527:, in contrast, said the game does not have either of these problems: "Rather than rely on senseless button mashing to execute moves, Nitro instead has more of a fighting game style to it, with each move having its own set of buttons that trigger the move. Don't be fooled - there is still a bit of button pounding in the game, but not nearly as much as most other wrestling titles out there."
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There are initially 16 playable characters (each featuring a video introduction), with 48 others that can be unlocked, either by playing through the tournament mode with various wrestlers or by using a cheat code. Some of these secret characters are WCW wrestlers or personalities, while others are
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was one of the best games in the wrestling genre, with Kujawa giving the pragmatic assessment that "if you want a wrestling game, slim pickings make this the one to get by default." Gerstmann similarly said that though the game has its flaws, it was better than previous games in the genre and so
536:
found the controls intuitive and the graphics moderately impressive, but said the controls suffer from delayed responsiveness. John
Ricciardi deemed it a rental-only game, but Kraig Kujawa and Joe Fielder both said that while conspicuously less than perfect,
32:
368:
animation system. What this means is that there are no separations between a character's arms and legs. The entire body is covered with a seamless skin that is texture-mapped with digitized images of the entire wrestler. ... The guys at
390:
Inland
Productions released screenshots for an Nintendo 64 version shortly after the PlayStation version's release, but said a publisher for this version had not yet been secured. Ultimately THQ would publish this version as well.
340:. The Nintendo 64 version does not have any full motion video. The Microsoft Windows version has the selection screen videos and an intro video, but no wrestler entrance videos. However, the Microsoft Windows version does support
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302:
were mixed, with many critics concluding that though the game is considerably flawed, it was better than most of the few wrestling video games out at the time and would therefore appeal to fans of the sport.
329:
Modes of play include singles and tag team matches for one or two players, as well as a one-player tournament mode, where the player must defeat a number of wrestlers to be crowned champion.
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instead complained that "the moves are so easy to pull that gameplay is reduced to a contest of button-mashing rather than anything requiring a modicum of strategy, tactics, or skill."
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Moves are performed by inputting various button combinations. Each wrestler shares a repertoire of wrestling moves and possesses several of their own signature moves.
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when more than two wrestlers are on screen at once, and opinions on the controls and gameplay were varied and sometimes contradicting. For example,
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Versions for the
Nintendo 64 and Microsoft Windows were released in 1999 and 2000 featuring the updated roster from the game's sequel
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say they just invented this a few months ago, but we've had this technology for over a year and now have the game to prove it.
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likewise assessed it as a strong example of a genre with traditionally modest aspirations, concluding that "Ultimately,
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501:. It was praised for its dead-on WCW atmosphere and large roster. Some reviewers, though, complained of drops in
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722:: "THQ has released the first World Championship Wrestling (WCW) game for the PC, the company said today..."
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Rickards, Kelly; Kujawa, Kraig; Fielder, Joe; Ricciardi, John (February 1998). "Review Crew: WCW Nitro".
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complained that "Some of Nitro's moves require too much patience and practice to perform," but
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This is in reference to the graphics technology used in Shiny
Entertainment's game
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in 1998, the game featured a large roster of playable WCW wrestlers as well as
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was still selling well and they did not want to create their own competition.
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733:"PR - 2/8/98 - THQ'S 'WCW NITRO' FOR NINTENDO 64 SLAMS ONTO RETAIL SHELVES"
779:"THQ Brings World Championship Wrestling to Personal-Computer Users With
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were released later in 1998 and 1999 with the updated roster featured in
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Johnny
Ballgame (February 1998). "PlayStation ProReview: WCW Nitro".
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The game was ready for release by the end of 1997, but publisher
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We are the first to develop a seamless, closed mesh, fully
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Scary Larry (December 1997). "Of
Kingpins and Pin Kings".
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clips of the television show. The game was followed by
560:, but still recommended the game to wrestling fans.
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1057:"D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details WCW Nitro"
497:received mixed reviews upon its release for the
362:
356:Mike Cihak, president of the game's developer,
318:performs his finisher the "Diamond Cutter" on
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8:
554:argued that the gameplay lacks the depth of
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1269:Video games developed in the United States
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1065:Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
577:Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
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30:
21:
1239:Multiplayer and single-player video games
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381:delayed it until 1998 because their game
1279:World Championship Wrestling video games
919:. No. 103. Ziff Davis. p. 121.
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565:inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards
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605:List of licensed wrestling video games
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542:would not disappoint wrestling fans.
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795:. November 30, 1998. Archived from
704:. November 30, 1998. Archived from
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333:fictional characters or THQ staff.
36:North American cover art featuring
360:, claimed during development that
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969:Buckman, Chris (March 15, 1999).
573:Console Fighting Game of the Year
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589:
481:
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885:"Nintendo 64 Preview Gallery".
1:
1017:. February 1998. p. 114.
767:. September 1997. p. 40.
671:"Home | THQ Nordic GMBH"
567:, the PlayStation version of
1254:Professional wrestling games
1131:World Championship Wrestling
735:. 2004-04-16. Archived from
673:. 1998-01-17. Archived from
279:Thursday night counterpart.
1249:PlayStation (console) games
874:. January 1998. p. 32.
571:received a nomination for "
1295:
832:. April 1998. p. 122.
720:First WCW Wrestler Hits PC
1138:
916:Electronic Gaming Monthly
888:Electronic Gaming Monthly
651:"PlayStation Nation News"
533:Electronic Gaming Monthly
419:Electronic Gaming Monthly
411:
408:
29:
1234:Inland Productions games
1043:International Data Group
1172:WCW vs. nWo: World Tour
895:. May 1998. p. 38.
530:The four reviewers of
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323:
240:professional wrestling
864:"WCW Nitro Delayed".
314:
275:, which was based on
1259:Tag team video games
1158:SuperBrawl Wrestling
799:on February 24, 1999
757:"E3 Showstoppers!".
405:
371:Shiny Entertainment
316:Diamond Dallas Page
94:D. Scott Williamson
944:"WCW Nitro Review"
793:Berkshire Hathaway
597:Video games portal
403:
358:Inland Productions
324:
59:Inland Productions
1244:Nintendo 64 games
1216:
1215:
1207:Backstage Assault
1165:WCW vs. the World
950:. CBS Interactive
708:on April 22, 2000
557:WCW vs. the World
491:
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384:WCW vs. the World
289:Microsoft Windows
267:full motion video
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182:November 30, 1998
170:Microsoft Windows
127:Microsoft Windows
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1229:1998 video games
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1041:. No. 113.
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891:. No. 106.
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870:. No. 112.
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822:"S.W.A.T. Pro".
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198:February 9, 1999
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1061:interactive.org
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1013:. No. 38.
1010:Next Generation
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940:Gerstmann, Jeff
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544:Next Generation
514:Next Generation
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272:WCW/nWo Thunder
247:television show
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1151:The Main Event
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1083:External links
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853:. p. 74.
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739:on 2004-04-16
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696:"News Briefs"
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677:on 1998-01-17
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404:Review scores
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1068:. Retrieved
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981:. Retrieved
979:. Ziff Davis
974:
964:
952:. Retrieved
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807:– via
801:. Retrieved
797:the original
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741:. Retrieved
737:the original
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710:. Retrieved
706:the original
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675:the original
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654:. Retrieved
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424:6.5/10 (PS1)
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263:game console
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66:Publisher(s)
54:Developer(s)
1133:video games
971:"WCW Nitro"
712:December 6,
563:During the
499:PlayStation
448:4.8/10 (PC)
409:Publication
352:Development
285:Nintendo 64
260:PlayStation
226:multiplayer
187:Nintendo 64
145:PlayStation
132:Nintendo 64
122:PlayStation
114:Platform(s)
102:Composer(s)
88:Designer(s)
78:Producer(s)
1223:Categories
1007:"Finals".
893:Ziff Davis
743:2023-03-18
681:2023-05-15
656:2023-05-15
637:References
503:frame rate
243:video game
108:Matt Scott
106:Mike Cihak
92:Mike Cihak
82:Mike Cihak
1264:THQ games
1095:MobyGames
1090:WCW Nitro
809:Yahoo.com
781:WCW Nitro
575:" by the
569:WCW Nitro
548:WCW Nitro
539:WCW Nitro
495:WCW Nitro
400:Reception
395:Reception
344:play via
320:Lex Luger
300:WCW Nitro
235:WCW Nitro
165:June 1998
46:The Giant
25:WCW Nitro
1070:4 August
983:July 17,
954:July 17,
948:GameSpot
803:June 16,
583:See also
524:GameSpot
431:GameSpot
307:Gameplay
258:for the
207:Genre(s)
1193:Thunder
1038:GamePro
867:GamePro
846:GamePro
825:GamePro
760:GamePro
626:Messiah
552:GamePro
508:GamePro
342:network
338:Thunder
293:Thunder
277:Nitro's
218:Mode(s)
141:Release
1200:Mayhem
346:TCP/IP
212:Sports
1179:Nitro
611:Notes
487:(PS1)
412:Score
281:Ports
238:is a
38:Sting
1072:2023
985:2021
956:2021
805:2019
714:2019
287:and
283:for
44:and
1093:at
976:IGN
872:IDG
851:IDG
830:IDG
765:IDG
701:IGN
521:of
443:IGN
379:THQ
256:THQ
71:THQ
1225::
1063:.
1059:.
1023:^
993:^
973:.
946:.
942:.
925:^
901:^
791:.
785:.
698:.
579:.
348:.
295:.
224:,
194:NA
178:NA
161:EU
152:NA
40:,
1123:e
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1109:v
1074:.
987:.
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163::
154::
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
