WCW vs. nWo: World Tour

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WCW vs. nWo: World Tour
Image:WCW vs. nWo - World Tour Coverart.png
North American boxart, featuring The Giant and Hollywood Hogan
Developer(s) Asmik Ace Entertainment
Aki Corporation
Publisher(s) THQ
Platform(s) Nintendo 64
Release date Flag of the United States November 28, 1997
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: K-A (Kids to Adults)
Media Cartridge

WCW vs nWo: World Tour is a professional wrestling video game released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64 game console. The game was THQ's first foray into the Nintendo 64 wrestling scene and is a semi sequel to the lesser known WCW vs. The World for the PlayStation. In the beginning, Asmik Ace and AKI began producing a wrestling game that was similar to Puroresu and fighting games for WCW. The game was very well received due to its tight construction and ease of play, especially compared to Acclaim's comparatively more difficult and convoluted game, WWF War Zone.

Contents

[edit] The game

World Tour revolutionized wrestling games much like the nWo storyline did for wrestling. The game introduced Asmik/AKI's critically acclaimed grappling system, in which all moves are started by holds. Choosing to either tap or hold the A button will subsequently produce either "weak" or strong results once the move is performed, while a similar system is used for strikes. Wrestlers can also perform taunts to help elevate their Spirit gauge and perform "Special" front and rear grapple moves when their gauge peaks. Due to this innovative control style, the game sold phenomenally well and soon reached Player's Choice status.

In addition to single, tag team, handicap, and battle royal, match modes not seen in future releases include a WCW vs. nWo tournament, round-robin tournament, and league tournaments more familiar to Japanese wrestling. Unlike today's wrestling games, World Tour features no create-a-wrestler mode, no "real" story mode, no ring entrances, and has a limited amount of actual WCW wrestlers.

Asmik Ace and THQ did include a number of "fictional" characters in the game, who are actually Japanese wrestlers that appeared in that country's version of the game, Virtual Pro Wrestling 64. They appear in the American version with names changed due to copyright laws. These Japanese wrestlers include, among others FMW stars such as Hayabusa, who was renamed "Hannibal," and Atsushi Onita, who was renamed "Puchtecha," as well as future WWF stars such as Taka Michinoku, who went by the moniker of "Black Belt." These characters were also given extravagant profiles in the game's official strategy guide (Abdullah the Butcher, renamed "Saladin," is described as a former Afghan Secret service operative who refused orders to assassinate Mikhail Gorbachev).[1] The player can also enable bleeding despite the practice being forbidden in WCW at the time.

The sequel to World Tour, WCW/nWo Revenge, would continue the success of its predecessor. Revenge built upon the engine tremendously by introducing ring entrances, improved graphics, more arenas, more signature moves, actual WCW championships, attire modification, and other improvements.

[edit] Featured wrestlers

In addition to several WCW and nWo wrestlers, World Tour features many wrestlers from foreign promotions. In light of copyright concerns, the names and appearances of these wrestlers were changed, but their movesets remain intact. Also featured are dangerous moves that are virtually unseen in American wrestling and more common in Japan. This includes the Tiger suplex and full nelson suplex.

[edit] World Championship Wrestling

[edit] New World Order

[edit] Dead or Alive Wrestling (FMW)

[edit] Independent Union (Michinoku Pro)

[edit] Whole World Wrestling

Note: Whole World Wrestling is unlocked by winning either all the heavyweight or all the cruiserweight championships.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Another Look Back: WCW vs. NWO World Tour Official Strategy Guide Video-Armageddon.Blogspot.com (March 13, 2007). Retrieved December 23, 2007.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^  Unlock by winning either the WCW Heavyweight or WCW Cruiserweight Championship in league challenge.
  2. ^  Unlock by winning the nWo Singles Championship in league challenge.
  3. ^  Commonly thought of as Terry Gordy. In actuality is Kodo "Samson" Fuyuki of All Japan/FMW fame. He is wearing Footloose(tag team with Toshiaki Kawada) tights in slots 3 and 4.
  4. ^  Unlock by winning either the DOA Heavyweight or DOA Cruiserweight Championship in league challenge.
  5. ^  Unlock by winning the IU Singles Championship in league challenge.
  6. ^  Unlock by winning the World Super Heavyweight Championship in league challenge.
  7. ^  Judging by his appearance, Bruiser may be based on Muhammad Ali.
  8. ^  Unlock by winning the World Super Crusierweight Championship in league challenge.

[edit] See also

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Video games based on World Championship Wrestling
Languages