Original Release: Acclaim, 1992, NES
Other Releases: Master System / Game Gear (1993), TV (2018)
Though the first implementation of a steel cage is the feature here, the game also has traditional matches and a championship mode.
WWF Steel Cage Challenge (NES, Acclaim, 1992)
Where to Buy: eBay
How to Emulate: coming soon!
Review by: C. M0use
We’ve already done a full review of the Sega Master System port of this game, so the only question here is — is this any less awful at all than that version? And the answer is no, of course not, this is LJN. During this era sometimes ports of games to another console could be wildly different, but not here, LJN just copypasta’d the same game to both platforms.
The one unique feature is that each release has four unique characters that can’t be had in the other version. Which would make some (greedy marketing) sense if both consoles had a significant install base, but in 1992 I think the supply of Sega Master Systems still in use was down to like 12 or so in the U.S. It’s also rendered irrelevant not just because of the game’s general unplayable craptitude, but by the lack of unique moves and really half-assed sprite work.
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WWF Steel Cage Challenge (Master System, Sega, 1992)
Where to Buy: eBay
How to Emulate: coming soon!
Review by: C. M0use
Steel Cage Challenge was released in 1992, which was really REALLY late in the SMS lifespan (I actually thought the system was discontinued by then). So it has some impressive little touches like digitized (if squishy) wrestler faces, theme music (except for poor IRS who just gets typing noises), and a range of modes of play – tag team, championship runs, and the title delivers as any game mode can be played in a steel cage that you have to climb out of to win.
Sadly, the gameplay is really no better than all the other crap licensed WWF titles of the 8-bit era. The rassler sprites look rather thin and samey, just counting on their distinctive colors to be identifiable basically. Gameplay is mashy and once the computer gets you down it’s oddly difficult to get up. Rings are low-detail, nothing going on in the background, no interesting intersitital stuff between matches on your title run. Everyone seems to have a very similar moveset as well, and there don’t appear to be unique finishers.
This also came out for the NES and was one of the first examples of platform-exclusive characters. This version gets Papa Shango, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels and Tatanka while the NES gets Roddy Piper, Sid Justice, Jake The Snake and The Mountie. Not a great trend to be in on the ground floor of, but who else would be blazing these trails but LJN of course.
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