Genre: Fighting, Sports
Year: 2000
Developed by: Asmik Ace Entertainment / AKI Corporation
Published by: THQ
Platforms: N64
#109
Feeling Like: Dig-dig-diggity. Dig-diggity-dog. Sock-o!
This is the only wrestling game on the 500. It’s also the best wrestling video game ever made. For a brief period of time, I was absolutely obsessed with pro wrestling. Once Dave V. showed me an episode of Raw, I was completely hooked. I never missed a show, I tried my best to catch every PPV, I belonged to an online fantasy wrestling community, I participated in a student produced wrestling show at Mount Allison. Naturally, I was one of the commentators – suspicion of disbelief can only go so far, there’s nobody on the planet who would buy me as a physical athlete.
Well, ok, we did have a few sessions in Bigelow’s Basement. The moves we performed were wildly unsafe, but don’t worry – we put a mat down!
Jacob was my fellow play by play, I wore a chainmail vest and a stupid hat for some reason. For a non-drinking event, everybody seemed to have an absolute blast. I did too.
I might have burned out too quickly; from late 1999 to about 2006 I was addicted but peacefully moved on when the product started to stagnate. Still, to this day I catch every episode of OSW and will re-watch my favorite clips and matches a dozen times a month.
Pro Wrestling is like anime – the potential to be awful is REALLY high. The concept is a too far-fetched for some to buy into and if you’re only concerned with seeing the strings, you’re never going to enjoy the show. It can also be very immature, sexist, homophobic, repetitive and generally ridiculous…but it can also be the single best thing you’ve ever watched. The highs are very high.
Like when Mankind, my hero, won the title for the first time. Just listen to that pop at 0:28.
I had stopped watching in 2012, but when Lesnar returned, I couldn’t help but tune in.
I used to do quite a lot of live community theatre, it’s one of the few things I’m very passionate about. I treat it seriously, but it’s also a hell of a lot of fun. Nothing like putting on a great show with a cast you become very close with. The feeling on stage is hypnotic and I start to get antsy when I haven’t tread the boards in a while. I remember arguing with one of my older cast members (RIP Sylvia) about the nature of professional wrestling, what the appeal was, and so forth. I claimed it was closer to what we do than television or movies. Sylvia, being a no-nonsense woman from England wouldn’t have any of it. It made more sense when I alluded to what WWF and WCW did as pantomime. The “acting” was bombastic and outlandish, but it’s supposed to be. Audience members in the upper decks of massive stadiums need to see and interpret body language, not subtle eyebrow movements, although the Rock could get away with it. There’s room for traditional “acting” in some cases, but for the most part, bigger isn’t just better – it’s necessary.
We even suckered friends once in a while for watch parties. Generally we do the Royal Rumble, since it’s very easy to dish out numbers and have each party member randomly cheer for entrant #3, 14 and 22. We used to do WrestleMania as well, but now that’s a two-day affair – a marathon, even for the most veteran fan. The massive whiteboard I bought was the centerpiece of our competition. I still think it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
I’ve been to a few live shows, though none were televised. I was witness to two bonehead intrusions from the crowd, both at the Save on Foods Memorial Arena…RIGHT HERE! IN VICTORIA, BC!
…Ok, I’m no Mick Foley. But I’m not averse to cheap pops.
One involved a fan running in on a Batista/Triple H match and why in heaven’s name you would want to get into a ring with THOSE two, I’ll never know. I’m assuming alcohol was involved, but I did experience mild schadenfreude at seeing him getting his ass handed to him before being unceremoniously removed by security. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
I had a front row seat to the second incident . I got a free ticket from my buddy Devin, who at the time was head of ticketing. I couldn’t get a seat-seat, but I got to stand in the hockey bench with the rest of the staff. It was a fantastic show, the crowd was really into it. The woman in charge of security told me they had to promise WWE there wouldn’t be any incidents, not like the last two shows (the aforementioned fan run in, then years later Jericho being accosted by fans in the parking lot).
The main event was Roman Reigns against Bray Wyatt (RIP) in a street fight. Lots of weapons being used, the usual shenanigans. Then a fan in the front row hurls a WWE Money in the Bank suitcase into the ring and hits Roman Reigns square in the back of the head. This was not planned. Video of the aftermath can be found here. Fans started chanting “we’re so sorry!” and “kick him out!” shortly afterward. I wouldn’t blame WWE if they never came back. What the hell is wrong with our fanbase? The woman I was standing next to vanished the second it happened. I never saw her again.
I have yet to mention the video game WWF No Mercy yet and I guess I should. I just really want the three people reading this to know that I loved watching wrestling, and am still fascinated by the performers that inhabit that world. There are very few actors as good at telling stories, or giving interviews as professional wrestlers. The athleticism is off the charts. The spectacle is unmatched. It’s hard not to get chills when Sami Zayn hit Reigns with a chair here. Listen to the crowd, you can’t emulate or replicate that artificially. It’s organic, stemming from basic, effective storytelling. And you gotta buy in, as a spectator, otherwise it falls apart.
No Mercy had everything I wanted in a wrestling video game. Ladder Matches. Guest Referee mode (which was bullshit, but a fun way to accuse others of favoritism), cage matches and every other variation you could think of that involved beating the hell out of your opponent. Create-a-Wrestler was a fantastic addition, I spent at least an hour refining my wrestler. I finally settled on the name “Hank S”. I was not very creative at 16.
I loved how many moves you could assign – there were four different inputs you could do depending on the strength of the grapple. You could customize your running attack, aerial attack, submissions, your taunt and, naturally, your finishing movie. I had to pick the Stole Cold Stunner, of course. Future wrestling games pissed me off to no end – some of them wouldn’t even let you create your own monstrosity and they limited the moveset like crazy. Four moves? That’s it? Bah. Disqualified!
Multiplayer was a dream, even for non-wrestling fans. I cannot think of any of my friends who were more ill-suited for this scenario than Kasim and Scott, yet I have proof of them playing at Oliver St. Pulling out a STOP sign from the crowd and bashing your buddy in the head was funny regardless of whether you were interested in wrestling or not.
From the unforgettable menu music, to the terrible graphics on the Titantron, to the terrific intro (HE KICKED OUT! HE KICKED OUT! HE KICKED OUT!), I have nothing but fond memories for the game, and for the sport/show/entertainment in general. I showed Kyla the infamous Undertaker/Mankind Hell in a Cell match prior to seeing Mick Foley do a special at Heckler’s. He was terrific, everything I thought he would be and more – he was clever, he was funny, he was endearing and he was eloquent. Afterward, you could line up and get a picture with him and I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous in my life. I don’t get star struck all that often, but I was literally sweating bullets. There wasn’t any need – he was very kind. This is one of my favorite photos.
I look at modern wrestling games and the appeal isn’t there. After some hilarious multiplayer sessions and epic finishes involving tables, ladders an chairs (oh my!) on the N64, I’ve had my fill and then some. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to my “Must catch every episode of Raw & Smackdown” phase, but it sure is fun to dip back into the pool once in a while. Hearing the chants, watching the stunts and feeling the energy of the crowd is what it’s all about, and I don’t think a Nintendo 64 game in the year 2000 could have encapsulated that better.
The 500 