WWE WrestleMania X8

"WWE's first wrestling game on gamecube does one heck of a job."

Can the first wrestling game on Gamecube carry on the legacy that the N64 games by AKI had? Can Yukes take over the position left by AKI? Can a variety of new, fun matches cover up for major changes? Keep reading to find out.

Graphics: This is probably the only thing that could get improved and still make it as fun as games on N64 and other old systems. I chose Hurricane vs. HHH at the Wrestlemania X8 arena when I first played just to see how real it looked compared to its real-life counterparts. Everything in the arena is set up like their real life counterparts and the entrances looked just like your watching it on TV, it would be very hard to tell the difference (there is that stuff that makes you know its a video game.... but you know what I am trying to say.) There are actual videos for the wrestlers entrances too, not just a bunch of photos put together making it look like it is a moving video. The entrances are complete and the characters do everything they do in real-life. The in ring graphics look great, but not as good as the entrances. They remind me of smackdown (PSX, PS2) too much, which is a bad thing. But besides that, the graphics are absolutist astounding and I have nothing to complain about.

Gameplay: The graphics can look as realistic as they want, but it is completely useless if the gameplay is terrible. Now remember, Yukes, creator of the Smackdown series, is doing this game so you can expect a completely outrageous control from what you were used to on N64. If you are a fan of the smackdown series, you will get used to it quicker. No more weak a + up, down left right, strong a, etc.... Its now down to a, up a, down a, left a, right a. There is no grapple; all you do is just press a button. The controls are pretty nice and very easy to use, which is good for beginners, but a lot of the people would prefer the No Mercy controls over this one. But anyway, it is simple to learn. Reverse is L (moves), R (strikes), and L+R (specials) No specials for a limited time. You earn it; you keep it till you use it. Three max at one time. These controls are perfect for matches like Hell in a Cell and Tables, Ladders, and Chairs. If people hate these controls, then you obviously do not deserve to play the game and appreciate it for what it is.

Sound: Woah!!!! Real Music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is great since many people hated the music quality in the AKI games (I am basing that by the people I have talked to.) But there is a downside; this is only the entrances. During the match, there are about 3 different songs and when your playing a tough match, after about 15 min., it gets pretty annoying and will start to drive you insane (remember, if you see odd stuff because the music is driving you insane, there are no insanity effects in this game as this is Wrestlemania not Eternal Darkness.) That is basically all of the sounds in this game.

Replay Value: My this is a fun game, but is it worth playing it over? First of all, there is no story mode, just a series of matches so it is less fun. If you enjoy this game and its glorious matches, then yes, it is very much worth playing again. But if you truly do not like the game, then the game will appear boring to you and you will think it is terrible. It is basically whether you like wrestling games or not on whether you should play this game again.

Multiplayer Value: If there were one thing Yukes did as well as AKI, then that would have to be multiplayer. That was the strong point of the N64 games and Yukes did a good job of sticking to tradition, kind of. One to Four people can play at once in a variety of matches including hardcore, cage, hell in a cell, and tables ladders and chairs. If everyone plays the game correctly, this proves to be a good time for everyone. Once everyone is skilled at the game, be prepared for long (20-30 min.) matches with loads of mistakes, cheap actions, and loads of laughs and fun. This is definitely worth playing when you play with human players.

Overall: So what happens when you combine all of the above? You get a good graphic, multiplayer fun game filled with bad music during the match and easy to learn controls for a bundle of fun. I suggest you buy this game if you find beating up people in cool ways fun and if you want a good multiplayer game for the Gamecube. It is not worth the buy for single player unless you are extremely bored or just a die-hard fan that cant let the game rest.

Graphics: 8/10
Game Play: 8/10
Sound: 5/10
Replay Value: 5/10
Multiplayer Value: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/03/03, Updated 04/03/03