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by THQ
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Everyone in
the gaming industry knows the World Wrestling Federation. It is either liked or hated, and
some wont even admit to watching it. Myself, I am a fan and have been for many years
now, so I always keep an eye open for any new game that tests my grappling skills. THQ
brings us a portable WWF game for the Game Boy Color, but its unlike any other you
might be familiar with they have taken the wrestlers from the ring and placed them
in various environments battling not just wrestlers but other "bad guys" as
well. This side scrolling adventure is a refreshing twist that reminds me of Final Fight,
but definitely shows why this is an aging genre. The story behind this game is a new
twist for a wrestling game. Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley has been kidnapped and it is up to
you to rescue her. Why would someone want to rescue her you might ask? If you succeed her
daddy dearest, Vince McMahon, will give you a title shot for the coveted world title.
There are four superstars to choose from: Stone Cold Steve Austin; Triple H; Undertaker;
and the Rock. And it wouldnt be wrestling without weapons, which are available after
defeating the individual carrying one. Each character fights his way through various
settings such as a construction site and the city streets. There are six levels to wreck
total havoc in. If you get frustrated with the game or loose all your lives there is a
password feature in the game that will help you keep track of your progress( as long as
you have paper and pen readily available.)
As with any other Game Boy Color game there are not a lot of buttons
to use. The two buttons allow you to punch and kick; the only "real" wrestling
moves are the trademark finishers and until you reach the upper levels can only be
performed when you successfully hit the enemy five times. To add to your small repertoire
of moves there is a running move that can be performed by double tapping the directional
pad left or right and then either punch or kick.
Graphically
the Game Boy Color is showing signs of age for even a portable console now that Nintendo
released the Game Boy Advance. As for this game, each superstar resembles their real life
counterpart slightly. But that only lies in coloring and the few sprites that make up the
face. The bodies look like they are made of the same stuff a Stretch is made of. The
characters move like they were created using stop motion animation like Gumby was. The
animation at times prevents the running moves from being performed successfully. At least
the colors allow everything to stand out. As for the bells and whistles, it is the same as
any other GBC cartridge fine as long as you havent been around any other game
system recently.
Side-scrolling
brawlers like Final Fight have long since gone from being a major genre to a relic. WWF
Betrayal does its part to try to bring back the glory days by adding contemporary heroes,
but shows why the genre has struggled so. If you are looking for a mix of old school
wrestlers with old school gaming, give it a go, but you might find yourself feeling
betrayed
Jake Carder (09/29/2001) |
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Snapshot
Ups: WWF Superstars; old-school game genre.
Downs: Choppy animation; repetition.
Platform:
Game Boy Color
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