Cheat Index - WWE WrestleMania XIX Computer Preview

Last year’s Wrestlemania 18 game for the GameCube was a disappointment for a lot of wrestling fans—and THQ will be the first ones to admit it. That’s why for this year’s installment of the GameCube WWE franchise, Yuke’s is going back to the drawing board with a new grappling system, all new animations, a story mode, and a vow to not make any promises they can’t keep.

THQ recently showed off Wrestlemania XIX for the first time at an event in Seattle, coinciding with the real Wrestlemania XIX pay-per-view special. Two wrestlers were on display—Rey Mysterio and The Undertaker—but already the differences from the last game are apparent. While all the wrestlers in previous THQ grapplers seemed to pretty much have the same speed and stamina no matter how big they were, that’s changing this time around: Rey is clearly way speedier than the Undertaker, and much slower to rise to his feet after a takedown. The animation is cleaner and faster with more “selling the pain,” and the collision a bit more convincing (though still not perfect—clipping limbs are still a problem). XIX will also feature a Story Mode this time (with a “Revenge against Vince McMahon” theme), limb-specific damage, and—for the first time in a WWE game—blood…and on the GameCube, even!

The grappling system is already simple to learn—weak grapples are accomplished by tapping A, strong grapples by holding A. Strikes employ a similar philosophy with the B button. Right now, a simple icon appears over your head to prompt you when it’s time to counter (using the shoulder buttons) or wiggle the analog stick, making the learning curve much simpler for wrestling newbies…though THQ is still trying to decided whether or not it will stay in the final game.

THQ is hoping this Wrestlemania is more what the fans are looking for; and the presentation, controls, and general design philosophy all point in the right direction. There’s still work to be done, to be sure, but the Road to Wrestlemania is a long one…and Yuke’s has definitely shown the ability to learn from their less-than-stellar moments in the ring.

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