WWF Wrestlemania (NES)

[Zack Burner]

In an unlikely twist, I've decided for a nice Father's Day review of an NES WWF game and this was perfect. Released around 1989, at the height of the golden age of wrestling, it stars Hulk Hogan, Ted Dibiase, Bam Bam Bigelow, Honky Tonk Man, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Andre the Giant. The slogan is "Bigger, Better, Badder" does this game live up to the slogan? Afraid not. This looks more like a brawler than a wrestling game. Basically, the majority of the bouts are all punching, kicking, eye poking, drop kicking, elbow smashing, and for half the roster a slam (the manual calls it a body slam as in scoop slam, but it looks more like either a spinebuster or a two-handed chokeslam if playing as Andre). The Beast from the East has a Cartwheel move though, but you don't get any finishers which is quite lame. Control is spot on, I'll say that and each wrestler has powerups that restore health such as Hogan has a crucifix, The Beast from the East is restored with flames, HTM guitar, Ted Dibiase a dollar sign, Macho Man shades, and Andre a foot. The graphics are adequate for an NES game that;s for sure though there are a few amusing parts such as HTM and Ted having both beer guts and butt cracks. The highlight is the music, nice spot on 8-bit rendition of each wrestlers' themes. Overall is this game worth playing today? Not really unless you're a wrestling fan from the 80's. At least this commercial was funny enough:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT6o0Pq2dHo

[velcrozombie]

This is one of those crappy games that you played with your friends because it had official WWF wrestlers. Pro Wrestling is a much better NES wrestling game but since it had non-licensed wrestlers it was harder to get emotionally invested in it as a kid. It's not all bad - the music is legitimately catchy and there was some effort put into making each wrestler visually distinct and accurate (Pro Wrestling unfortunately suffers from everyone sharing the same body type). It was very easy to trap your friend in a corner and grind them down by spamming a move, though. One would have hoped for a much larger roster as well, considering all the colorful characters populating the WWF at the time. It's bizarre to wrestle alone in a black void (Pro Wrestling has a cheering crowd, a ref and even a mobile cameraman) and the game feels incomplete without the ability to venture outside the ring. I'd call it the worst wrestling game on the NES but it has some stiff competition from Tag Team Wrestling (which at least inspired Strong Bad from Homestar Runner) and M.U.S.C.L.E.: Tag Team Match (which I've never actually played).

[lynchie137]

"I'd call it the worst wrestling game on the NES but it has some stiff competition from Tag Team Wrestling (which at least inspired Strong Bad from Homestar Runner) and M.U.S.C.L.E.: Tag Team Match (which I've never actually played)."

Believe it or not, I think that both Tag Team Wrestling and M.U.S.C.L.E are far far worse than WWF Wrestlemania. Which is really saying something, considering how much of a dog that one is..

[Tron]

This game sucked.

[lynchie137]

This game sucked.

For sure. But the funny thing is that from my perspective, me and my friends all thought it kind of sucked. Even when we were kids, we thought the game was a dog. But we still played the You Know What out of it. Likely because at the time it was the only wrestling game that featured actual real life wrestlers that we all saw on TV every week. Of course, once we all discovered games like Pro Wrestling and Tecmo World Wrestling a year or so later, we never played WWF Wrestlemania all that much anymore..

[Tron]

This game sucked.

For sure. But the funny thing is that from my perspective, me and my friends all thought it kind of sucked. Even when we were kids, we thought the game was a dog. But we still played the You Know What out of it. Likely because at the time it was the only wrestling game that featured actual real life wrestlers that we all saw on TV every week. Of course, once we all discovered games like Pro Wrestling and Tecmo World Wrestling a year or so later, we never played WWF Wrestlemania all that much anymore..

How did you see Hulk Hogan every week? That priss only came on for pay-per-view. He was too “good” for local TV. When you’re a kid you have to suffer with the bad games. I get it.

[ThePixelatedGenocide]

How did you see Hulk Hogan every week? That priss only came on for pay-per-view. He was too “good” for local TV. When you’re a kid you have to suffer with the bad games. I get it.

The orange goblin liked to give interviews whenever he was about to be ambushed into another vacation. He'd also greet us in the show's introduction video.

And he didn't mind doing commercials.

Every few years, he'd make an actual wrestling appearance on Superstars, facing down the lowest tier of foreign heel Superstars, like Dino Bravo and Boris Zhukov. He refused to squash any jobbers unless they'd actually had dreams of wrestling stardom to destroy.

Still, there was always Saturday Night's Main Event. For kids who didn't know the backstage politics and unofficial rankings, they were as exciting as a pay-per-view.

[newmodelarmy]

ahhhhh the golden age of wrestling...it was awesome. I am not sure why there is all of the hate for the Hulkster...I loved him and still do! If you think you have the golden age of wrestling without him, you would be wrong. I got out of wrestling in '89 when I left for the Army and then left for Germany. I followed it here and there and then was back into it for a few years during the "attitude" era. Over the last 20 years I turn it on occasionally and just cannot get into it. Everything is just so "clean" and rehearsed and these wrestlers have zero "pop". Seems like every time I turn it on they are talking in the ring with very little in the way of anything to say that is remotely interesting. They also have a heavy emphasis on women's wrestling. Don't get me wrong, they are good athletes but I just can't get into it. At least with YouTube it is easy to get our wrestling fix....plenty of great content there.

[Tron]

Pixel Geno

Well put on the Hulkster, except Dino Bravo was the real deal. He was a real bad ask MOFO. I also preferd KINg Kong Bundy, Big John Studd & Especially Andre the Giant over Hulky hulks Hogan’s. Heck I’d take the Macho Man over Hulk and he was a little guy.

Now Ultimate Warrior or Hulk? I guess I’ll take Hulk, but Ravishing Rick Rude or Mr. Perfect, would make more awesome lightweights.

If Andre were in his prime today he’d be collecting disability checks and not wrestling. Poor nasty giant was literally crippled when he was wrestling Hogan in the 80’s . Still I think Andre was better than Hogan.

[Herschie]

My favorite wrestler ever, Ted DiBiase, is terrible in this game!