WWF War Zone

WWF WARZONE is here, featuring the top superstars in the World Wrestling Federation! Signature and finishing moves unique to each wrestler. Specialized matches including Steel Cage Match. Four-player action with Tag Team, Tornado, War, and Training Modes!

Released: 25 February 2013
Platforms: Game Boy Nintendo 64 PlayStation
Genres: Fighting Sports
Developers: Sculptured Software
Publishers: —
Modes: Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Third person
Themes: Action
Country: United States
Age ratings: ESRB T
Languages: English
Composers: Tim Follin

About

WWF War Zone is a professional wrestling video game developed by Iguana West and released by Acclaim Entertainment in 1998 for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy. The game features wrestlers from the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was the first graphical 3D game based on the WWF.

Because development of the game began in 1997, it has a number of wrestlers who had already departed the WWF by the time it was released in the summer of 1998, most notably Bret Hart. The game was followed by a sequel, WWF Attitude, released in 1999.

Keywords

wrestling
box art - real photos
professional wrestler
customizable characters
tag teaming
melee
difficulty level
tie-in
finishing move
wwe championship
crude renditions of real people
retroachievements

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

WWF War Zone features a gameplay system in which players must grapple with their opponent and perform a series of presses on the directional pad then a button press to perform wrestling maneuvers. WWF War Zone also features audio commentary provided by Vince McMahon and Jim Ross.

A variety of modes are available. The single player game is highlighted by the "WWF Challenge" mode in which the player selects a character and challenges for WWF titles by beating other wrestlers. Sometimes previously defeated wrestlers will challenge the player to a "Grudge match." These matches will usually be weapons or cage matches.

Development

Early in development, the game was called WWF '98 and featured a different ring and arena. The development team for War Zone consisted of 20 people, 10 each working on the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation versions. Development was begun on the PlayStation as developers waited to receive Nintendo 64 development kits. Space considerations of Nintendo 64 cartridges prevented developers from including the CD-quality audio and full motion video of wrestlers from the PlayStation version.

Despite the limited cartridge space, lead programmer Justin Towns (who had previously worked on WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game and WWF In Your House for Acclaim) found the Nintendo 64's z-buffering support and the faster speed in creating cartridges over burning CDs to be advantageous during the development process. The game took roughly a year and a half to develop.

Reception

The Nintendo 64 and PlayStation versions received "favorable" reviews, while the Game Boy version received "mixed" reviews, according to video game review aggregator platform GameRankings.

Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot complimented the gameplay and graphics and called the Nintendo 64 version the best wrestling game on the system. He called the PlayStation version the "best wrestling package ever released and shouldn't be missed by anyone with even a passing interest in wrestling." IGN's Douglass C. Perry complimented said version's presentation, speed of the gameplay and the in-depth create-a-wrestler mode in his review of the PlayStation version.