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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
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{{Infobox CVG| title = WCW vs. nWo: World Tour
{{short description|1997 video game}}
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| image =
{{Infobox video game
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| developer = [[Asmik Ace Entertainment]] <br> [[Inland Productions]]
⚫
| title = WCW vs. nWo: World Tour
| image = WCW vs. nWo - World Tour Coverart.png
| caption = North American Nintendo 64 cover art, featuring [[Big Show|The Giant]] and [[Hollywood Hogan]]
⚫
| developer = [[Asmik Ace Entertainment]]<br />[[Syn Sophia|AKI Corporation]]
| publisher = [[THQ]]
| publisher = [[THQ]]
| director = Spirits of Kasa Jizou
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| designer =
| engine =
| producer =
⚫
| designer =
| released = [[November 28]], [[1997]]
| programmer =
| genre = [[Sports game|Sports]]
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| artist =
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| modes = [[Single player]], [[multiplayer]]
| writer =
| ratings = [[ESRB]]: Everyone (E)
| composer = Hideaki Mitsui
| engine =
| platforms = [[Nintendo 64]]
| platforms = [[Nintendo 64]]
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|December 2, 1997<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-04-16 |title=PR - 12/2/97 - THQ JUMPS INTO NINTENDO 64 SQUARED CIRCLE WITH RELEASE OF 'WCW VS. NWO: WORLD TOUR™' |url=http://www.thq.com/Corporate/PressReleases/press-27.asp |access-date=2023-03-18 |archive-date=April 16, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040416010844/http://www.thq.com/Corporate/PressReleases/press-27.asp |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>|EU|February 12, 1998}}
| media = [[Cartridge (electronics)|Cartridge]]
| genre = [[List of video game genres#Sports-based fighting|Sports]]
| requirements =
⚫
| modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
| input =
}}
}}
'''WCW vs nWo: World Tour''' was a [[video game]] released in [[1997]] on the [[Nintendo 64]] game console. The game was released at a time when [[World Championship Wrestling]] was the number 1 wrestling promotion in [[North America]] and the (then) [[World Wrestling Federation]] was facing severe difficulties financially and were recovering from from the last several years of a creative nadir.


'''''WCW vs. nWo: World Tour''''' is a [[professional wrestling]] video game released in 1997 for the [[Nintendo 64]] [[video game console|game console]]. Released at the peak of [[World Championship Wrestling]]'s (WCW) dominance in the [[Monday Night War]], ''World Tour'' was [[THQ]]'s first foray into the N64 wrestling scene and is a semi-[[sequel]] to the lesser known ''[[WCW vs. the World]]'' for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]. It is the second best-selling wrestling game for the N64 console.<ref name="magicboxus" />
When the WWF was at their lowest point probably ever in the mid 1990s two very popular wrestlers did manage to emerge from their roster. One being [[Razor Ramon]] played by [[Scott Hall]] as a direct take off on [[Al Pacino]]'s Cuban gangster [[Tony Montana]] from [[Scarface]]. Hall had struggled in regional promotions in the Florida area and in Turner's NWA (Scott "Gator" Hall), and later when that territory renamed itself as [[WCW]] in 1991 he became The Diamond Studd to a similar lack of fanfare. When he surfaced in the middle of the hot Ultimate Maniacs vs. [[Ric Flair]] and [[Mr. Perfect]] feud on the side of the heels he became a superstar almost overnight. He reached the highest point of his career at [[Wrestlemania X]] when he defeated [[Shawn Michaels]] in a [[ladder match]] that some consider to be the greatest wrestling match of the 1990s.


[[Asmik Ace Entertainment]] and [[Syn Sophia|AKI]] approached the title by producing a wrestling game similar to [[Puroresu]] and [[fighting game]]s. The resulting game was well received for its tight construction and ease of play, especially compared to [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim's]] comparatively more difficult and convoluted game, ''[[WWF War Zone]]''. In fact, the playing style of ''World Tour'', namely its revolutionary "grappling system", set a standard for pro wrestling video games to be expanded in future THQ titles for many years following.<ref name="IGNhistory">McLaughlin, Rus [http://retro.ign.com/articles/929/929438p3.html IGN Presents the History of Wrestling Games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402093653/http://retro.ign.com/articles/929/929438p3.html |date=April 2, 2012 }} [[IGN]] (November 12, 2008). Retrieved on 2-03-11.</ref>
At the same Hall became famous, a near 7' former basketball player named [[Kevin Nash]] who had similar gimmick issues in [[WCW]] (Vinnie Vegas, The Great And Powerful Oz), took off as a bodyguard for [[Shawn Michaels]] named Diesel. Diesel didn't start off as a wrestler but after a year eventually became a full time in ring performer capturing the Intercontinental Title, and eventually beating [[Bob Backlund]] to win the title in a record breaking 8 seconds at [[Madison Square Garden]] in November of [[1994]].


Its sequel, ''[[WCW/nWo Revenge]]'', would build upon the engine by introducing ring entrances, improved graphics, more arenas, more signature moves, actual WCW championships, attire modification, and other improvements.
When their contracts expired in early 1996, the [[WWF]] saw their resources drained and found themselves financially unable to sign these two wrestlers to new contracts. The logic at the time was that without their gimmicks (which are owned by the WWF) that Hall and Nash out on their own weren't a big threat. The split was amicable and Hall and Nash were ready to leave for a bigger paycheck and easier workload in [[Ted Turner]]'s WCW.


==Gameplay==
On their way out something happened that started Scott Hall and Kevin Nash on a road to being more famous than their own WWF gimmicks, following a fantastic cage match between Kevin Nash and Shawn Michaels at Madison Square Garden, the two were joined in the ring by friends Scott Hall and [[Triple H]] for a big group hug and celebration among the real life friends. The [[WWF]] was livid over the incident because Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon were faces and Diesel and [[Triple H]] were heels, thus breaking [[kayfabe]], but Shawn Michaels was the champion so the only person they could punish was the up and coming [[Triple H]] who wallowed in lackluster feuds in the midcard for a whole year.
''World Tour'' introduced Asmik/AKI's critically acclaimed [[grappling]] system, in which all [[Professional wrestling throws|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 [[Professional wrestling attacks|strikes]]. Wrestlers can also perform their signature taunts to help elevate their Spirit gauge and perform "Special" front and rear finishing moves when their gauge peaks.


In addition to single, [[tag team]], [[Handicap match|handicap]], and [[Battle royal (professional wrestling)|battle royal]], match modes not seen in future releases include a WCW versus nWo tournament, [[round-robin tournament]], and league tournaments more familiar to [[Professional wrestling in Japan|Japanese wrestling]]. Unlike today's wrestling games, ''World Tour'' features no create-a-wrestler mode, story mode, or ring entrances. It also makes no reference to [[championship belt]]s and, upon the successful completion of a tournament, shows an illustration of a fist raising a gold [[trophy]]. A championship belt creation feature was touted prior to the game's release, but this was ultimately scrapped.<ref name=IGNrev/>
When Hall showed up on [[WCW Monday Nitro LIVE!]] in May of [[1996]] as himself he interrupted a match and demanded to know where all the big WCW talent was and offered an open invitation to any of them who wanted a fight. He started talking about someone who would join them soon and that turned out to be Kevin Nash who with Scott Hall formed [[The Outsiders]], despite being real life friends in the WWF both were always feuding on TV. This gave viewers the perception that the occurences going on in the storylines were real and that Hall and Nash were sent from the WWF to destroy WCW, a rumor they had to dispel for legal reasons at [[The Great American Bash]].


Players can also attempt the "league challenge" in which a player must defeat several wrestlers from a given "promotion" in a row. Doing so allows a player to compete for that promotion's championship against a hidden character: [[Diamond Dallas Page]] (WCW), [[Bryan Clark|Wrath]] (DOA), [[Glacier (wrestler)|Glacier]] (IOU), [[Randy Savage]] (nWo). Once a player has earned every championship they unlock "Whole World Wrestling", a longer challenge consisting of wrestlers from all four promotions. The championship match being against one of the two hidden characters, depending on whether Cruiserweight or Heavyweight was selected: Black Widow (a caricature of [[Manami Toyota]]) or Joe Bruiser (a caricature of [[Muhammad Ali]]) for Heavyweight.
[[Lex Luger]], [[Macho Man Randy Savage]], and [[Sting]] formed a team to represent WCW at the July [[Bash at the Beach]] pay-per-view to face [[The Outsiders]] and a mystery partner to be named later. There was a lot of industry speculation at the time as to who the partner would be, with most signs pointing toward [[Bret "The Hitman" Hart]] who was taking time off from wrestling due to burnout and contract negotiations at the time. In a crucial moment in the match for the WCW team, [[Hulk Hogan]] came down to appear to be saving WCW, but announcer [[Bobby Heenan]] suspected shenanigans and asked "But who's side is he on?".


Other features were apparently carried over from the style of the game's Japanese counterpart. This includes the enabling of bleeding despite [[Blading (professional wrestling)|the practice]] being forbidden on WCW television due to its more family-friendly presentation. Foreign objects can be retrieved from the audience and used outside the ring. Weapons include a steel chair, half a wooden folding table, a black baseball bat, and a barbed wire bat, the latter not being characteristic of WCW programming but rather Japanese [[hardcore wrestling]].
Hulk made who's side he was on clear when he dropped a leg on Randy Savage and he and The Outsiders chased the WCW wrestlers away to party and celebrate this newly formed union. In one of the most famous promos in the history of professional wrestling, with Hall and Nash doing Hogan's famous poses in the background, Hulk Hogan tells the fans to stick it. The ring is immediately pelted with garbage as Hogan announces the "New World Organization" of wrestling, which then became the [[New World Order]] or [[nWo]] for short.


20 of the game's wrestlers are from the WCW or the nWo, while the rest are international wrestlers who are listed under fake names.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Johnny Ballgame |title=WCW vs. NWO: World Tour |magazine=[[GamePro]] |issue=110 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] |date=November 1997|page=88}}</ref>
Soon members from the group came from the WWF including [[Ted Dibiase]] as the group's "money man" and [[Sean Waltman]] as "Syxx", the sixth member of the [[nWo]].


==Development==
The feud between the outsider bad guys of the nWo and the now all de-facto good guys of WCW became the primary feud in wrestling for the next three years. This game came out when the feud was at it's hottest point.
The game had a development budget of $1 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/TRYING+NEW+MOVE;+GAME+MAKER+MAKES+TITLE+FOR+64-BIT+CONSOLE.-a083893891|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105205509/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/TRYING+NEW+MOVE%3b+GAME+MAKER+MAKES+TITLE+FOR+64-BIT+CONSOLE.-a083893891|title=TRYING NEW MOVE; GAME MAKER MAKES TITLE FOR 64-BIT CONSOLE|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|archivedate=January 5, 2016|date=December 3, 1997|accessdate=August 11, 2021|via=[[The Free Dictionary]]}}</ref>


==Reception==
Although in the past the then WWF had been known as a marketing machine with wide appeal to children and families, it's attempts to produce a successful video game that captured the feel of actual pro wrestling were rather unsuccessful. WCW's young President, [[Eric Bischoff]] wanted the WCW to not just compete with, but beat the WWF in all aspects of multimedia and marketing. The past WWF games, and the current ones of the time like the generally despised [[WWF In Your House]] and [[WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game]] were cartoony, silly, and hard to play and had little basis in actual wrestling.
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 75%<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/n64/199286-wcw-vs-nwo-world-tour/index.html |title=WCW vs. nWo: World Tour for Nintendo 64 |website=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=February 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209001209/https://www.gamerankings.com/n64/199286-wcw-vs-nwo-world-tour/index.html |archive-date=December 9, 2019}}</ref>
| EGM = 6.0/10<ref name=EGM101>{{cite magazine |title=Review Crew: WCW vs. NWO: WT |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |issue=101 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=December 1997|page=194}}</ref>
| GameFan = 79/100{{efn|Two reviewers from ''GameFan'' gave ''WCW vs. nWo: World Tour'' different ratings: 85/100 and 73/100.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=WCW vs. NWO|magazine=[[GameFan]]|date=December 1997|volume=5|number=12|pages=114, 116}}</ref>}}
| GSpot = 5.7/10<ref name = GSRev>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/n64/sports/wcwvsnwoworldtour/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gsupdates&tag=updates%3Btitle%3B3 | title = WCW vs. nWo: World Tour Review for Nintendo 64 |first = Josh |last=Smith | date = January 20, 1998 |website = GameSpot | access-date = February 3, 2011}}</ref>
| Hyper = 85/100<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hoek|first=Ren|date=March 1998|title=WCW Vs NWO: World Tour|magazine=[[Hyper (magazine)|Hyper]]|issue=53|pages=40–41}}</ref>
| IGN = 7.5/10<ref name = IGNrev>{{cite web | url = http://ign64.ign.com/articles/151/151985p1.html | title = IGN: WCW vs. nWo: World Tour Review | first = Matt | last = Casamassina | date = December 9, 1997 | website = IGN | access-date = February 3, 2011 | archive-date = April 2, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120402235609/http://ign64.ign.com/articles/151/151985p1.html | url-status = live }}</ref>
| JP = 6/10<ref>{{cite magazine|title=WCW vs nWO World Tour|language=fr|magazine=Joypad|date=March 1998|issue=73|pages=96–97}}</ref>
| N64 = 70%<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Weaver|first=Tim|date=February 1998|title=WCW vs NOW World Tour|magazine=[[N64 Magazine]]|pages=32–39|issue=12}}</ref>
| NP = 7.9/10<ref name=NPrev>{{cite magazine |title=Now Playing: WCW vs. NWO: World Tour |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |issue=104 |publisher=Nintendo of America |date=January 1998|page=96}}</ref>
| ONM = 86%<ref>{{cite magazine|last=White|first=Shaun|date=February 1998|title=WCW vs. nWo: World Tour|magazine=[[Official Nintendo Magazine|Nintendo Magazine]]|issue=65|pages=70–71}}</ref>
}}


Reviews for the game upon release ranged from mixed to moderately positive. Critics almost unanimously liked the large number of licensed wrestlers,<ref name=EGM101/><ref name=GSRev/><ref name=IGNrev/><ref name=NPrev/><ref name=GPro111/> wide range of gameplay modes,<ref name=EGM101/><ref name=IGNrev/><ref name=NPrev/><ref name=GPro111/> and large move set,<ref name=EGM101/><ref name=GSRev/><ref name=IGNrev/><ref name=NPrev/><ref name=GPro111/> but some found problems with how the game actually played. ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' (EGM) and ''[[GameSpot]]'' both criticized the controls as inaccurate and questioned the lack of analog control.<ref name=EGM101/><ref name=GSRev/> ''GameSpot'' commented, "A sense of timing is required not only to find holes in your opponent's defenses, but also to find the points at which the Nintendo 64 will allow you to perform moves at all."<ref name=GSRev/> However, ''[[IGN]]'' defended the game's control: "Everything works quite well, despite some instinctive button mashing and slow-moving wrestlers at times."<ref name=IGNrev/> ''EGM'' and ''GameSpot'' both also said the single-player is fairly slow and boring,<ref name=EGM101/><ref name=GSRev/> though like the overwhelming majority of reviewers, they found the multiplayer modes much more enjoyable, particularly battle royal.<ref name=EGM101/><ref name=GSRev/><ref name=IGNrev/><ref name=NPrev/> ''GameSpot'' explained, "Maybe it's the license, or maybe it's the capacity to grab foreign objects from outside the ring, or throw opponents from it, but this game brings out the best and worst in human competitors."<ref name=GSRev/> ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' remarked, "The great thing about this game is that you can do a lot without knowing a lot, which makes it perfect for multiplayer matches when one or more players may be new to the game."<ref name=NPrev/>
WCW had one foray into the [[SNES]] with [[WCW Superbrawl]], a lackluster title that was inoffensive, and before that on the [[NES]] there was an [[NWA]] game simply called "World Championship Wrestling" that was very sophisticated for it's time, including many grapple holds, a weapon (a wrench), and specific finishing maneuvers for all characters, but it was maligned for its difficulty.


The visuals drew a variety of comments. While ''IGN'' and ''Nintendo Power'' found the polygonal graphics overall impressive, they joined ''GameSpot'' in noting the frequent clipping glitches which cause wrestlers to pass through each other in a slightly grotesque manner.<ref name=GSRev/><ref name=IGNrev/><ref name=NPrev/> Some also described the crowd graphics as ugly.<ref name=EGM101/><ref name=GSRev/><ref name=IGNrev/> However, the use of multiple camera angles during the execution of certain moves was praised.<ref name=GSRev/><ref name=IGNrev/> ''[[GamePro]]'' opined that "Although the wrestlers aren't size-proportioned ... their moves are well detailed, and they grab their injured limbs and bleed after getting whupped on." The reviewer concluded the game to be "a must-buy not just for wrestling fanatics, but for all fans of fun beat-you-bloody action games."{{efn|''GamePro'' gave ''WCW vs. nWo: World Tour'' 4.0/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 4.5/5 for control, and 4.5/5 for fun factor.}}<ref name=GPro111>{{cite magazine |author=Johnny Ballgame |title=Nintendo 64 ProReview: WCW vs. NWO World Tour |magazine=[[GamePro]] |issue=111|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=December 1997|page=132}}</ref>
[[Asmik Ace]] and [[AKI]] being produced a wrestling game that was similar to Japanese [[Puroresu]] and fighting games for WCW. The game was very well received due to it's tight construction and ease of play, especially compared to [[Acclaim Entertainment]]'s comparatively more difficult and convoluted game [[WWF Warzone]].


''WCW vs. nWo: World Tour'' proved to be one of THQ's biggest hits. It was awarded the title of "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Fighting Game of the Year|Console Fighting Game of the Year]]" by the [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] at the [[1st Annual Interactive Achievement Awards|inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards]] (now known as the [[D.I.C.E. Awards]]).<ref>[http://ign64.ign.com/articles/068/068238p1.html 'Revenge' Tastes Sweet Reward] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630024914/http://ign64.ign.com/articles/068/068238p1.html |date=June 30, 2012 }} IGN.com (May 24, 1999). Retrieved on 2-13-11.</ref> It gained [[Player's Choice]] status with over a million copies sold and its 1998 re-release was instrumental in THQ's 59% revenue increase in the year's third quarter.<ref>IGN Staff [http://ign64.ign.com/articles/065/065437p1.html THQ Posts Pretty Penny] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713004819/http://ign64.ign.com/articles/065/065437p1.html |date=July 13, 2011 }} IGN.com (October 27, 1998). Retrieved on 2-13-11.</ref> ''World Tour'' eventually sold 1.3 million copies in the US, making it the second best-selling wrestling game for the N64 and ranking it amongst [[List of best-selling Nintendo 64 video games|the console's all-time best selling titles]].<ref name="magicboxus">{{cite web|url=http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-USPlatinum.shtml|title=US Platinum Videogame Chart|publisher=The Magic Box|access-date=August 3, 2008|date=December 27, 2007|archive-date=October 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009200207/http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-USPlatinum.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref>
WCW vs nWo revolutionized wrestling games much like the nWo storyline did for wrestling. It was the the first fully 3d wrestling game and introduced THQ's critically acclaimed grappling system where all moves are started by holds initiated with the tap of the "a" button. The game sold well and WCW needed to make a sequel. [[WCW/nWo Revenge]] was released in [[1998]] and expanded on what had been achieved in World Tour. Unlike today's wrestling games, World Tour featured no create-a-wrestler mode, no "real" story mode and had a limited amount of actual wrestlers. But Asmik Ace and THQ got creative with the game and introduced a fictional cast of characters including many based on actual wrestlers from around the globe (including knockoffs of [[Hayabusa]] and [[Abdullah The Butcher]]).


In IGN's 2008 "History of Wrestling Games" article, Rus McLaughlin reflected, "''World Tour'' was just as revolutionary as the nWo storyline it borrowed, with all moves built off holds instead of happening out of nowhere. . . Suddenly, wrestling was all about the grapple again, and players loved it."<ref name="IGNhistory" />
Seeing the success that the WCW had with their video games and knowing that as they were rising again in 1999 they needed a marketable series of games for their fans, the WWF signed an exclusive contract with [[THQ]] to produce their wrestling games. This was a fruitful pairing and produced [[WWF Wrestlemania 2000]] and [[WWF No Mercy]] for the N64, which play like sequels to the two aforementioned WCW games.


==See also==
Even though [[AKI]] and [[Asmik Ace]] no longer work on [[WWE]] titles, there is a strong demand for them to return to making wrestling games, and many current series including [[WWE Day Of Reckoning]] and [[WWE Smackdown vs. Raw]] use traits built from the AKI engine.
{{Portal|Video games}}
*[[List of licensed wrestling video games]]
* ''[[Virtual Pro Wrestling]]''


== Notes ==
{{notelist}}


==References==
{{reflist}}

{{WCW video games}}
{{New World Order}}

[[Category:1997 video games]]
[[Category:Asmik Ace Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Nintendo 64 games]]
[[Category:Nintendo 64 games]]
[[Category:Nintendo 64-only games]]
[[Category:Syn Sophia games]]
[[Category:Tag team video games]]
[[Category:THQ games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:World Championship Wrestling video games]]
[[Category:Professional wrestling games]]
[[Category:Professional wrestling games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]

{{cvg-stub}}

Latest revision as of 06:50, 20 May 2024

WCW vs. nWo: World Tour
North American Nintendo 64 cover art, featuring The Giant and Hollywood Hogan
Developer(s)Asmik Ace Entertainment
AKI Corporation
Publisher(s)THQ
Director(s)Spirits of Kasa Jizou
Composer(s)Hideaki Mitsui
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
  • NA: December 2, 1997[1]
  • EU: February 12, 1998
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

WCW vs. nWo: World Tour is a professional wrestling video game released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64 game console. Released at the peak of World Championship Wrestling's (WCW) dominance in the Monday Night War, World Tour was THQ's first foray into the N64 wrestling scene and is a semi-sequel to the lesser known WCW vs. the World for the PlayStation. It is the second best-selling wrestling game for the N64 console.[2]

Asmik Ace Entertainment and AKI approached the title by producing a wrestling game similar to Puroresu and fighting games. The resulting game was well received for its tight construction and ease of play, especially compared to Acclaim's comparatively more difficult and convoluted game, WWF War Zone. In fact, the playing style of World Tour, namely its revolutionary "grappling system", set a standard for pro wrestling video games to be expanded in future THQ titles for many years following.[3]

Its sequel, WCW/nWo Revenge, would build upon the engine by introducing ring entrances, improved graphics, more arenas, more signature moves, actual WCW championships, attire modification, and other improvements.

Gameplay

[edit]

World Tour 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 their signature taunts to help elevate their Spirit gauge and perform "Special" front and rear finishing moves when their gauge peaks.

In addition to single, tag team, handicap, and battle royal, match modes not seen in future releases include a WCW versus 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, story mode, or ring entrances. It also makes no reference to championship belts and, upon the successful completion of a tournament, shows an illustration of a fist raising a gold trophy. A championship belt creation feature was touted prior to the game's release, but this was ultimately scrapped.[4]

Players can also attempt the "league challenge" in which a player must defeat several wrestlers from a given "promotion" in a row. Doing so allows a player to compete for that promotion's championship against a hidden character: Diamond Dallas Page (WCW), Wrath (DOA), Glacier (IOU), Randy Savage (nWo). Once a player has earned every championship they unlock "Whole World Wrestling", a longer challenge consisting of wrestlers from all four promotions. The championship match being against one of the two hidden characters, depending on whether Cruiserweight or Heavyweight was selected: Black Widow (a caricature of Manami Toyota) or Joe Bruiser (a caricature of Muhammad Ali) for Heavyweight.

Other features were apparently carried over from the style of the game's Japanese counterpart. This includes the enabling of bleeding despite the practice being forbidden on WCW television due to its more family-friendly presentation. Foreign objects can be retrieved from the audience and used outside the ring. Weapons include a steel chair, half a wooden folding table, a black baseball bat, and a barbed wire bat, the latter not being characteristic of WCW programming but rather Japanese hardcore wrestling.

20 of the game's wrestlers are from the WCW or the nWo, while the rest are international wrestlers who are listed under fake names.[5]

Development

[edit]

The game had a development budget of $1 million.[6]

Reception

[edit]

Reviews for the game upon release ranged from mixed to moderately positive. Critics almost unanimously liked the large number of licensed wrestlers,[8][10][4][14][16] wide range of gameplay modes,[8][4][14][16] and large move set,[8][10][4][14][16] but some found problems with how the game actually played. Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) and GameSpot both criticized the controls as inaccurate and questioned the lack of analog control.[8][10] GameSpot commented, "A sense of timing is required not only to find holes in your opponent's defenses, but also to find the points at which the Nintendo 64 will allow you to perform moves at all."[10] However, IGN defended the game's control: "Everything works quite well, despite some instinctive button mashing and slow-moving wrestlers at times."[4] EGM and GameSpot both also said the single-player is fairly slow and boring,[8][10] though like the overwhelming majority of reviewers, they found the multiplayer modes much more enjoyable, particularly battle royal.[8][10][4][14] GameSpot explained, "Maybe it's the license, or maybe it's the capacity to grab foreign objects from outside the ring, or throw opponents from it, but this game brings out the best and worst in human competitors."[10] Nintendo Power remarked, "The great thing about this game is that you can do a lot without knowing a lot, which makes it perfect for multiplayer matches when one or more players may be new to the game."[14]

The visuals drew a variety of comments. While IGN and Nintendo Power found the polygonal graphics overall impressive, they joined GameSpot in noting the frequent clipping glitches which cause wrestlers to pass through each other in a slightly grotesque manner.[10][4][14] Some also described the crowd graphics as ugly.[8][10][4] However, the use of multiple camera angles during the execution of certain moves was praised.[10][4] GamePro opined that "Although the wrestlers aren't size-proportioned ... their moves are well detailed, and they grab their injured limbs and bleed after getting whupped on." The reviewer concluded the game to be "a must-buy not just for wrestling fanatics, but for all fans of fun beat-you-bloody action games."[b][16]

WCW vs. nWo: World Tour proved to be one of THQ's biggest hits. It was awarded the title of "Console Fighting Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences at the inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards (now known as the D.I.C.E. Awards).[17] It gained Player's Choice status with over a million copies sold and its 1998 re-release was instrumental in THQ's 59% revenue increase in the year's third quarter.[18] World Tour eventually sold 1.3 million copies in the US, making it the second best-selling wrestling game for the N64 and ranking it amongst the console's all-time best selling titles.[2]

In IGN's 2008 "History of Wrestling Games" article, Rus McLaughlin reflected, "World Tour was just as revolutionary as the nWo storyline it borrowed, with all moves built off holds instead of happening out of nowhere. . . Suddenly, wrestling was all about the grapple again, and players loved it."[3]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Two reviewers from GameFan gave WCW vs. nWo: World Tour different ratings: 85/100 and 73/100.[9]
  2. ^ GamePro gave WCW vs. nWo: World Tour 4.0/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 4.5/5 for control, and 4.5/5 for fun factor.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "PR - 12/2/97 - THQ JUMPS INTO NINTENDO 64 SQUARED CIRCLE WITH RELEASE OF 'WCW VS. NWO: WORLD TOUR™'". April 16, 2004. Archived from the original on April 16, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ a b "US Platinum Videogame Chart". The Magic Box. December 27, 2007. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2008.
  3. ^ a b McLaughlin, Rus IGN Presents the History of Wrestling Games Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine IGN (November 12, 2008). Retrieved on 2-03-11.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Casamassina, Matt (December 9, 1997). "IGN: WCW vs. nWo: World Tour Review". IGN. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
  5. ^ Johnny Ballgame (November 1997). "WCW vs. NWO: World Tour". GamePro. No. 110. IDG. p. 88.
  6. ^ "TRYING NEW MOVE; GAME MAKER MAKES TITLE FOR 64-BIT CONSOLE". Los Angeles Daily News. December 3, 1997. Archived from the original on January 5, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2021 – via The Free Dictionary.
  7. ^ "WCW vs. nWo: World Tour for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Review Crew: WCW vs. NWO: WT". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 101. Ziff Davis. December 1997. p. 194.
  9. ^ "WCW vs. NWO". GameFan. Vol. 5, no. 12. December 1997. pp. 114, 116.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Smith, Josh (January 20, 1998). "WCW vs. nWo: World Tour Review for Nintendo 64". GameSpot. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
  11. ^ Hoek, Ren (March 1998). "WCW Vs NWO: World Tour". Hyper. No. 53. pp. 40–41.
  12. ^ "WCW vs nWO World Tour". Joypad (in French). No. 73. March 1998. pp. 96–97.
  13. ^ Weaver, Tim (February 1998). "WCW vs NOW World Tour". N64 Magazine. No. 12. pp. 32–39.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "Now Playing: WCW vs. NWO: World Tour". Nintendo Power. No. 104. Nintendo of America. January 1998. p. 96.
  15. ^ White, Shaun (February 1998). "WCW vs. nWo: World Tour". Nintendo Magazine. No. 65. pp. 70–71.
  16. ^ a b c d Johnny Ballgame (December 1997). "Nintendo 64 ProReview: WCW vs. NWO World Tour". GamePro. No. 111. IDG. p. 132.
  17. ^ 'Revenge' Tastes Sweet Reward Archived June 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine IGN.com (May 24, 1999). Retrieved on 2-13-11.
  18. ^ IGN Staff THQ Posts Pretty Penny Archived July 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine IGN.com (October 27, 1998). Retrieved on 2-13-11.
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