WWF WrestleMania X8
Our totally revamped preview of X8 awaits you.

Features

• More than 40 WWF Superstars: An updated 2002 roster features a complete list of the top WWF Superstars including ex-WCW Superstars Rob Van Dam, Booker T, DDP and the Hurricane
• All-new game engine focuses on simulation, reversals and momentum shifts. Master each superstar's unique wrestling style and turn the tide of the match through a combination of counters, reversals and bone-shattering finishing moves
• Champion Road -- start from the beginning and take your rookie jobber up through the ranks in quest for the Heavyweight Championship belt
• Garner other belts in single-player mode including dozens of unique ones
• TV-style presentation: Multiple camera angles, cut-in's and cut-away's capture all the action
• Multiple crowd reactions such as cheering, booing and chanting vary in intensity and change with the action
• Enhanced graphics and realism -- pyrotechnics, detailed particle effects and camera flashes immerse players in the world of the WWF
• Create-a-Superstar -- choose between a variety of settings including appearance, costumes and moves to create the ultimate grappler
• Tag team action lets you take control of your partner in tag team match-ups
• Dazzling entrances -- each Superstar will have his or her own entrance complete with full TitanTron video and signature music
• Variety of match types, multiple venues and various backstage areas -- square off in more than 40 match types, choose between six different arenas or take the action back-stage in any nine highly-detailed arenas

Gameplay
WrestleMania X8 is being designed in part by Takumi Kon, one of the previous lead designers on WWF No Mercy and WrestleMania 2000. Therefore, it draws heavily on these styles. The core of the gameplay mechanics revolves around a counter system. In this way it is more like the aforementioned N64 titles than anything else. It is also heavy on grappling, but it's not quite as much of a simulation as, say, No Mercy. You do not grab your opponent with one button tap and then execute your move with a combination of direction and button. Instead, for grappling, it's similar to the WWF Smackdown! series most recently seen on the PlayStation 2. To perform a grapple move, you simply stand next to your opponent and press a direction in combination with the A-button. Yuke's has no doubt come to enjoy the fast-paced action of Smackdown!, but we're not entirely sure that fans migrating over from the N64 will enjoy it as much. In fact, we must admit ourselves that the lack of the setup grapple just feels awkward. You feel less in control, which in turn is more prone to feel like button-mashing.

It seems X8's whole intention is to bring fast-paced action and lots of grappling to the gamers' fingertips. Pressing in different directions with the analog stick performs different slams and throws. If you press the A-button in conjunction with the Y-button, you can throw your opponent into the ropes to perform a subsequent move. Conversely, you can run with the Y-button to get out of the way of other wrestlers or catapult yourself off the ropes. The B-button is used to punch, kick, and attack. Running in combination with a B-button attack will, of course, result in a moving attack such as a clothesline. When you knock an opponent onto the canvas or floor you can perform submission holds and other moves with the A-button, while the B-button is reserved for kicks, elbow drops, and other equivalents. Like with most other wrestling titles, you can always take the opportunity to climb up on the turnbuckles and fly onto your awaiting opponents. If you wear them down long enough, you can pin with the Z-trigger.

 

The Wrestlers

The Rock

Triple H

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Undertaker

Kurt Angle

Rob Van Dam

Booker T

DDP

Hurricane

"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan"

Scott Hall

Kevin Nash

Kane

Jeff Hardy

Matt Hardy

Rakishi

Chris Jericho

Lance Storm

APA (shown in screenshot)

Total of 42 currently scheduled

Fortunately, X8 isn't quite as arcadey as Smackdown! and Yuke's counter system is a big part of that. New added depth to the control scheme comes in the form of reversals. The R-trigger is reserved for reversing grapples, whereas the L-trigger is used for turning punches and similar attacks around. Good timing is the required, otherwise as you can imagine it would become a reversal fest. At the same time, it's also not so difficult that it's a rare thing. It all feels fairly intuitive and is a good balance that will hopefully be tweaked a little more as the title nears completion.

Moving on, what would a wrestling videogame be without specials? Naturally Yuke's has implemented a specials system, and it requires you build up momentum. If you continually pull off good move sets and avoid getting whooped on too much, you will begin to fill up a set of three special "slots." Once all three are full, you can perform your signature moves by setting your opponent up and pressing the A and B-button in conjunction. We managed to pull off a lot of Pedigrees in our time with the game, so it seems the team still needs to balance it out a bit. Not that pulling off specials is so bad, but you don't want them to become so frequent they lose their "special" appeal.

 

Match Types

Hell in the Cell

Cage

TLC (Tables/Ladders/Chairs)

Tables

Ladders

Hardcore

Iron Man

Royal Rumble

One of the most important modes is multiplayer, and of course there will be a lot of that. In fact, this is X8's true focus. THQ knows that the WWF series was so successful on the N64 because of the multiplayer value, and Yuke's intends on continuing on that tradition. All the standard stuff will be there to let you enjoy one-on-one and two-on-two exhibition matches, special matches and all that good stuff with friends. One of the coolest new additions is the Trophy Slam. In this mode you can create your very own belt and offer it up as the winning prize in a title match with your friend. For instance, we could create the "IGNcube Belt," and square off against a reader. That reader can carry the belt on their memory card and continue to defend it in title matches. Very cool stuff, and Yuke's promises special customization such as coloring.

Graphics and Technology
When X8 releases this June it will likely be the best-looking wrestler to day. It smashes Smackdown! in terms of player realism and its looks compared to Raw on Xbox are debatable. While the Xbox wrestlers feature light maps and the like, the combination of animation and modeling is a turn off for some hardcore fans (and let's face it, what wrestling fans aren't hardcore?). WrestleMania X8 combines some advanced special effects with well designed character models. The wrestlers clock in at a modest 3500 polygons, but every one is used very well -- at least on the wrestlers we've seen. So, you won't be so turned off upon seeing Triple H's face this time around with X8.

For special effects Yuke's has light maps in place so all the grappler's bodies reflect the overhead lights. This works especially well for one of Triple H's costumes (each wrestler has 2), where he wears a leather jacket with mesh running down the center of the rear side of it. The lighting reflects off the jacket giving it a believable leather appearance (if you're not too picky). In fact, Triple H is a good example overall of Yuke's efforts as he also features weighted hair and dangling belts. So, you'll see his locks fly with each hit and his smaller belts bouncing off his thighs. In combination with accurate models it adds up to be one of the most impressive looking wrestling titles to date.

Yuke's is shooting for a solid 60 frames per second, and given that at most you'll have seven people on-screen -- four wrestlers, two announcers, and a ref -- it shouldn't be too hard to do. HDTV owners will be disheartened to learn that X8 will not likely support progressive scan.

Outlook
Really, the counter-heavy grapple system and speed of X8 is where its appeal lies. It feels a lot like the previous N64 with a mix of the heated action from Smackdown! Amateurs can jump right into the game with results, and seasoned veterans have enough to explore with special moves and reversals. Having said that, we're highly anticipating X8 for its upcoming June release. It's exclusive to GameCube and something all wrestling fans should keep an eye out for.