ECW Hardcore Revolution

ECW Hardcore Revolution is a professional wrestling video game released by Acclaim Entertainment, based on the professional wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). The game was released for the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Game Boy Color, and Dreamcast in 2000. It was the first wrestling game to be based on ECW, as well as the first professional wrestling video game to receive a Mature rating from the ESRB, although the Game Boy Color version was rated Everyone. Acclaim followed this title with the release of a sequel, ECW Anarchy Rulz, in August 2000.

ECW Hardcore Revolution
Developer(s)Acclaim Studios Salt Lake City
Publisher(s)Acclaim Entertainment
Platform(s)Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Dreamcast
ReleaseGame Boy Color, Nintendo 64, PlayStation
  • NA: February 17, 2000[1]
  • EU: March 3, 2000
Dreamcast
  • NA: February 29, 2000
  • EU: March 17, 2000
Genre(s)Fighting
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Gameplay for ECW Hardcore Revolution is identical to WWF Attitude. Much of the content was the same, but with ECW images replacing all WWE owned material. The match rules are also retained.

Two (or more) participants attempt to meet one of the win conditions over their rival/s. They can reduce their opponent's resistance by performing decreasing their health. This is done by performing successful attacks and reversals.

  • Pin - Performing a pin cover on a downed opponent, or using a pinning move, to hold their shoulders down while the referee counts to three. Pin attempts are only valid within the ring. They are automatically voided if interrupted or either player touches the ring ropes.
  • Submission - Using a painful hold on a weakened opponent until they give up. These only work under same conditions as pin attempts.
  • Count Out - Whenever a player leaves the ring for any reason, the referee begins a silent count to 10. The count resets each time a player leaves the ring. Any players outside of the ring whenever the referee reaches 10 is defeated. It is possible for all players to lose by count out. These rarely happened in ECW.
  • TKO - If a player's health meter is completely depleted, they can be eliminated automatically. This option needs to be turned on in utilities.
  • Decree of ECW - This is a three-point system that is used if the time limit expires before anyone has met the other win conditions. The first determines who has the most remaining health. If this does not determine a clear winner, then the player with the most health who performed the most successful attacks, taunts and reversals is the winner. If this still does not produce a clear winner, then the player who meets those conditions and has the lowest player number is the winner.
  • DQ - This only occurs if a human controlled player wins a versus match after calling for their ally. Their opponent may be awarded the win by disqualification (DQ).

Nearly all of the main characters were performers and staff members involved with ECW during the game's production. Some personalities who had left the company before or during the production were left in as unlockable content. The additional "jobber" characters are loosely based on other ECW or Acclaim staff, or are completely fictional.

The season mode is similar to the one used in WWF Attitude. The player(s) must win matches to move up the rankings before they can challenge for championship titles at pay-per-view events. In 'Versus' career, the player must first challenge for the fictional Acclaim Championship. After clearing the first tier, the player moves on to the ECW Television Championship division, and then the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. The tag team career only allows players to compete for the ECW World Tag Team Championships.

The game features all of the attacks and taunts that appeared in WWF Attitude, with some renamed, as well as some new ones. However, many of the added moves are just duplicates of moves that are already in the game. For example, Danny Doring's finisher "Whambam Thankyou Maam" is identical to the "Double Arm DDT".

One of the unique features is that match commentary is performed by Joey Styles alone. This is one of the very few wrestling video games in existence to use just one commentator.

Match Types

Most of the matches in the game have been repeated from WWF Attitude, with many having name changes.

Basic Match Types
  • VS - The basis match type between two participants.
  • Tag Team - In this variation of a 'VS' match, both active participants have an inactive partner who must stay on the apron in their represented corner. The inactive partner can only offer limited assistance. Team members can switch roles at any time by performing a tag in their own corner.
  • 1 on 2 - Two participants work together to defeat one mutual opponent.
  • 1 on 3 - Three participants work together to defeat one mutual opponent.
  • 1 on Tag - A tag team match where one person does not have a partner.
  • 3-Way Dance - A 'VS' match for three participants. The first person to meet the win conditions over either opponent is the winner.
  • 3-Way Dance* - In this variation, a defeated player must remain at ringside for the rest of the contest. The match only ends when one player remains.
  • 4-Way Dance - As the name implies, this is a match for four participants. The first to meet the win conditions over any opponent is the winner.
  • 4-Way Dance* - Like in the 3-way Dance*, a defeated player must remain outside the ring until the match is over. The last remaining player is the winner.
  • 8-Man Tag - In this variation of a 'Tag Team' match, both teams have a total of four members each. Once a member is defeated, they leave the arena and are replaced by another team member. The winning team must defeat all four members of the rival team individually.
  • Battle Royal - A 4-way Dance that is only won by removing opponents from the ring. This is done by performing a body slam or atomic whip to a dazed opponents near the ring ropes, or by running into the ring ropes as an opponent climbs the turnbuckle.
  • Battle Royal* - A recreation of the WWF's Royal Rumble. This match has a total of 30 participants, but begins with just two. Additional participants enter the match until the maximum of four are in the ring. Eliminations can only be achieved by removing opponents from the ring. The last surviving player is the winner.
  • Lumberjack - A 'VS' match with two additional "lumberjacks" standing outside of the ring. The lumberjacks have unlimited health and will attack any players who leave the ring. The lumberjacks cannot win or enter the ring. If a lumberjack somehow meets one of the win conditions, then the match is awarded to the defeated player's rival.
  • Stable Match* - This match features four teams with four members each, but is conducted like a '4-Way Dance*'. When a participant is defeated, they leave the arena and are replaced by the next member of their team. If the participant has no partners left, then he remains at ringside until the match is over. The match only ends when all members of all of the opposing teams have been defeated.
  • Tag Team* - In this variation of a tag team match, if Team 1 defeats Team 2, they must then battle Team 3 immediately. Teams 2 and 3 only need to defeat Team 1.
  • Tornado - A 2-vs-2 match. Unlike in a tag team match, all players are active participants at the same time. If a member of a team is defeated, he must remain at ringside until the match is over. In order to win, a team must defeat both opponents in order to win.
  • Tournament - This is listed separately from all other Exhibition matches. It is an 8-person tournament consisting entirely of 'VS' matches without added stipulations. The winner of each match advances to the next round, while defeated players are removed from the tournament. In order to win, one of the players must win all three of their matches. It is not possible to suspend a tournament in progress.
  • VS* - Player One must defeat 4 opponents, one after another. The opponents only need to defeat Player One to win.

Match Types

Match types are additional options that can alter match rules.

  • Barbed Wire - The ring ropes are replaced with barbed wire which cause damage and bleeding if someone runs into them.
  • Cage Match - The ring ropes and posts are replaced with climbable cage walls. In addition to other win conditions, the first person to climb over a cage wall to the outside wins the match for themselves or their team.
  • Death Match - Pin and submission attempts are valid outside of the ring. The arena is littered with objects that may be used as weapons to inflict further damage.
  • Last Man Standing - After a player has sustained moderate damage, the referee will begin a silent count to 10 each time that they are knocked down. If they do not recover before the count is finished, they will be defeated. If any participant interacts with the downed player, the count is reset. Like in Death Match, the arena is littered with objects that can be used as weapons, and victory can be achieved outside of the ring.
  • Street Fight - Pin and submission attempts can be performed outside the ring. Unlike in Death Match, there are no weapons.
  • Toughman Match - In a '1 on 2', '1 on 3' or '1 on Tag' match in which the disadvantaged player must defeat all of the opponents before he can win.

Win Modifiers

These are more additional options that can be added to a match that will change the win conditions.

  • 2/3 Victories - When a player meets the win conditions, they are awarded a point and the match is reset with remaining time and health. The defeated player will get a health boost. The first player to score two points wins the match. If a player fails to score both points before the time limit expires, he can still be declared the winner by "Most Wins". If scores are tied, then the match is a winner-less "Draw".
  • Finisher Only - As the name implies, a player can win by performing their own finishing move.
  • First Blood - An opponent is automatically defeated if they bleed. This requires the 'Blood' option to be turned on in utilities.
  • I Quit Match - This is essentially a 'Street Fight' in which pin attempts are deactivated. Players are encouraged to win by submission.
  • Iron Man Match - Each time a player meets the win conditions, he scores a point and the match is reset. Defeated players get a health boost at the reset. The player with the most points when time expires is declared the winner by "Most Wins". If two players have the highest score, then the match is declared a winner-less "Draw".

Playable Roster

The game features numerous wrestlers and other on screen personalities who appeared on ECW programming prior to its release. Most are available by default, with the rest being un-lockable through game play. Non-wrestlers have move sets based on characters from WWF Attitude e.g. Joey Styles moves are copied directly from WWF star Edge. Several wrestlers left the company while the game was in development, but were left in as they had already been paid a fee for having their likenesses and voices used. Even though Spicolli had left the company and died years before this game was pitched, he was added as favor by Paul Heyman to Tommy Dreamer. In one of Dreamer's pre-match taunts, he can be heard saying "This one's for you, Spicolli."

Aimish RoadkillFrancineMike AwesomeSteve Corino
Axl RottenJack VictoryNew JackSuper Crazy
Balls MahoneyJasonNovaTaz
Beulah McGillicuttyJazzRavenTommy Dreamer
Big Sal E. GrazianoJerry LynnRhinoTommy Rich
Bill AlfonsoJoey StylesRVDTony DeVito
Chris ChettiJudge Jeff JonesSabuTracy Smothers
C.W. AndersonJustin CredibleThe SheikWild Bill
Cyrus The VirusLance StormSimon DiamondYoshihiro Tajiri
Danny DoringLittle GuidoSpanish Angel
Dawn Marie BytchLouie SpicolliSpike Dudley

The game also includes several "Jobber" characters. These characters are loosely based Acclaim and ECW staff, and have moves sets borrowed from the WWF Attitude video game. They appear as opponents in the earlier stages of Career Mode. At first there are only three available, but you can unlock the rest by beating Career mode, and then pressing 'Right' on the character selection screen.

Reception

The Nintendo 64 and PlayStation versions received mixed reviews, while the Dreamcast and Game Boy Color versions received unfavorable reviews, according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[2][3][4][5]

Critics praised Joey Styles's commentary, and the use of weapons during the game. However, many reviews criticized Revolution for being a near copy of its predecessors, WWF Attitude and War Zone, and not reflecting ECW's unique style, just covering over everything with ECW wrestlers and themes.[22] Daniel Erickson of NextGen gave the Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 versions negative reviews in two separate issues, calling the latter "One of the few games to inspire active anger and hate. Just having to handle the cart with our bare fingers made us feel dirty" (#63, March 2000);[34] and later calling the former "A blatant insult to the intelligence of wrestling fans and Dreamcast owners" (#65, May 2000).[33]

The Game Boy Color version was heavily criticized by critics and fans alike. Players complained about sluggish controls, poor sound effects and graphics and glitches. It was rated as one of the two worst GBC games of all time by MobyGames.com

See also

References
  1. "Acclaim Confirms Video and PC Games Release Schedule Through Fiscal 2000". Acclaim Entertainment. February 15, 2000. Archived from the original on August 17, 2004.
  2. "ECW Hardcore Revolution for Dreamcast". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  3. "ECW Hardcore Revolution for Game Boy Color". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  4. "ECW Hardcore Revolution for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  5. "ECW Hardcore Revolution for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  6. Licata, Jonathan. "ECW: Hardcore Revolution (DC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  7. Melville, Bryan. "ECW: Hardcore Revolution (GBC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  8. Ottoson, Joe. "ECW: Hardcore Revolution (N64) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  9. Ottoson, Joe. "ECW: Hardcore Revolution (PS) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  10. Hsu, Dan; Smith, Shawn; Boyer, Crispin; Hager, Dean (March 2000). "ECW Hardcore Revolution (N64)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 128. Ziff Davis. p. 142. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  11. "ECW: Hardcore Revolution (DC)". Game Informer. No. 84. FuncoLand. April 2000.
  12. "ECW: Hardcore Revolution (GBC)". Game Informer. No. 84. FuncoLand. April 2000.
  13. McNamara, Andy; Fitzloff, Jay; Reiner, Andrew (March 31, 2000). "ECW: Hardcore Revolution (N64)". Game Informer. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on June 1, 2000. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  14. Fitzloff, Jay (April 5, 2000). "ECW: Hardcore Revolution - PlayStation". Game Informer. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on December 6, 2000. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  15. Rodriguez, Tyrone; Weitzner, Jason "Fury"; Mylonas, Eric "ECM" (May 2000). "ECW Hardcore [Revolution] (N64)". GameFan. Vol. 8 no. 5. Shinno Media. p. 13. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  16. Ngo, George "Eggo" (May 2000). "ECW Hardcore Revolution (N64)". GameFan. Vol. 8 no. 5. Shinno Media. pp. 46–47. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  17. Mears, Rick "The Wanderer" (February 18, 2000). "REVIEW for ECW Hardcore Revolution (N64)". GameFan. Shinno Media. Archived from the original on April 11, 2000. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  18. Mylonas, Eric; Ngo, George "Eggo"; Weitzner, Jason "Fury" (May 2000). "ECW Hardcore [Revolution] (PS)". GameFan. Vol. 8 no. 5. Shinno Media. p. 12.
  19. The D-Pad Destroyer (February 17, 2000). "ECW Hardcore Revolution Review for N64 on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
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  22. Gerstmann, Jeff (March 13, 2000). "ECW Hardcore Revolution Review (DC)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  23. Provo, Frank (March 14, 2000). "ECW Hardcore Revolution Review (GBC)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  24. Gerstmann, Jeff (February 17, 2000). "ECW Hardcore Revolution Review (N64)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  25. Gerstmann, Jeff (February 17, 2000). "ECW Hardcore Revolution Review (PS)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
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  33. Erickson, Daniel (May 2000). "ECW: Hardcore Revolution [sic] (DC)". NextGen. No. 65. Imagine Media. p. 97. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  34. Erickson, Daniel (March 2000). "ECW: Hardcore Revolution [sic] (N64)". NextGen. No. 63. Imagine Media. p. 89. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  35. "ECW Hardcore Revolution (N64)". Nintendo Power. Vol. 130. Nintendo of America. March 2000.
  36. Kujawa, Kraig (March 2000). "ECW Hardcore Revolution". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 3 no. 6. p. 86. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
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