WWE WrestleMania XIX

YUKEs remind me of EA, they just churn out third rate titles with a big license, at least AKI had a grappling engine that was 20 years in the making!!


The best wreslting game on the Gamecube....   November 16, 2003
 3 out of 6 found this review helpful

...by miles and miles. Though perhaps not the best on the market. If you have a PS2 as well (like me) you may also have one of the Smackdown series of games (like me) and they are slightly better than this purely for the better match options and the fact you can have more people in the ring at any one time.

The controls on this one are easy to pick up with a couple of hours practice and there is a vast range of them here, also with the inclusion of location-specific damage as well as a good countering/reversal system.

The graphics are good here but in up close shots the bodies are still blocky which isn't great but that's small detail.

The only thing I wasn't happy with in this game is the fact you can only have 4 wrestlers in one bout normally and also there could have been more match types available to select.

There are no other flaws though, it is addictive and each match will play out diffrently from the last with a good range of difficulty settings to match your progress.

If you're a fan of WWE and have a gamecube then this is worth parting with your cash for.


A good solid game   October 17, 2003
 3 out of 5 found this review helpful

When I first read reviews/watched videos etc, I thought this game was going to be something special, and not to be compaired to the Smackdown or RAW series. Wrestlemania is more of an arcade game, yet the latest installment should please all buyers. The gameplay has improved from the previous episode, and it is much more wrestling based, so it will make for some good technical matchups, albeit sometimes frustrating.

The story mode 'Revenge' is somewhat pointless it seems, as basically you go through five areas, doing several missions in each, which basically involve destorying secruity guards/builders/shop guards etc, all in order to prevent Wrestlemania from happening. It is good, but like I said, it gets repetitive, and does seem like your wasting your time.

Create a Wrestler mode is awesome, everything has been changed, and improved, brilliant stuff, and the fact that you can change exisiting wrestlers from babyface to heel and likewise is great, meaning if your the Rock they'll chant Rocky sucks, but if you change to a face, they chant Rocky!

Overall, 3/5, but if you have a PS2 or RAW, go for RAW or Smackdown.


The Bottom Line   October 15, 2003
 17 out of 23 found this review helpful

So a while back i brought a gamecube because i was xcited by how gd wrestlemania X8 would be, considerin how successful the smackdown series of games were/are. And it was very dismal

But now theres wrestlemania XIX which could well be considered better than any other wrestling games ever! The Characters 1st of all are extremely detailed, especially "main event" superstars such as Stone Cold, The Rock and Undertaker. Entrances are fantastuc and spectacular. Moves can be modified and even if they are heels (bad guys) or babyfaces (good guys) can be edited! New characters also make an appearance in perfect quality such as Goldberg, Rey Mysterio and John Cena. Unfortunately old favourties that stil make an appearance such as the APA and Kevin Nash don't make an appearance in the game.

The Exhibition (random fights with whoever you want) has the usual matches such as single, tag, 3way, 4way, royal rumble, king of the ring, which leads into 2 more menus describing the rules (DQ, first blood, timer) and if theres a ladder,cage, hell in a cell ..etc...

Revenge' mode is the story mode of the game and is more like a beat'm'up than a true wrestling storyline. However this is an original idea that i welcomed and found sometimes funny and sometimes tough to play. It's all built on the idea of geting Revenge at Vince McMahon the WWE boss for him kicking you out of the WWE, in backstage areas and then finally @Wrestlemania itself.

Tutorial mode is lengthy and abit boring, however it is hosted by Al Snow and shows you how to do all advanced moves, holds and blocks.

Create-a-wrestler mode is the best i've ever seen! You can draw your own logos to go on the wrestlers and choose every detail of the character such as the size of their nose and shape, or the lighting effects at different points in their entrance!

ShopZone is added from 'No Mercy' where you must earn in Revenge mode to buy new weapons, clothes, and ability points, etc...

The Engine used for wrestling in and out of the ring is easily the most beautiful, and works very well with the gamecube controller. For example there are now weak grapples (similar to smackdown 4) and strong grapples (no mercy), where you an punch and knee the person in a variety of ways while holding them in the grapple. Specials are executed by A + B after delivering your special taunt which excites the crowd and scares your opponent :).

Overall a MUST for a wrestling fan, especially WWE, a GOOD choice for someone who likes beat'm'ups, and a definite NO to anyone who likes britneys dance machine on playstation!


EVEN BETTER THAN WWF NO MERCY(N64)   October 9, 2003
 1 out of 4 found this review helpful

Those of you who loved No Mercy for the N64 will realise that this game is very similar, however, you won't be too happy with the wrestler entrances as they are quite messy compared to the smooth graphics of smackdown games on the PS2