WCW/nWo Revenge

Developer: AKI Corp. Publisher: THQ

Released: October 26, 1998 Rated: E 8/10

With the success of WCW vs. nWo World Tour and Virtual Pro Wrestling 64 providing more than enough foundation for a follow-up, the next move was likely obvious to anyone who has gotten their hands on the best wrestling game to date. All it needed was another coat of paint to further recreate the on-screen product of a still red-hot wrestling company, and that’s where Revenge comes in. A US/Europe exclusive release, Revenge comes off like a yearly update similar to what we see from wrestling and other sports titles nowadays, but one that makes progress in a great leap, mirroring the breakneck pace at which wrestling evolves, particularly during this unprecedented boom period.

This involves not just updating the roster, logos, attires, and factions from 52 weeks of development, but also making its developments towards a more mechanically complete engine, and even implementing some future-proofing features that would approach revolutionary status at the time. With on-screen characters changing allegiances on a weekly basis, the ability to reflect a company in constant flux became of paramount importance. While we wouldn’t see something truly comparable to the full creation suite until AKI themselves switched sides over to the WWF with WrestleMania 2000, but the editor mode for names, faction, and attire introduced in Revenge is a massive step forward, even if other series offered something like it already, and the version of it here is rather simplistic.

You can totally turn somebody into Ice Train and take my boys to the top of the tag team division if you want

What we do get in Revenge that we simply won’t ever see again in an official capacity is the best WCW-licensed game of all time, fully springboarding into its form off of its globally-focused predecessors. Even if only five arenas and only the basics of match options seems barebones, Revenge offers plenty for fans of the company with a snapshot of the product quite literally as close to the tipping point as ever. I try to avoid getting too specific when writing about the product featured in these games, but hitting shelves only a few weeks before the “Fingerpoke of Doom” closes out the first Monday Nitro of 1999 is cutting it pretty close for the boom period. Revenge covers a roster featuring the nWo Black and White and Wolfpac factions, Raven and the Flock, cruiserweights like Psicosis and Chris Jericho, and other talent added since World Tour like Goldberg, Booker T, and Fit Finlay. There’s a very particular feeling to this game and wrestling fans will absolutely appreciate exactly what is on offer here.

Explore your wildest fantasy bookings within Ted Turner’s playground

It’s a bit harder to point out gameplay improvements by comparison, but there is certainly a finer polish on the engine and presentation across the board. The Spirit system continues to make matches exciting in a way only AKI offers at this time, mimicking momentum swings and a natural progression and psychology in matches. Animations and presentation are great, highlighted by crucial character moments like Sting descending from the rafters, La Parka playing air guitar on his steel chair, and both dancing fool gimmicks (Alex Wright and Disco Inferno) busting a move with ease. Music is again largely a matter of the nostalgia it invokes, but like its predecessor, World Tour, the tunes on offer deliver the energy even with a simplistic MIDI library to work from and the composers should once again be praised.

“Dancing jobber” gimmick — now in domestic flavor!

WCW/nWo Revenge is not WWF No Mercy in its refinement or wealth of content. But it is a massive step up from an already strong debut on the system, and AKI understood the assignment as far as what it was missing from WCW vs. nWo World Tour. AKI Corp. is an unstoppable machine at this point barreling towards bigger and better success that naturally had the WWF calling and WCW getting off at the next stop due to not wanting to share. Because of this, Revenge is the ultimate WCW video game as far as what what was actually shipped (not ROMHacks or created content in other games) and it doesn’t take long to realize that once you fire it up.