No Mercy Preview - Wrestling - http://maxpages.com/attitude64/No_Mercy

WWF No Mercy Preview
Credit Given To: N64 Code Center

Since we last took a look at AKI's upcoming WWF No Mercy, new information has become available. Here's a quick look at some of the things that we have just found out.

For one thing, a lot of details have begun to surface. For example, the Dudley Boyz execute a picture perfect Dudley Death Drop. Not only is this an important move for fans of the Dudleys, it also adds to the array of double team moves available. Other moves that have been confirmed are Scotty Too Hotty's Worm and Too Cool's Dance Celebration. Rikishi's infamous Stink Face will be included as well. All in all, AKI is obviously committed to presenting a current roster and all the unique moves that go along with that.

Speaking of the roster, one member of it, The Undertaker, will be walking to the ring slightly out of character. For one, The Undertaker will not be riding his Titan motorcycle. He also won't be coming out to Kid Rock's theme song of the same name due to liscensing issues. The Taker will come out with his current attitude, however, fit with his new powerbomb finisher, The Last Ride.

As far as the table situation goes, it's shaping up like this: There will be no table match in the game, however wrestlers can currently climb up on and jump off of the ringside announcer's table. No footage has been seen of the table breaking, at this time. While that might come as a disappointment to some, another new announcement is sure to make up for it and then some.

WWF No Mercy will finally give N64 gamers the option to not only fight all the way up the ramp, but to engage in backstage brawling as well. This will add a whole new depth to the game that might only be matched with the inclusion of the ladder match. The ladder match has been confirmed for Singles, Tag Team, and Triple Threat play. During the match a belt will be suspended from the ceiling if one is up for grabs. Otherwise, items unique to the characters involved in the match will be above the ring instead. The ladder begins in the aisle where it can be used as a powerful weapon or brought into the ring and set up. Once set up, players climb the ladder, being careful not to have the whole structure knocked over by an opponent. If the player can reach the top they can either go for the win or presumably go for more punishment by leaping off at the helpess wrestlers below.

More good news comes in the form of the Titan Tron videos. Thought to be removed for space, the videos will actually be included in the game afterall. Whether there will be any generic videos for the created wrestlers to use is still unknown.

Stay tuned to WWF Attitude, Get It! for more WWF No Mercy information as more becomes available!

Update: August 3, 2000

Over the N64's lifetime, it has been host to numerous wrestling games. Most fans agree that the developers behind the best have been AKI. This team created a wonderful wrestling engine back in 1997 with it's grappling title WCW/nWo World Tour. Since then they have tweaked and improved the engine to the point where we now have such detailed games as WWF Wrestlemania 2000. Well AKI hasn't stopped there. They're going to give N64 gamers one last WWF game before they officially head on to more advanced systems. That game is WWF No Mercy.

WWF No Mercy could very well be the last game in the World Tour series, and AKI is going to give it their all. The game maintains and builds upon nearly every aspect of Wrestlemania 2000. The Create-a-Wrestler has been expanded, modes have been added, and the career mode is more in-depth. About the only thing that won't be improved upon are the Titan-Tron entrance videos. These videos have been dropped to free more space for other things.

The graphics are still very similar to Wrestlemania 2000, but as can be seen in the screenshots, they have improved. The polygon seams, colors, and even the crowd all look slightly better than in the past. The new Smackdown arena is large and colorful. The details are apparent, even on the ceiling which is now host to rafters for players to notice as the game's camera zooms around the action.

The controls of the game will stay true to the roots of its prequels. The grappling system has proven to give players the most control and the widest amount of options, all while keeping the control scheme very basic and easy to learn. Moves include weak and strong grapples, striking moves, apron moves, top rope moves, running moves, and new running grapples. Instead of being limited to clotheslines and running kicks, players can use the new grapple move to execute head scissor take downs and hurrincanranas from a running position. As with past games, the number of moves and animations are being increased to give players the feeling that a new move can be discovered at any time.

Past AKI games have been criticized for their implementation of weapons. Although the usage of these "illegal" objects has improved to allow different striking attacks, running attacks, and even the ability to grab weapons from another player, the sudden appearance and disappearance of these mayhem inducing objects has remained the same. AKI is looking to change that with No Mercy. Although the way objects are brought into the fray is still unknown, it is known that when a weapon is knocked out of a wrestler's hands, it stays on the floor ready to be picked up again. AKI is also boasting a "fully interactive Spanish announcer's table." It has been seen so far that players can headbutt other wrestlers into the table, just like against the security barrier, however no word has been given as to whether players can be laid onto the table or put through it.

Just the mere mention of breakable tables has already led some gamers to assume the addition of a new "Tables" match. While this has not been confirmed by any means, another mode, the ladder match, has been heavily rumored. AKI has been working on this mode for some time, and if they can get it to play well by November, you can expect to see it in the final game. Gamers are currently hoping for moves to be done off the ladder, as well as the option to use the ladder as a weapon. Unfortunately, this mode is still up in the air overall. One new match that was attempted but will not see the light of day is the "Hell in a Cell" match. This match would have seen the ring and surrounding area completely enclosed by an, in theory, unescapable steel cage. Unfortunately, when AKI tried to get this mode to work, it slowed the game down too much and was therefor removed.

If this news leaves gamers with a taste that they're being short changed, the improved create-a-wrestler mode should fix that. The CAW mode now features the ability to change specific facial features, as well as a large increase in the number of textures available for outfits. If the game holds true to its Japanese cousin Virtual Pro Wrestling 2, expect to see a wide variety of masks and face paints. VPW2 even had a feature where a player could select white face paint and then add a texture over that with black face paint on the eyes and mouth, a la WCW's Sting.

The career mode will also see a vast improvement this Fall. AKI is aiming to make a more structured season as far as storylines go. As an added touch of flavor, a new special guest referee option will be included. This will let players choose who the referee for a match is and then play as that person. The guest refs will be able to interfere and control the count. Don't want to count to three? Don't press the button three times. Want to go for the fast count? That's an option as well. In the updated career mode, players will go after specific titles instead of every belt at once. Once a title is won, the champ will wear the belt down to ringside as he (or she) defends it against the eager competition.

Speaking of the competition, WWF No Mercy is currently expected to feature a list of almost 80 superstars from the World Wrestling Federation. That leaves room for everyone from the Dudleys and Eddy Guerrero to Pat Patterson and The Kat. AKI is also very dedicated to including an updated roster.

In the next few months, look for AKI and its publisher THQ to release some more information about WWF No Mercy's features. Will the ladder match be included? What about that Spanish announcer's table? Will there be any hidden characters? What about Austin? Will tag teams come down together? Time will tell...

"When all the dust is settled, and all the smoke is cleared, WWF No Mercy will be the people's choice, WWF No Mercy will be the people's game, and the Rock guarantees that WWF No Mercy will just... bring it."

AOL IM: KCDC182

This site is a non-profit site in no correlation with WWE, NWA-TNA or any other organization.

VOTE

KDow128@hotpop.com

Visitors: 05831

Page Updated Sat Jan 26, 2002 11:49am EST