WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game is a coin-op created by Midway in 1995.

It is impossible to deny that many of today's adults grew up with games like Super Mario Bros or Sonic. But when they took a break from consoles and decided to watch TV, very few people could deny that they were attracted to WWE (at that time WWF) fights and defended to the death the idea that they were real. With this in mind, a company very used to success decided to join their experience in fighting games with this sensation that had been going on for many years. Thus, WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game (not to be confused with the 1991 title by Ocean) was born.

Midway - the same company that created the Mortal Kombat franchise - developed and published the game in 1995. Originally an arcade, the entry has been distributed on Mega Drive, SNES, PlayStation, Saturn, DOS, and Sega 32X. Also, although it was only intended as a promotion for the wrestling franchise, the game received good reviews from critics and is well remembered by the public.

If you played Mortal Kombat, WWF would be very familiar, basically because the word "copy" is too small for it. Graphics, gameplay, animation, fighting styles, and even menus: everything feels taken from Midway's most tremendous success, which was releasedthree3 years earlier. However, this decision was relatively safe because they bet on a video game formula that worked and applied it to a television show that was also a success. Even I don't know about you, but if I had known as a kid that I would be able to buy a game that allowed me to play as The Undertaker, I would have done it even if he was doing participation in Donkey Kong.

On the other hand, it is unfair to say that WWF Arcade did not try to add anything new to the formula. In it, you can interact with the environment, like throwing enemies from the ring, jumping from the ropes, or using chairs or hammers. Furthermore, the player can move all over the ring, unlike the classic 2D linearly oriented MK. Finally, the user could participate in several tournaments for the title of the WWF, whereas before, he had to go through many fights that could even be in handicap mode.

Graphically, the title does not stand out and does not try in the least to get away from Mortal Kombat. Besides, the latter has many maps, while the WWF always takes place in the ring. The colors in the arcade version are much warmer and more intense, while the rest seems to share a much colder and more reserved aesthetic, where shadows and blues surround even the public. Finally, the adventure has the comments of Vince McMahon and Jerry "The King" Lawler, so these worlds are more linked than you might think.

In short, WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game is not trying to contribute anything to a genre dominated by Mortal Kombat; it is just a massive advertisement for its natural counterpart. As this can be negative for some, for others, it can be a relief that instead of learning a new playing style, they want to win the WWF championship with their favorite fighter. Now, to your 10-year-old self: this is your chance to play it and make it.