WWF WRESTLEMANIA 2000

Reviewed By: Carole Stewart McDonnell
VOLUNTEER GUEST REVIEWER
GAME TECH INFO

Computer Platform: Nintendo 64
Produced by: Nintendo
Price Range: $30-65
Learning curve time: 2 hrs.
Age level: 16+

Genre: Sports
Christian Rating: 1 of 5
   (very offensive)
Gameplay: 3 of 5
   (average)
Violence: 1 of 5
   (extreme)
Adult Content: 1 of 5
   (extreme)

This is one of those games that I wish had never been created. As if children don't see too much wrestling on television as it is, there are video games to help bring this bloodlust everywhere.

In this violent and over-the-top game, players are able to choose their players/champions, with each players' attending “moves”, strengths, and weaknesses. Contrary to what wrestling officials say about the wrestling-related injuries and deaths among children, children DO practice wrestling moves on each other. Children are born to imitate. My son plays this game constantly. He plays it by himself and with other neighborhood children in its multiplayer mode. When the championship bout is finished, I inevitably hear wrestling and tousling coming from his bedroom. On entering, I inevitably find three or four kids in a wrestling hold.

I cannot recommend this game. I do not like the violence. Some of the wrestlers “code phrases” and “theme music” are more offensive than others. I find the Undertaker especially offensive. In addition, one of the "Undertaker's" theme music starts out “Accept the lord of darkness as your savior.” I don't find this kind of humor amusing at all.

Year of Release—1999




Positive—If you like the nitro series you will like this game. The game itself is pretty vulgar, I wouldn't let my nieces or nephews play it (even though they're exposed to greater vulgarities). This game is easy to get into and play. Just remember its only a game. :) My Ratings: [1/5]
   —Samson Creech, age 21

Neutral—I didn't find this game as offensive as the main reviewer did. I'll admit, I don't like to watch the WWF on TV much, because of their bad morals. I wasn't too thrilled with Steve Austin's middle finger taunt, Billy Gunn's mooning taunt, or the Undertaker's gimmick at the time. That's why I usually fought against them. But I don't recall the Undertaker's theme music telling you to accept him as your lord and savior. I just heard laughing and weird chants. I do, however, wish that wrestling was more like the old days, not with Hulk Hogan (the antichrist of wrestling), but back when it was more wrestling than spectacle. That's why I usually watch the independent federations that actually have much better talent than the WWF. My Ratings: [3/5]
   —Reed, age 18

…If you're a strong enough christian to handle professional wrestling, then this game is for you. And you happen to like that sort of thing, this game is for you. If you find professional wrestling objectionable, then you should not play this game. If you were to disregard the content, and judge the game solely on how it plays, it wouldn't get a very high rating in my book… My Ratings: [4/1]
   —Dave Jamison, age 22

It's an okay game, although I personally think that some "children's" entertainment has gone too far in its “edginess”. Is it really necessary to see the middle finger or “mooning” of people? At least the gameplay is easy to learn: push one button for each type of attack, rather than "memorize this button combination". And the create-a-character mode will get your creativity flowing. I've already made several characters thus far. I just wish that wrestling itself stuck to the values it had when I was young. Whatever happened to the days of Hulk Hogan telling kids to eat their vegetables and go to bed on time?
   —C. Gally, age 19, non-Christian

This is an okay game, yet at times it can be offensive. Showing the middle finger and pulling down pants is not very good viewing. In my opinion, this game should be kept away from the younger kids. My Ratings: [2/3]
   —D. Foley, age 18

Positive—After reading all the reviews, I'm a little shocked. No one mentioned the awesome create-a-wrestler mode. WWF:W2K is quite possibly the greatest wrestling game ever to reach console! You haven't truly played WWF:W2K until you have created a wrestler and tweaked every last move and physical feature in the exhaustive create-a-wrestler mode. My friends and I would spend days modifying and testing our custom gladiators only to fight to the finish in the ultra-competetive 3-way match. So, in regard to offensive material all I can say is, "What offensive material?" Truly, my friends and I played the entire game and when it comes down to it you have the most exciting multiplayer game ever made for the N64. The custom wrestler mode ensures that your game only contains what you put into it. Don't use the “finger” taunt if you don't want it. This is a great game and should be played for, like all other games, for the fun-factor. My Ratings: [5/5]
   —Nick Danger, age 22

Comments from Young People…

I've played this game only a few times; it's okay but not fantastic. My point of posting this is not really to review the game but to put in my two cents on pro wrestling. I am 17 years old and have been watching wrestling since I was four or five. The wresting I watched as a younger child was completely different from wrestling today, and I agree children should not watch it… I suggest "WWF Smackdown", it's a better game. My Ratings: [3/4]
   —Patrick McDaniel, age 17

From an entertainment standpoint, it is an okay game. Some of the elements of the game are and would be offensive to young children. From a Christian standpoint, I found no value in it. This generation is so desensitized from the Bible and morals that the world won't care. I give the game one thing. It was easy to control the wrestler's moves and actions. It is kind of sad to see where wrestling has gone from the glory days of the legends. My Ratings: [3/5]
   —Adam Miller, age 14

…the best of the wrestling genre, and gets rave reviews from even the most stringent of game reviewers. In Australia, this game has an M 15+ rating. So people have some discretion over who plays it…
   —Adam McFarlane, age 16

Positive—Why is everyone saying bad things of this game and wrestling? I have to say “No Mercy” is the best WWF game, but this one is pretty good too. IMO WWF is MUCH better now than that plain old cartoonish wrestling, I like this kind of wrestling more. Its more exciting. My Ratings: [3/5]
   —Raven, age 12


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