WWF Raw (1994 video game)

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WWF Raw
WWFRAW.png
Promotional flyer depicting WWF superstars The Undertaker, Yokozuna, Lex Luger, Razor Ramon, Bret "Hitman" Hart, Diesel, Luna Vachon, Owen Hart and Doink the Clown behind the original WWF Raw logo.
Developer(s) Sculptured Software
Realtime Associates Seattle (Handheld versions)
Publisher(s) Acclaim Entertainment [a]
Platform(s)
Release
November 1994
  • Super NES
    • NA: November 1994
    • EU: December 1994
    Genesis
    • NA: November 28, 1994
    • EU: November 1994
    Game Boy
    • NA: November 1994
    • EU: 1994
    Game Gear
    32X
Genre(s) Sports-based fighting
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

WWF Raw is a professional wrestling video game based on the television show of the same name produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), released for the SNES, 32X, Mega Drive/Genesis, and Game Boy in late 1994 and early 1995 by Acclaim Entertainment. It is the sequel to the WWF Royal Rumble game that was released in 1993, and is the final part of LJN's 16-bit WWF trilogy. Players can play either One-on-One, Tag Team, Bedlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, or a Raw Endurance Match. Unlike its predecessor, WWF RAW is multitap compatible. [2]

Contents

WWF RAW introduces differences between the characters in that they not only have their own signature moves, but differing move sets altogether (including new over-the-top "mega moves"). The game adds many moves not seen in the previous games, such as a DDT, a fallaway slam, and various types of suplexes. Additionally, wrestlers differ in attributes of speed, strength, stamina, and weight.

The game itself is arcade-like and involves a "tug-of-war" system in which, when the wrestlers lock-up, a meter appears above them and players must repeatedly press buttons to pull the energy away from the opponent's side to theirs. With more energy, they can perform moves with greater impact. Once an opponent's energy is low enough, a player can perform a wrestler's unique signature move.

Gameplay

Match types

Luna Vachon takes on Yokozuna in an Intergender match (Super NES version). WWFRawSNESLunaVachonvsYokozuna.png
Luna Vachon takes on Yokozuna in an Intergender match (Super NES version).

General rules:

Types:

Finishing & Mega Moves

Every wrestler has a unique move based on their real-life finishing move. They all need to be performed in specific positions when the targeted opponent is low on stamina. They all use exactly the same button combination, and most characters taunt if the move was successful. Shawn Michaels' finishing move is the "Catapult Suplex", a version of his then finishing move the "Teardrop Suplex". Both Bret Hart and Owen Hart use the "Sharpshooter", which is a hold. If the Sharpshooter causes the opponent's health to deplete fully, then they will submit. The correct move positions are noted in the game's instruction manual.

All versions of the game apart from the handheld versions also have Mega Moves. These are greatly exaggerated moves which cause the most damage. In most cases, they will knock an opponent out of the ring. If this happens in a Royal Rumble, then the opponent is eliminated. The player can execute these moves using a character specific button combination. Most of them are easy to avoid due to their long set-up animations. For example, both, Lex Luger and The Undertaker swing their arms in a circular motion before punching the opponent. As they are winding up their arms, the opponent has time to walk away from the target area. Other moves cannot be countered, like Diesel's literal throw towards the ceiling.

Rosters

Wrestler SNES/Genesis Sega 32X Game Gear Game Boy
1-2-3 Kid Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg
Bam Bam Bigelow Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svgDark Red x.svg
Bret Hart Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg
Crush Dark Red x.svgDark Red x.svgCheck-green.svgDark Red x.svg
Diesel Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg
Doink the Clown Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgDark Red x.svgCheck-green.svg
Kwang Dark Red x.svgCheck-green.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg
Lex Luger Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg
Luna Vachon Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg
Owen Hart Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg
Randy Savage Dark Red x.svgDark Red x.svgCheck-green.svgDark Red x.svg
Razor Ramon Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg
Shawn Michaels Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg
The Undertaker Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg
Yokozuna Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg

Version differences

Reception

On release, Famitsu magazine scored the Mega Drive version of the game a 19 out of 40. [4] Quick-Draw McGraw of GamePro gave it a positive review, praising the selection of fighters, variety of moves, lack of slowdown, the sound effects, and the many skill settings. He did, however, criticize the fact that all the wrestlers are rendered at the same height, even ones who have drastic height differences in real life. [6]

Next Generation gave the SNES version of the game three stars out of five and wrote that "there are still many aspects of pro wrestling that none of the WWF games have yet to cover, so why not go after those?" [5] Quick-Draw McGraw of GamePro was even more laudatory towards the SNES version, remarking that the controls are more precise and the graphics more detailed than those of the Genesis/Mega Drive version. [7]

GamePro's Air Hendrix dismissed the 32X version, saying it is identical to the Genesis version aside from some minor graphical improvements. [8] The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly agreed, and further criticized that the control is poor and the opponent AI is overly hard to beat on all but the easiest difficulty setting. They scored it a 5.75 out of 10. [3] Next Generation reviewed the 32X version of the game, rating it two stars out of five. [9]

See also

References

  1. "Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2015". p. 15. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Longest absence from WWE games: The longest time spent away from appearing in official WWF and WWE games is an epic 16 years 4 months, achieved by "Macho Man" Randy Savage. After appearing in the Game Gear release WWF Raw in November 1994, the Macho Man wouldn't feature in official wrestling federation games again until WWE All Stars , released in March 2011.
  2. "Team Player". Sega Retro. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Team EGM Box Score: WWF Raw (32X) by Acclaim". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 73. Sendai Publishing. August 1995. p. 120.
  4. 1 2 New Games Cross Review – WWF RAW. Weekly Famitsu. No.352. Pg.29. 15 September 1995.
  5. 1 2 "Finals". Next Generation . No. 2. Imagine Media. February 1995. pp. 102–103.
  6. "ProReview: WWF Raw". GamePro . No. 77. IDG. February 1995. p. 42.
  7. "ProReview: WWF Raw". GamePro . No. 77. IDG. February 1995. p. 66.
  8. "ProReview: WWF Raw". GamePro . No. 83. IDG. August 1995. p. 54.
  9. "Finals". Next Generation . No. 8. Imagine Media. August 1995. p. 71.

Notes

  1. Released under the LJN brand name on Nintendo systems.