WCW Mayhem is one of those games that I feel like I’m the only one who likes. The PS1 version of the game was one of my Christmas gifts back in 1999, and I’ve had a soft spot for it ever since. This is my first time trying the N64 version of the game.
Like the other games on the N64, the footage from WCW’s TV programs needed to be removed. Technical limitations of the N64’s cartridges kept this game version from being the same as the PS1 version.
This is an interesting game. It is the last good WCW video game. Backstage Assault was the final WCW game on home consoles, and it was extremely disappointing. Mayhem came out a few years before WWF bought the company, and another game wasn’t possible or would be folded into the existing WWF video games.
TLDR: Good Graphics, Good Controls, and good Gameplay.
Narrative
Much like WWF Warzone being a bridge between arcade and simulation wrestling games, Mayhem is the same. It also doesn’t have a story mode or a career mode. While this is disappointing, at least the game is better than WCW Nitro and Thunder.
Gameplay
I like the gameplay in WCW Mayhem. It is easy to learn, and the game is fun to play. It is a little strange that you have to win every championship in the main game, but I’m okay with it.
WCW Mayhem has a lot of game modes. While it isn’t on par with Attitude or the Smackdown games, this is a very fun game. The N64 version is just as good as the PS1 version of the game.
In my favorite game mode, you pick a wrestler and climb the ranks for the various championships. It is a fun way to learn the game and see the other wrestlers on the roster. It is strange that no matter who you pick, you start with the lesser titles. It just feels odd that Bret Hart is trying to get the TV Title.
The Manual is available online if you would like to know the controls. It isn’t necessary to play the game, but it can help. Here is a link to the manual (Link).
WCW Mayhem has a huge roster of wrestlers, and there are a bunch of unlockable characters. Here is a list of the wrestlers in the game:
- Goldberg
- Sting
- DDP
- Randy Savage
- Booker T
- Bret Hart
- Buff Bagwell
- Konnan
- Ernest Miller
- Curt Henning
- Bobby Duncum Jr
- Kenny Kaos
- Norman Smiley
- Wrath
- Horace Hogan
- Scott Norton
- Stevie Ray
- Hollywood Hogan
- Scott Steiner
- Kevin Nash
- Lex Luger
- Disco Inferno
- Chris Benoit
- Dean Malenko
- Steve McMichael
- Rey Mysterio
- Kidman
- Eddy Guerrero
- Juventud Guerrera
- Psychosis
- Chavo Guerrero
- La Parka
- Alex Wright
- Kaz Hayashi
- Lizmark Jr
- Prince Iaukea
- Raven
- Saturn
- Kanyon
The roster is divided up by factions. You have WCW, NWO Black and White, NWO Wolfpac, Four Horseman, The Cruserweights, Hardcore, and you can create a faction.
By the time this game came out, I think most of the incarnations of the NWO were gone, but I could be wrong. It is a little strange to divide the wrestlers up like this. They don’t play into the game at all, as far as I can see.
The run-ins are odd at times. Every once in a while, they make sense, but because there are no storylines, it feels random. I kept wondering why another wrestler would care about me beating a random wrestler in the rankings for whatever title belt. It is cool that they’re in the game, but they don’t always make sense.
This is a fun game for what it is. I would like to see how this game stacks up with the WCW and WWF games on the N64. The gameplay is very good and easy to learn. You also don’t have to open a menu to see what the moves are.
Visuals
I like how the game looks. It is missing some of the things I enjoyed about the PS1 version, but the N64 game looks good. I only have minor issues with the graphics in this game.
The character models, animations, and the ring all look great! WCW Mayhem is a great-looking game and is better looking than many of the other WCW games. I like it as much as the Smackdown games.
The footage from the WCW TV shows had to be stripped from the game. While this is disappointing, it is understandable, given the technical restrictions of the N64. It doesn’t take much away from the game, but it does impact how I feel about the graphics.
The ring entrances are great! It is such a little thing, but it is a little strange when it isn’t in the game. One bad thing I can say about this is that the pyrotechnics get rather repetitive. They also don’t look all that great, and if they weren’t in the game, I wouldn’t have a problem with it.
This game, and many other wrestling games, don’t look as good as the PS1 games. The in-game graphics aren’t the problem; it is the lack of TV footage of the respective wrestling companies. While I like the look of WCW Mayhem, it does make me want to play the PS1 version of the game.
8.5/10. This is a good looking game with solid controls. WCW Mayhem also has a large roster with plenty of characters to unlock.
Pros
- Huge roster
- Good Graphics
- Good Controls
Cons
- No FMV
- No Story or Career mode
Conclusion
The N64 version of WCW Mayhem is a good game. I like it more than some of the other wrestling games. I prefer to play the PS1 version because I like seeing the cutscenes.
This is one of the many games where I feel like I’m the only one who likes it. I’ve heard it isn’t as good as WCW/NWO Revenge or WCW vs. NWO World Tour. I haven’t played those games yet or haven’t played them in a while, so it will be interesting to see what they have to offer.
I’m not sure what game I’m going to look at next. There are a few more wrestling games that I’ve played before, or I’ve played the PS1 versions of those games. The four games I’ve never played before are also on my list of games to play.
Check out my other reviews of wrestling games, like the PS1 version of WCW Mayhem or my list of PS1 Wrestling games Ranked.