WWF Royal Rumble

Has THQ polled a Acclaim and made a 'bad' wrestling game? NO. A lot of people had doubt about Royal Rumble being a good game with out even playing it, but the truth is I was a big Royal Rumble fan when it was first anounced, the small roster, and small mode list didn't bother me, I liked the small things in the game, interactive (VERY) backstage areas, nine super stars in the ring at one time, a total of just about 80 weapons that bend, dent, and bust, and many other things.

When I first put this game into my Dreamcast I couldn't wait to get started, but when the bell to the first match rang, I was kind of sad, I didn't like the game, by the start of match two in Exhibition mode, I loved the game. It's unique, unlike any other wrestling game ever made, and it is very well done like the arcade version. The options menu lets you fit the game to you're skills. Difficulty select (One through five) Match time (No Limit, three, two, one minutes) Super Stars in the rumble (00, 90, 60, 30) Run Ins (On or off) Stage Change/Lights out (Off or on) knock outs (On or Off) Audio (Stero) BGM Test, Save, and load.

The backstage areas are very interactive (Like I said above) you can climb on top of counters, speakers, boxes, trash cans, etc. and do top rope moves off of them, this includes the Swanton Bomb. The partner system is also very unique, you press a button combo (A and X, B and X, Y and X, etc) and depending on the selection you made (Type A, Type B, or Type C) when you select you're partner is what you can do. The double team moves are endless, there are so many things you can do with a partner!

The Royal Rumble mode sort of put me in shock, when I played it, I didn't even notice you don't have a timer, this is somthing people didn't like, but they took it out (I guess) If you notice you're wrestler hanging onto the bottom of the ropes, you can press the 'R' button and use a 'Specail' to roll into the ring and continue the match. If perhaps you are throwin out, you have ten seconds to continue, then you are able to select a new super star to join the rumble as, and in you go as the next run in!

The wrestler entrances are the only sad thing about this game, other then that it's really great, if you have a Dreamcast, buy this game. If you really, REALLY have doubt on it, rent it as soon as posible, I'm telling you this now, it is well worth it. If you have played the game, write a review for it. This game just makes me want to see the next-generation wrestling games. What they will be like when it's not arcade style, more modes, and a bigger roster. One other thing I like about Royal Rumble is the rankings, they give you many catagorys to rank in, such as time/quickness, Royal Rumble kills, and more. The best thing about it, is it only takes up three (3) blocks of memory on you're Dreamcast VMU card!

~ Ripsaw