WWF Royal Rumble for Dreamcast

Yes, I finally bought a Dreamcast system, and this was the first game that I bought. Now, after reading mixed reviews from all over the place (including this site), I was expecting something that sucked. Well, what I got was one of the best damn wrestling games I've played in a long time.

I guess the problems that everyone had with the game is the fact that it was claimed as a "stripped down" version of all the wrestling games that have been made famous over the years. Well, there's a perfectly good explaination for the lack of "shiny things" that make most players swarm to the stores to buy said games.

Originally, THQ made this game as an arcade game (similar to the WWF arcade smash, "WrestleFest"). Now, I don't know about you, but arcade games don't have a lot of customizability. You get what you see, and you'll have a chance to unlock a few characters (in this case, you can unlock Vince and Shane McMahon if you feel the urge to). So, it is no surprise that THQ refused to bastardize an ARCADE game with so much customizability. It's the simplicity of this game that makes me enjoy it so.

The beginning video of the game is a little misleading. It is nothing but highlight footage from the 2000 Royal Rumble. Now, even though Chyna, Hardcore Holly, the Dudley Boyz and Cactus Jack appear nowhere in the game, you see them in the opening. Besides that, we have a great start to a fun game.

Now that you are past that, you have a few options (and few is to be taken literally). You can either go into an exhibition challenge (the closest thing that this game has to career mode) or the Royal Rumble (which can consist of either 30, 60, or 90 entrants).

In Exhibition, you select yourself and a partner (who will help you by running in during the match to attack your opposition) and go into the 10 match gauntlet against randomly selected opponants (with equally random partners). You fight until someone scores a pin or knock-out.

During the match, other wrestlers will storm the ring and attack all those inside. Up to four men can run in and interrupt the match. But, after a few moments, they will return to the locker room and possibly come back later.

Also during a match, you might be teleported to a backstage area to continue your fight. Here, weapons are the order of the day. Many typical wrestling weapons, as well some bizarre weaponry (like a watermelon) are at your disposal. It all depends on what area you are sent to. Also, there can still be run-ins from the other wrestlers in the back.

Then, there's the Royal Rumble match itself. Here, you face off in a battle royal where up to 90 men can enter the match. Now, here's where the Dreamcast shows what it's got.

In every other wrestling game out today, only four wrestlers can be in the ring at once. Here, though, up to nine grapplers can duke it out in the ring. that means that even with four human players, there can still be six computer players in the ring. Now, that adds to the excitement of the game.

Also, the elimination process has changed in a way for this game. Normally, the only way to be eliminated is to be thrown from the ring, and you can't really stop much. Well, here it is different. You will hang from the bottom ring rope and you will have to fight to get back into the ring to continue with the match. This is just another little addition that makes this game so much damn cheap fun.

But, also with the best option of the game comes a slight down side. I have learned through experience that if two human players pick the same character, the game gets a little boring. It's fine to have one Big Show in the ring controlled by a human, but two or more sorta kills all the fun.

Overall, loyal reader, if you own a Dreamcast, and you are looking for an excellent party game (that only costs $20 at Wal-Mart), then the WWF Royal Rumble game is the one for you.

Trust me on this one. You'll thank me later.