-1, the crowds moves and there's lots of extra things if the wrestler got slammed like sweats or hearts. But that's not happen in handicapped match. Furthermore there's significant slowdown if you face 3 opponents at once perhaps due to engine limitation. The music while in the match is pretty good and there's also each wrestler's theme for victory music. But most of them are muffled.

Leaving the lack of epilogue and the special super move, WWF Wrestlemania (1995) is worthy to play especially if you're fans of wrestling show. Just turn the difficulty down a bit and you're set. Or you can also play with your friend/relative/family even though the roster is bit small. And remember: Don't try this at home! Unless via home console (or emulator).