Wrestlemania x8

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

When is WMX8 the video game projected to come out? I was watching a GameCube commercial that had some scenes from it and it looked sweet. Any good previews up online?

[Guest redbaron51]

I heard May or June

[Guest goodhelmet]

Is it supposed to be similar to the No MErcy engine? If so, then I guess I'll be shelling out an extra $200 for a Gamecube!

[Guest The Man in Blak]

Nope, I saw on Gamespot that it's going to be an all-new control engine - which means good things, since Yukes may not be tempted to re-use and abuse the Smackdown! system, and bad things, since they can't channel the greatness that is the AKI engine.

 

Otherwise, I've seen June for the release and that it would have the nWo in it, which is probably why they pushed it back a little bit.

[Guest goodhelmet]

Eh, why mess with a good thing? The No MErcy engine rocks!!! Well, at least I'll save $200.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Hey the new system might be good. It can't be worse than Smackdown or Raw.....can it?

[Guest The Man in Blak]

Hey the new system might be good. It can't be worse than Smackdown or Raw.....can it?

Hehe, who knows - but, I'm a little skeptical, seeing as how the 'Cube commercials that feature the game kind of look like a slowed down version of the Smackdown engine (it's the character models, I tells ya - they just don't look right.)

[Guest mykatissatan]

6/18/02 sez gamespot.

[Guest redbaron51]

Looks like you'll be saving your cash, because the grappling system is compared to Super Smash Brothers: Melee.

 

At least the RiW engine is better than Smackdown

[Guest converge241]

If it was the same engine as No Mercy i would buy system and game right away. As it is ill rent the system and game and give it a try. Im not a big fan of the Smackdown engine. Its not bad, it just pales in comparison for me.

[Guest Cataclysm911]

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/multime....ock.avi

 

 

It's about a minute long, and you need divx to watch it.

[Guest]

As far as I've heard about it, it'll be coming out in May, and it will make WWF Raw for X-Box look like a peice of sh*t.

 

--------------

Blane "Cutthroat" Kalem

Wins-(1) Losses-(3)

[Guest Cataclysm911]

Credit: WWFWG.com:

 

 

When it comes to WWF videogames, lets face it, the fans want the best that money can buy. Wrestle Mania 2000 and No Mercy for N64 are regarded by many as the best WWF wrestling games that you can play. The wrestling engine developed by AKI is considered by many to be superior to it's counterpart created by Yukes for the Play Station and Play Station 2. The speed at which wrestlers get up after taking big bumps has often been a criticism of the Yukes engine. So when Yukes was announced as the developer of the new Wrestle Mania X-8, many became quite distressed at what the wrestling engine would be like. Well I am here to give you the lowdown on the new engine as I had an opportunity to play it this past Sunday in Toronto.

 

A few hours before Wrestle Mania X-8 was set to begin, THQ held a press conference at the Royal York hotel. Which is not to far from Sky Dome itself. I had the opportunity to meet some of the Yukes staff and meet several people from the THQ and Jakks Pacific marketing department as well as Riley Brennan who is the head of Public Relations. Unfortunately even though he was in Toronto, Sanders Keel was not at the event.

 

After a quick presentation, three different television screens were turned on with a character select screen and game controllers were on hand to play the game. I was one of the first to actually have an opportunity to try out this game. First, let me inform you that there was no title screen or video intro yet for this game. The version I had an opportunity to play was only about 60% complete. The character select screen had only five selectable superstars; The Rock, Stone Cold, Triple H, Undertaker, and Kurt Angle. There were about 30 other question marks which will make the rest of the roster in the finished product. Once you highlighted the superstar that you were going to use, pressing the L and R shoulder keys would let you

choose from one of two costumes. One outfit would be the superstars wrestling attire and the other outfit would be their street attire. For example, pressing L for Triple H and then pressing the B button to select that character would give you Triple H in his wrestling tights. If you press R and then press the B button you would get Triple H in his jean jacket, new shirt and jeans (essentially the outfit he returned in back in January). I asked one of the Yukes staff how many costumes would be available for each wrestler and they informed that it would stay at two. Once you had your character selected you would immediately go to a match preview screen of the match you are about to have. This would show an actual picture of the two wrestlers posing together with their names, and the match type. Pressing the B button again took you to a quick loading time screen and then straight to the match. This version did not have the intros unfortunately but they will, of course, be in the final version.

 

Getting use to the punching and grappling buttons took all of five seconds. You use the A button to punch and B button to grapple. The punching animation really reminded me of SmackDown! but this didn't bother me to much because the wrestler's taking the punch were selling it extremely well. Whenever Triple H would punch he would throw his head and body back just like the real Triple H would. The grappling felt just like the AKI engine. Hit the B button and you would grapple on to the other superstar with ease. Hit the A button and my superstar would give a swift knee to the torso. Using the A button in conjunction with the Analog Stick would give you a different move. Within minutes I found myself getting someone in a grapple and giving them a neck-breaker. The grapple system is one of the most impressive things about this game because it feels so much like the AKI engine.

 

Another item that impressed me about this game is the very deep counter system which really gave the wrestling match some depth. The L and R shoulder buttons come in to play when using the counter system. The R shoulder button is used to counter punches while the L shoulder button is used to counter a grapple move. Using both these buttons together would

allow you to counter the finishing moves in the game. I did find myself having trouble with the counter system at first but I slowly realized that it has a lot to do with timing and less to do with button mashing. In-fact I did manage to counter a couple of finishing moves. Undertaker was performing the last ride on me and before you know it, just as Taker had pulled me up before finishing me off, Stone Cold leveled him with a series of punches.

 

Performing a finishing move requires you to build up your meter. This works much in the same was as SmackDown! does, once you reach a certain level you gain a finishing move. Pressing the A and B buttons simultaneously allows you to pull off your finishing move and you don't have to be in a grapple to do so. However, if your finishing move is countered you actually lose momentum. Some wrestlers will have more then one finishing move. Which a finishing move is used, the type of move will be determined by where you are standing in relation to the other wrestler. If for example you are using Kurt Angle and your opponent is face down on the mat you will end up doing the ankle lock. If you are standing behind your opponent you will do a triple German suplex and if you are in front of your opponent you will do an Angle Slam. There is also a flashing square beside this meter that acts as your stamina meter. When you start a match this meter is flashing green as you progress in the match this meter may change. If you are using too much stamina your meter starts to change from green to yellow and slowly to red. This gives the other superstar an opportunity to take advantage of your low stamina. However, I found that if you slowed down a bit your stamina meter quickly returned to green. The stamina meter is definitely going to be a great feature and will be an interesting factor in how matches play out.

 

There will be four on screen characters at once in this game. Plus you will also have a ref and two announcers. One thing that was also confirmed was that there would be no play-by-play commentary in the game. This seems to be unusual because there will be announcers at the announce table but no commentary. We will have to see if this stays the way it is or if they will decide not to add the announcers at all. You will also be able to smash through the announce tables.

 

A few other things to note, using the c-stick near the crowd will allow you to obtain weapons. The c-stick also allows you to target wrestlers. Pressing the c-stick towards the desired wrestler will automatically target that person. The D-Pad is used for taunts. For some of the wrestlers each direction on the d-pad will be a different taunt. The Wrestle Mania X-8 arena was confirmed to be in this game as well. In-fact, right after the press event they were going to Sky Dome to photograph the set. THQ is really concerned with keeping the game up-to-date. They also reconfirmed that the NWO will be in this game.

 

In conclusion, after playing this game I realized that no, it is not exactly like the AKI engine and it is definitely not like the

Yukes (SmackDown!) engine. This engine takes the best of both worlds and builds upon it to create a new wrestling experience that I found quite addictive. I have not owned a GameCube up until now. Wrestle Mania X-8 was essentially the deal breaker for me when it came to purchasing the console. If this was going to be another SmackDown!: JBI, I don't think I would be interested. I must say that Yukes has pulled it off this time round and created an incredibly enjoyable wrestling experience. Look for this game in late June.

 

I am sure you have some questions that I haven't answered in the above article. I visit the message boards so you can ask me a question there or you can email me at [email protected] and I will do my best to answer your questions.

 

I would like to thank Mike Regan and Matt Parker for letting me be their "special correspondent" and I hope to work with them again in the future. I would also like to thank the people over at THQ for letting me preview Wrestle Mania X-8 and for their hospitality.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

*pumps fist*

YES!

[Guest]

I actually saw some pics from the game today in Wizard magazine. This may be old news to a lot of folks but 30 guys, plus arenas plus gimmick matches. They mentioned specifically TLC but I also saw pics of HITC! I'm excited! Finally, HITC in a Nintendo game!

[Guest goodhelmet]

I'll just have to wait for the finished product. The game engine is important but the extras in No Mercy and WM2000 were just as important to me. And why is it that the wrestling games create limits on the amount of creatable characters? If I have the memory space, let me use it dammit!!!!!

[Guest Some Guy]

The game sounds pretty good. Booker, DDP, nWo, etc.. are gonna be in it which is cool and it apparently plays like No Mercy.  I think I'll be buying Gamecube in June.

[Guest BA_Baracus]

It's coming out in June.

 

It uses a new engine and is not developed by Aki.

 

...but the control system is very similar.  Basically it's Yukes attempt at making an Aki game...

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Well....did you say only 30 superstars? That kinda sucks. I'm used to the days of like over 40 wrestlers. Oh well it's still going to be awesome.

I wonder who'll be hidden?

[Guest Speed 6]

Well....did you say only 30 superstars? That kinda sucks. I'm used to the days of like over 40 wrestlers

 

Actually, I read somewhere (IGN, I think) that it could end up being something like 42 wrestlers in the game.  Also, theres around 20 new pics of the game at www.ign.com and at www.gamespot.com.

[Guest Big McLargeHuge]

IGN has a hands on preview as well. It's basically the same as WWFWG.com but with the A button as the grapple, and the B button to strike. Though, either site may have gotten mixed up.

[Guest Flyboy]

June 17th or June 18th... (that's if a delay doesn't occur)

 

Things I know (I kinda consider myself a WMX8 guru ):

 

 

The gameplay is similar to SD!2--well, the striking is.  Like in SD! you can continually punch your opponent (the three strike thing).. I have a video downloaded and it's pretty much the same.  

 

 

I don't have SD! JBI, but I heard in it you can do grapple moves but not from an actual grapple.  In WMX8, it will be pretty much the same thing from the people who played the game at the convention.. sort of.  Say Forward and A gives you a chokeslam and down and A gives you a suplex.  It does not do an ACTUAL grapple, but rather a ready move.  The only way to DO a grapple is to pick your opponent up with Y and A, and I think this gets you in an actual grapple, but you moves still stay the same.  Meaning, in the grapple the same combonations will be the same as the ready moves.  

 

No focusing on one body part either.  

 

Something I've noticed though.. I have two videos downloaded.  One in the beginning of a Rock/Angle match and another near the end of the same Rock/Angle match.  In the beginning, the gameplay seems very similiar to SD!2 but the second video--it's seems slowed down.  (Like in Raw, you have to watch your stamina).  It seemed more like NM in the end to me.

 

From what I've read, it's a mixture of NM and SD! arcade play.  From what I've seen, that seems to be true.  Either way I'm getting this game because of two reasons--those being... RVD and Lance Storm.  

 

 

I really hope that AKI adds in more input before the actual game is released.  Maybe more AKI-style grappling and focusing on one body part.  Not that I'm a SD! hater, I just thought that the AKI series had the suprior games.  (Simulation over arcade, anyday.)

 

Well, that's about all I know... if anyone has a question, I'll try to answer it the best I can or get the answer the best I can.  

 

(Note to self: Saving up $53 bucks with no job sucks, but for WMX8 I'm halfway there!)

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Well I'm an SD! hater. Seriously I hate the way you do moves in that game. Wrestling games should not play out like a simplistic fighting game.

I personally only like stuff from WCW vs. The World to No Mercy. They were just so easy and fun. Not that I don't like a challenge but I loved to lose myself in those games. It was easy to lose yourself.

[Guest Flyboy]

Me too--I loved the AKI games.  I loved them over the SD! games easily.  I could just sim up matches with my CAWs and such and just let it play out.  *sighs*  

 

I hope WMX8 is very much like this... or similar close.

[Guest]

Looks like you'll be saving your cash, because the grappling system is compared to Super Smash Brothers: Melee.

 

At least the RiW engine is better than Smackdown

What is the grapple engine is SSBM? I have the game but  I wouldn't say it exactly has a grapple engine.

 

I asked one of the Yukes staff how many costumes would be available for each wrestler and they informed that it would stay at two.

 

That sucks. There guys like Angle and Benoit and especially Jericho who have more costumes than two. That is a dumb move.

 

Me too--I loved the AKI games.  I loved them over the SD! games easily.  I could just sim up matches with my CAWs and such and just let it play out.  *sighs*  

 

You would watch the computer sim matches? That was the most boring part of the games!

[Guest]

Sorry double post.

[Guest]

These guys are all confirmed by THQ to be in the game:

 

Rock

HHH

Austin

Taker

Jericho

Angle

Hogan

Hall

Nash

Booker

Kane

Lance

Edge

Fatkishi

Hurricane

RVD

Matt

Jeff

Farooq

Bradshaw

 

That makes twenty wrestlers. I heard there will be at least 35 and maybe even 42 wrestlers so here is who else I think we'll see.

 

Big Show

Benoit

Billy

Bubba

Chuck

 

Christian

DDP

D-Von

Scotty

Tajiri

 

Tazz

Test

Regal

Rhyno

X-Pac

 

 

That will make 35. The only kind of major guys I left out were Albert, Goldust, Perfect, Spike and now Lesnar. Then you have the women....the 5 major ones (Steph, Lita, Trish, Jazz, Ivory) and the less major ones (Molly, Jackie, Torrie, Stacy, Torrie)

 

If I incluude the Steph, Lita, Jazz, Trish, and Lesnar and not those other 4 guys and Ivory there are now 40. Then two more if there is 42 guys, and those will probably be for Vince and Shane.

 

Now look at the less major guys or guys that I just don't think will be in the game.

 

Albert

Spike

Goldust

Perfect

Bossman

 

Hardcore

Godfather

Kanyon

Maven

Stasiak

 

Crash

Hugh Morrus

Kidman

Raven

Saturn

 

Funaki

Taka

Orton

Rico

Waterman

 

Dreamer

Henry

Bull

Molly

Jackie

 

Torrie

Stacy

Torrie

 

That is 28 people including some who will probably be brought up for the split who will be left out of the game. I probably left some out too.

 

I hope Yukes can decide to put more guys in or at least give us around 40 create a wrestler slots.

[Guest]

Finally here are some screenshots from Gamespot that I think were worth seeing:

 

Can anyone tell what is with Hurricane's mouth?

http://gamespot.com/gamespo....00.html

 

The Book looks like he has tits

http://gamespot.com/gamespo....00.html

 

Jericho is not even touching the ropes

http://gamespot.com/gamespo....00.html

 

Farooq looks like an Indian guy

http://gamespot.com/gamespo....00.html

 

It isn't a screen shot....but doesn't Rock's head look weird here?

http://gamespot.com/gamespo....00.html

 

The signs are gonna suck. Just three three colors

http://gamespot.com/gamespo....00.html

 

Like Oldertaker would ever take this bump

http://gamespot.com/gamespo....00.html

[Guest]

You left out Val Venis Jesuit. But you are right...there's going to be a bunch of guys left off. Youd think the game would have more than the N64 versions since the system is more powerful and all.

[Guest Big McLargeHuge]

Just to answer Jesuit Pig's questoin about Hurricane's mouth: Hurrican wears braces. Thus, the developers included it in the game.