The next nine months are poised to be a formidable feast for wrestling game fans. It may be the buffet that we've been starved for since the McMahon monopoly began, when video games started to turn into the WWE product: bland and forgettable.

In an age when many current generation sports games suffer from exclusive license-itis, wrestling gamers have a one-up on other sports gamers in 2008-2009. And that one up is a choice. Well, a choice of sorts, anyway.

Three different console grapplers will be hitting consoles between now and next March. Two of which are WWE games of different orientation, both produced by THQ/Yukes. The third is the long-awaited title from Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), brought to us by Midway. Quite the hearty buffet, considering we’ve been forced to only nibble on a single WWE title for the past several years (assuming you aren't into unlicensed games like Fire Pro Wrestling). Let the salivating begin.

What follows are a few decadent morsels to look forward to, and a few revolting crumbs you might want to spit out. I hope you’re hungry.

Create-A-Finisher: If it is done right, SvR09’s new Create-a-Finisher (CaF) system may be worth of sixty clams by itself. When compiling my own personal wish list for SvR09, CaF wasn’t even a blip on my radar screen. I didn’t think something like this was possible. But I’ve seen the video evidence. It’s for real.

Not to say that I’m not a little skeptical. Like all new, and (so-called) revolutionary features, there is the possibility for abysmal failure. Because this system is based upon combining different animations, it could be difficult to create a maneuver that isn’t rather funky-looking. But I choose to remain cautiously optimistic.


Road to Wrestlemania: Last year’s SvR08 was hugely disappointing, mainly because it lacked a real story-driven career mode. In place of such a mode, THQ/Yukes included a brain-fart of a journey called WWE 24/7 Mode, a downright laughable attempt to control the activities of your superstar both inside and outside of his/her ring appearances. A lobotomy would have been time better served.

Mercifully, SvR09 will include a more diverse story mode called Road to Wrestlemania. Reportedly, there will be multiple paths to take toward sports-entertainment immortality, each of which is tailored toward a specific superstar/superstar type. There will also be a tag-team variation.

Since a solid career/story mode is the cornerstone of any good wrestling title, this upgrade is definitely something that should get your stomach rumbling.

Tag-Team Spotlight: Let me clarify: Tag team matches definitely need to play differently than singles matches, because for the most part they never have. They’ve felt like overly crowded singles contests, which have been much easier to lose, especially within a story mode.

I will not completely swear off this feature yet, as it does have the potential to be really, really deep and satisfying. However, it also has the potential to be a massive hindrance -- more so than any other new features. Recent WWE SvR titles have not been particularly fluid in the gameplay department, and the implementation of an entirely new set of mechanics could further crowd the fracas. I think that eventually a unique tag team system could be on the right track. I’m just not holding my breath for year one.

Wii Controls: The Wii version of SvR09 will contain console-specific pre and post-match controls, where simple shaking of the Wii remote can cause your wrestler to dance, shake hands, and even take cheap shot. That sounds like the typical Wii-tack on to me. I just hope that Wii wrestling gamers won’t have to take a hit in any of the game’s other features to have a shallow little gimmick like this.

WWE Legends of Wrestlemania: What to Set Your Table For…

At this point it is difficult to cite items to look forward to, as no specific features have been released. In fact, we don’t even know who is going to be on the roster, and whether any classic WCW or ECW wrestlers will be included. (Be sure to check out Richard Chavez’s Legends of Wrestlemania Roster wish list here). In fact, all we do know is that the game will focus on classic, old-school wrestlers, and it will be released sometime within the vicinity of Wrestlemania XXV next year.

Thinking with a glass half-full mentality, the potential of Legends knows no bounds. For those of us who grew up on WWF Royal Rumble, WWF Raw, and WWF Rage in the Cage for Genesis/Super Nintendo, this is a chance to see our favorite childhood heroes and villains of the squared circle reborn in sparkling high definition. If Legends is done right, it will be dripping with nostalgic appeal.

If (and I stress IF) this game includes a story/career mode that is remotely close to the advertised Road to Wrestlemania for SvR09, it will be a success. I can only imagine the possibilities of running through a career mode full of opponents like Mick Foley, Hulk Hogan, and Andre the Giant.

WWE Legends of Wrestlemania: I Don't Feel So Good...

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’m a glass half-empty type of guy. I do my best to keep my hopes and expectations low, especially when it comes to sports games. I’ve had my heart broken too many times.

With Legends being THQ/Yukes’ second wrestling title release in a twelve month period, it is a reasonable expectation that it will be little more than an afterthought, or cheap carbon copy of SvR '09. McMahon and company rival P.T. Barnum when it comes to shameless promotion, and this game might be just another moving piston in the incredible WWE marketing machine; its release date is strategic enough to create sales by sheer hype, possibly enough to yield a healthy profit margin. Its more than logical to think that Legends will be more of an advertisement than a game, and I don’t plan on spending $60 on a commercial.

The Graphics: Thus far, we’ve only seen a small handful of videos and screenshots, but they look good. Damn good. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that it’s the prettiest wrestling game we’ve seen to date. The character models are flawless, and the detail of everything from wrestler tattoos to the arena lighting look spot on. The time is now to splurge on that 50 inch plasma you’ve been wanting since the old standard def may not do this game justice.

The Inspiration: iMPACT!’s developers have stated openly that they have drawn much of their inspiration from an oldie but a goodie, WWF No Mercy for the old N64 system. To long-time wrestling gamers, No Mercy was a benchmark for wrestling gaming, along with its THQ forefathers. Wrestling gaming was never quite as fun as it was until then, and hasn’t been quite as fun since.

It’s refreshing to see that Midway has done its homework, and is going to the right source material. Given SvR’s recent monopoly of wrestling gaming and TNA’s niche-product status, Midway really needs to hit a home run in year one to shift the balance. So far, it sounds like they’re building on a solid foundation.

Roster Size: Barring any additions prior to the iMPACT!’s September release, the roster will be limited to 25 wrestlers, with only two unlockable characters. Considering TNA’s website lists a robust roster of over 50, it’s quite a letdown to see so few playable characters.

It’s not wholly unexpected for a sports game’s maiden voyage to be marred by a lack of depth though. In an effort to get the core gameplay tight, features oftentimes take a hit. It’s unfortunate that the roster had to be one of the affected areas.

Fighter-Like Gameplay: In my initial preview of iMPACT!, one OS user commented that this game looks “too brawly.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. The first smattering of videos makes much of the gameplay appear striking and combo-based. In fact, combination attacks and reversals are going to be a cornerstone of the game’s offensive system, per developer video demonstrations. Taking a look at Midway’s lineage, it’s easy to think iMPACT! may possess a bit too much of a fighting game feel.

I, for one, have a sizable appetite when it comes to wrestling games; one that has not been fully satisfied since the days of Nintendo 64. With an impending smörgåsbord of titles over the course of the next year, I may finally be full. Here’s hoping these titles will be a heaping helping of substance, rather than a flashy new combo meal that leaves you hungering for more after just a few hours.

Until next week, enjoy watching this capital asshat attempt a death-defying stunt, and Adios, Turd Nuggets.