By Rob Sutter, as seen in FightfulMag.com issue 3***When discussing the most memorable wrestling games in history, few stand out like the AKI-developed, THQ-published, Nintendo 64 titles. The first of this four-part 64-bit saga began with World Championship Wrestling’s WCW vs. nWo: World Tourin 1997 in North America. It was followed up by WCW/nWo Revengethe year after. Later on, THQ acquired the World Wrestling Federation license, which led to the development and release of WWF WrestleMania 2000.The fourth and final title in this series was WWF No Mercy, which remains arguably the best in the saga.These N64 titles were based on the Japan-exclusive series, Virtual Pro Wrestling. The series began life on the N64 and original PlayStation in 1996. It birthed many of the gameplay philosophies that the AKI/THQ series would maintain, including weak and strong grapples, weak and strong strikes, and the use of a momentum meter. One of the areas where Virtual Pro Wrestlingdiffered from the WCW and WWF titles of the same era was in its rosters. Virtual Pro Wrestling 2, which uses the same engine as WWF WrestleMania 2000, featured stars from various organizations, Pride FC, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and New Japan Pro Wrestling, each included.WWF No Mercy became one of the most recognizable wrestling games, even beyond the 64-bit era. To this day, it remains a favorite among gaming enthusiasts, several of whom have taken it upon themselves to continually modify the game, providing fan-made mods to make it feel more modern. In other words, WWF No Mercyas a fan-favorite is warranted. For those that have played AKI/THQ wrestling games of the past, WWF No Mercyfeels familiar. However, it’s the various changes from WWF WrestleMania 2000that freshen the experience.WWF No Mercyhas a roster that boasts over 70 World Wrestling Federation personalities across all tiers. From The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austinto The Hardy Boyz and Edgeand Christianto Perry Saturn and Essa Rios, every spot on the card is well-represented. However, the roster is fleshed out with legendary stars as well. Shawn Michaels, who had been retired from the in-ring competition by this point, is an unlockable character. Andre the Giant, who passed away in 1993, could be used once unlocked. The WWF No Mercyroster included most of the talent one would associate with this period, with a few surprises peppered in.In addition to new gameplay modes, including the Ladder Match, WWF No Mercy offers a deeper customization suite compared to its predecessor. Players could create their own wrestlers from the ground up, giving them unique entrances, attires, and moves. While creation options would only expand in WWF and WWE games that followed, for its time, WWF No Mercyseemed limitless. Furthermore, the game’s pre-existing roster can be customized. If a player is more partial to old-school Undertakercompared to the American Bad Ass, it wouldn’t be unfathomable for them to change all their attire to be more reminiscent of the Deadman’s career from the early-to-mid 90s. The time one may spend in the creation suite alone can be tough to track.Another area where WWF No Mercy was fleshed out was its single-player campaign, Championship Mode. Each WWF title has its own mode to play through, complete with storyline segments in between matches. Even further, each story progresses despite a win or loss. Championship Mode, along with the WWF No Mercybattle royal-style Survival Mode, allows players to earn in-game currency. This money can be spent in the SmackDown Mall, which sells everything from attire options to moves and weapons. The latter can be humorous, especially with options like a giant wedge of cheese and supersized versions of the Steveweiser and The Rock’s autobiography able to be brandished for combat.The praises of WWF No Mercyhave been long sung by gamers and critics alike. In fact, in addition to being one of the best wrestling games, it’s one of the landmark titles for Nintendo 64. By looking up any list of top N64 games online, one may see WWF No Mercyshare digital real estate with the likes of Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and GoldenEye 007. What makes WWF No Mercy particularly interesting more than two decades following its original release is the trivia surrounding it.Most infamously, WWF No Mercy was first shipped with a save data bug that was overlooked during development. More simply put, if a player purchased or received a first-run copy, they may have been shocked to see their save data inexplicably wiped. Championship Mode progress, SmackDown Mall purchases, and created wrestlers were just a few aspects of data that could be deleted without warning. Despite THQ suggesting players reset their cartridges to factory default settings, the issue persisted. Ultimately, THQ released revised copies, fixing the glitch. Furthermore, those with first-run copies were able to exchange theirs for free.WWF No Mercywas set to be followed up by another AKI-developed title known as WWF Backlash. Meant to release one year after its predecessor, WWF Backlashwould introduce the Hell in a Cell match type, in addition to an updated roster and better performance. In fact, WWF Backlashwas in development before being canceled. Keep in mind that by the time WWF No Mercy was released, the PlayStation 2 was already on store shelves and the Nintendo GameCube and the original Xbox were on the horizon. The N64 aged out considerably by this point; thus, developers shifted focus to the next generation. This isn’t to say that the AKI gameplay philosophies were completely abandoned, as evidenced by EA’s Def Jam Vendettagames, which have been considered spiritual successors.Shifting focus back to WWF No Mercy, numerous unused assets are still present in the game. While not playable in the base game, Gangreland The Headbangers, Moshand Thrasher, feature assets found in the creation suite. Big Show’sexclusion from the game is perhaps the most notable. This decision was made closer to the release of WWF No Mercy. Although no official reason was given, many fans point to the seven-foot star’s move to Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWF’s developmental territory, a few months before the game hit store shelves. Not unlike Gangrel and The Headbangers, Big Show’s assets can be found on the cartridge.Other unused assets include full wrestler entrances. As was the case with WWF WrestleMania 2000, WWF No Mercywas meant to incorporate full entrances, taking wrestlers from the stage to the ring. Instead, the final version of WWF No Mercyonly featured wrestlers emerging from the stage and walking down the ramp. It’s unknown why the full entrances were scrapped, although it is commonly attributed to usable storage. For perspective, while N64 cartridges only went up to 64 MB, PlayStation discs had around 700 MB of storage.Also, WWF No Mercy for N64 was intended to have a companion title for the Game Boy Color. The two versions would interact with one another via the N64 Transfer Pak. With this peripheral, data could be exchanged between the home console and the Game Boy or Game Boy Color title inserted in the Transfer Pak. Only a handful of N64 games took advantage of this accessory. These included the Pokémon Stadium series, which allowed players to use the Pokémon from their handheld games to play with on the television.In the case ofWWF No Mercy, the Transfer Pak would allow the player to transfer points from the Game Boy Color version to its N64 counterpart. By doing so, the player would redeem points for rewards from the SmackDown Mall. Players could also take their created wrestlers from the Game Boy Color title and play as them on the N64. However, during development, the Game Boy Color title was canceled, as was any Transfer Pak functionality.It’s fair to say that WWF No Mercyis a rabbit hole, containing information that would wow everyone, even those that logged several hours into the game. However, the main takeaway is that it remains a classic title with unyielding fan support. Late last year, it was announced that Hideyuki Iwashita, the director for WWF No Mercy, would be involved in the development of AEW’s upcoming home console game. While it may not fully replicate the style of the N64 classics that fans know and love, this influence should leave players waiting with bated breath, eager for an experience similar to what WWF No Mercy provided more than two decades ago.Rob Sutteris the current Editor and Department Manager at Last Word on Pro Wrestling and a contributor for Last Word on Gaming. He has extensive knowledge about the wrestling world as a fan for over 20 years.Twitter: @KHsNotebook
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