Original Release: 2K Sports, 2014, Android / iOS
WWE’s flagship wrestling series saw a more limited release on Android with this unique mobile title.
WWE 2K (Android, 2K Sports, 2014)
Where to Buy: Amazon
Review by: C. M0use
WWE 2K wisely avoids the usual sticky and imprecise “virtual joystick” that accompanies most mobile action titles, going instead with a system built entirely around taps, swipes and pinches. Unfortunately, this system is also kinda imprecise and iffy and makes the game more than a little obnoxious to play. It’s otherwise kinda impressive for a mobile title, but definitely expect more limited options than the PC and console counterparts.
So 2K came out around mid-2014, and the roster is basically the top of the card from that era. You’ve got Daniel Bryan still in action, Brock Lesnar, the Shield members (possibly their final appearance in gaming as this stable), John Cena, Batista, Bad News Barrett, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Kane, Randy Orton, Rusev, Seamus, Triple H and the Undertaker. Surprisingly Sting makes it in too, even though he wasn’t yet active on the roster … racist-ass Hulkie Hogan was also in my version, but WWE may have since whitewashed him out depending on where/when you get this. Don’t expect anyone else — apparently there was no room left in the game’s 1 GB of hard drive space for midcarders, jobbers or any sort of female wrestlers.
You do get to create a character, though, and guide them through a career mode where each match constitutes a week of your career, and Triple H gives you various objectives like defeating a certain guy or winning a certain type of match. Character creation here is quite limited, however, compared to even console titles from 15 years ago. There are only three or four body types, skin colors, hairstyles and hair colors, and you can’t really accessorize or customize your outfit initially other than wearing some stupid-looking star thing. Eventually you can unlock a handful more options, but not many. So this one is really more about playing as the established superstars for the kids than having a really substantive career mode.
The controls kinda work, and I’m still inclined to say it was a better decision than a crappy virtual joystick, but it’s real messy. There are a couple of things that outright don’t work, and unfortunately one is kicking out of a pin since the game doesn’t seem to actually register like 9 out of 10 upward swipes. Anything that involves a two-finger tap or swipe is also iffy, and I could never actually get the parry to work even once to check it off in training mode. It still isn’t too tough to win matches, since basic striking and grappling until your finisher becomes available is almost always a viable strategy, but it’s hardly a deep system and soon gets repetitive.
The game at least packs some of the nicest 3D models on Android into that beefy 1 GB install, and you get the entrance themes for all the included wrestlers as well. Little kids who are more willing to put up with jank gameplay will probably enjoy playing as LET’S GO CE-NA on their tablets enough to make it worth the minimal $8 price, but adults looking for a deeper experience will find this too wanting.
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