WWF Raw

"The last WWF tap-fest game"

*WWF RAW* is the third installment of Acclaim's wrestling series on the Super Nintendo. Preceeding it were *Super WrestleMania* and *Royal Rumble.* Overall, the series has not changed dramatically since the first game, but the game has added different elements to the basic engine. Trademark moves, more characters, and the addition of Mega-Moves have been implemented since *Super WrestleMania's* initial release in 1991.

No wrestling game can be very remarkable without a stellar cast of characters. Being a WWF game, you know *RAW* has this area covered before turning on the cartridge. A BRIEF (this IS a review, not a FAQ) history/description of each character is printed at the end of this review.


GAMEPLAY/MODES

*WWF RAW* is jam-packed with gameplay options. As many as 4 players can make use of the multi-tap in the following modes, well except for the one-on-one mode, of course.

One-on-One....... (single match or 11-match tournament)
Tag Team......... (single match or 5-match tournament)
Royal Rumble..... (12-man, over the top rope match)
Bedlam........... (tag match where all 4 men are legal)
Survivor Series.. (teams of up to 4 in an elim. match)
Raw Endurance.... (face 6 opponents in succession)

A brawl option may be implemented in some game modes. No referee is assigned to the match and the first person to have their life-bar depleted is the loser.


As in the previous SNES WWF games, grapple moves are pulled off by tapping buttons as fast as possible. Other moves, like flying elbow drops and clotheslines, can be executed with a single button-press. For your information, grapples are initiated by pressing the ''X'' button while standing near your opponent.

*WWF RAW* uses a basic life-bar system. When you lose more energy, then the less likely kicking-out of a pin is possible. As the life-bar dips into the red area (around 1/4 energy), trademark moves can be performed. Matches take place from a side view, so all of the moves take place in only two directions: left and right. If the ref is knocked down too many times, he'll call it quits and head for the backstage area. In this case, the person to withdraw full energy from their opponent wins.

An effective way to defeat the opposition is to use the following method. Lure your enemy outside of the ring and smash him in the stomach repeatedly! This will drain them ''down ta nothin'' without having to tap the hell out of the buttons.

In the Royal Rumble mode, matches start with two opponents in the ring. Up to 6 wrestlers can be in the ring at once. The best way to be the victor in this match is to select a wrestler with the ability to peform the back body drop move. Just grapple in mid-ring, whip him into the ropes, stand near the opposite side (near the ropes), and toss him straight over your head onto the concrete floor. Rumbles can be won in under a minute and a half by using this simple strategy.


MUSIC/SOUND/GRAPHICS

Since I'm not giving the categories individual scores (don't feel like it), I figured I'd just group these together. The music and sound in this title are eeeeeeeexcellent. On the player select screen, the wrestler's theme music plays while a real picture of him/her is being displayed. The game's intro is as close to the REAL RAW opening-sequence as I think it possibly could have been done. Thank goodness for evolution...

During matches, a player will grunt (they all sound the same for some reason, except for Luna) and the camera will ''shake'' if a high-impact move occurs. The referee makes a slow, yet steady, three-count while barking out the current number he is on. A smack over the head with a steel chair sounds rather gruesome. Good stuff.



APPEARING IN THE GAME...

Bret Hart- ''The Hitman'' is a 5-time former World Wrestling Federation. Originally a member of the Hart Foundation, this Calgary native will attempt to make you submit with the Sharpshooter.

Yokozuna- 2-time former world champion Yokozuna tipped the scales at around 650 pounds during his heaviest WWF days. Unable to keep his weight down, this Polynesian sumo-wrestler was released from the federation in 1996. Beware the Banzai Drop.

Undertaker- The ''Man from the Darkside'' has been a staple atop the federation's roster since the early ninetees. This 6'10'' grappler from Death Valley will try to make you rest in peace after delivering his patented Tombstone Pile Driver.

Bam Bam Bigelow- ''The Beast from the East'' sports a black, flamed outfit that covers most of his body. To go along with his bald head and 400 pound frame, Bigelow has flames tattooed all over his shiny dome.

Razor Ramon- The real-life Scott Hall initally earned great fame as Razor Ramon in the World Federation. Standing at 6'7'' and weighing 300+ pounds, ''The Bad Guy'' looks to lay a hurtin' on you while he ''oozes machismo.''

Doink- The WWF's resident clown. Originally an evil prankster, Doink changed his ways and became a fan-favorite. During the characters tenure, ''Doink'' was played by several wrestlers, but mostly by Matt Borne. I wouldn't blame you for not knowing him... Anyway, Doink's not too big a fellow and he has the funniest Mega-Move in the game.

Shawn Michaels- ''The Heartbreak Kid'' is a fast, somewhat annoying, 5'11'' speedster from San Antonio, Texas. He is often referred to, by myself, as the best wrestler/entertainer of all time. Before he started using his ''Sweet Chin Music,'' he performed a variation of a belly-to-back suplex to finish off his opponents... and you guessed it... that's his trademark move in this game.

1-2-3 Kid- Before Sean Waltman became today's X-Pac (and learned how to work the microphone), he was known as the Lightning Kid. Upon entering the Federation, The Kid earned a suprise pin-fall victory over Razor Ramon. He somehow came to be called the 1-2-3 Kid. While in WCW he was called ''Syxx Pac.'' When entering the Federation for his current stint, he joined Degeneration X, thus earning the title of X-Pac... Anyway, he's the fastest character in the game.

Diesel- The World Wrestling Federation was ''running on Diesel Power'' shortly after this game's release. A 7-footer, Diesel will overpower you with his sidewalk slam and his finisher, The Jack Knife Powerbomb.

Luna Vachon- Why the developers would include only one woman in this game is beyond my reasoning. Since when did this firey vixen ever wrestle a man one-on-one in the WWF. She's a psycho, nontheless.

Owen Hart- Unfortunately, Owen Hart was never able to live up to his full potential. He tragically fell to his death in May of 1999 during a Federation pay-per-view. The younger brother of Bret Hart, Owen Hart is quicker and more agile than the Hitman. He also uses the same finishing move: The Sharpshooter.

Lex Luger- Lex dropped the ''Total Package'' moniker when entering the WWF to become the self-obsessed ''Narcissist.'' He would bring a mirror down to the ring and admire himself before each match. Well, this gimmick ran its course, so Lex decided to become a full-fledged patriot. Wearing the red-white-and-blue,'' Lex will try to knock you could with a running forearm smash. He has a metal plate installed in his left arm after a motorcycle crash.


***USELESS TRICK*** Knock the ref down until he gets mad and storms to the backstage area. Quickly exit the ring and try to run into him, thus knocking him down, as he leaves. If done correctly, he'll get back up and walk straight toward a dead-end corner. He'll just keep walking in place. The match can't end now, so you're best off resetting the console. I told you it was useless.


SUMMARY

If a great wrestling game for the SNES with REAL wrestlers is what you dig, then this game is an ideal choice. The Mortal-Kombatesque *WrestleMania: The Arcade Game* is best off being bought for another console, since it lacks 2 of the original 8 characters due to memory problems. For more fun wrestling action on your SNES, purchase *Saturday Night Slam Masters.*

BEST FEATURE- 4-player bedlam matches
WORST FEATURE- Players are all the same size!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/04/00, Updated 05/04/00