WCW Backstage Assault

Today I'm moving up the technological line, back to the Nintendo 64 with WCW Backstage Assault.  Developed by Kodiak Interactive and published by Electronic Arts, Backstage Assault was released on the Nintendo 64 and the original PlayStation in December 2001.  It was WCW's final video game before being bought out by Vince McMahon and the WWE (then WWF) and attempts to differentiate itself by being entirely based on backstage matches (hence the name). 

So Backstage Assault doesn't have a true story mode (much like many wrestling games), the closest thing being Hardcore Challenge, where you face random opponents until you face the champion to win their title.  Of course, I'm not really in the mood to face a couple matches, so I'm just going to do the basic Exhibition.  When starting the match, you can choose a few options, from difficulty to ways to win and time limit.  I left it on default, which seemed good enough for all options. 

So glancing down the available roster (there are quite a few characters that have to be unlocked), there are a number of older wrestlers who have no reason in this point (2000, when the game was being developed) to wrestle in backstage matches.  From Kevin Nash to Hulk Hogan to Ric Flair to Bam Bam Bigelow to the Mouth of the South Jimmy Hart, the game has much of WCW's older roster.  There are a few younger names you start with initially (David Flair and Captain Cajun to name two), but the incredibly limited roster before unlocks is disappointing.  So finally deciding on a match, I'm placing myself in the shoes of Sting against his longest rival, Ric Flair. 

Now I'll be honest, I don't know any of the controls for this game, so the first match will more then likely just be me messing around and getting beaten on until I figure out the buttons... but that's how it works.  It shouldn't take too long, the Nintendo 64 controller doesn't have that many to fiddle with. 

So the first thing that strikes me as the game starts is how horrible the graphics are.  I mean, they are terrible, not even as good as the graphics on the Super Nintendo games I've been playing.  I understand that there is a lot of unlockable content, but that doesn't mean it has to look this bad.  This is at the end of the Nintendo 64 life, it actually was released after the GameCube, there is absolutely no reason for the graphics to be this bad. 

So the match starts and, much like I said, I'm getting the pulp kicked out of me by Flair as I try and figure the controls.  The movement is simple enough, but the buttons just seem unresponsive.  It didn't take long to figure out how to strike, I've drop kicked Flair about six times in a row now, but using different moves is still baffling me.  Grappling also seems much more difficult then it should; I've actually grappled Flair about five times, but I always just seem to let go, no matter what I hit.  I guess this is a good reason to read the manual before playing. 

Anyways, I figured out how to pick up a chair that is just laying around and start getting back into the match, bashing Ric with it when he stands up (can't figure out how to hit him when he's on the ground, I'd figure it would be the same, but nothing is happening).  But then the great thing happens, after a certain number of shots, the chair breaks.  And it just doesn't break, it shatters into pixellated blocks.... really? 

And I'm actually too bored to want to continue this game, I didn't expect to do this, but I'm not continuing this game.  It's just too bad, I can't play it.  So tomorrow I'll look for something else, something enjoyable, something playable.  Adios for today though.