After launching the Smackdown vs.
RAW franchise to critical and commercial success, YUKE’s and THQ are taking a
different approach to the pro-wrestling genre with their upcoming grappler, WWE:
Legends of Wrestlemania. Legends of Wrestlemania takes players back to the good
old days of Sgt. Slaughter, Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and so on, allowing
players to relive the best moments of Wrestlemanias 1-15. You’ll even be able to
make your own dream matches, pitting wrestlers like Hulk Hogan or Andre the
Giant against the likes of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock. The controls
are also casual enough for anyone to be able to get into, making it the perfect
wrestling game for those who haven’t gotten into the wrestling game genre in
several years.
WWE: Legends of Wrestlemania gives
you control of roughly 40 wrestlers from the past 20 years of the WWE. The
game features several different game modes, allowing you to rewrite, recreate,
or redefine classic bouts of Wrestlemanias past, turning the tides or changing
history as you see fit by taking on the roles of the winner or loser of each
Wrestlemania, or choosing a all new match-up. You can watch feud montages
leading up to each match, learning the history of each bout and the wrestlers
that partake in it. You’ll even be able to employ the use of managers in order
to give your wrestler extra assistance in the match, healing your wrestler or
distracting your opponent in some pretty funny ways.
As opposed to other wrestling games
in recent years, Legends of Wrestlemania features a very simplified control
scheme, requiring you to only use the left thumbstick and the face buttons to
control your wrestler and his moves. For casual wrestling fans who’ve been
overwhelmed by the complex control schemes in many wrestling titles, this is
definitely a blessing.
You’ll use the face buttons to
control your character’s punches, grabs and blocks, though you’ll still be able
to pull off some technical moves like advanced throws, turnbuckle moves and
signature finishers once you charge up your special meter. Once you become even
more comfortable with the controls, you’ll be able to perform reversals and
other more complex moves. While there is a certain skill level required to pull
off some of the more advanced moves in the game, it never feels overly
complicated.
One of the most intriguing new
elements in the game is the ability to import the roster from Smackdown vs. RAW
2009 into Legends of Wrestlemania. The added wrestlers will utilize the Legends
of Wrestlemania control scheme, and you’ll even be able to import your created
wrestlers into the mix, which is a fine touch.
Graphically, the game looks pretty
solid, with the character models stepping away from the sim side of other
wrestling titles in favor of a more arcade-style look. The characters look a lot
more muscular and larger than they were back in the day, but this adds to their
larger-than-life personas. The animations are generally pretty solid, but there
are some collision issues (hands will go right through some opponents, while
they’ll hover above them if you’re attempting certain grapples).
The game’s sound is pretty well
done, as each of the characters has their own authentic ring entrance music (the
WWE actually created some for the wrestlers that didn’t have them in their
time), and some great new commentary.
Legends of Wrestlemania is shaping
up to be a fun and accessible entry to the wrestling genre, giving casual fans
the chance to relive the glory days of the 80’s and early 90’s. Look for it to
release later this month.
