Initial release date 8 November 2000 Genre Professional wrestling | Publisher Electronic Arts Platforms Nintendo 64, PlayStation | |
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Developers Electronic Arts, Kodiak Interactive Modes Single-player video game, Multiplayer video game Similar Professional wrestling games, Other games | ||
Spotlight video game reviews wcw backstage assault playstation
WCW Backstage Assault is a professional wrestling video game by Electronic Arts. It was the final World Championship Wrestling (WCW) game released as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) purchased the company's assets three months later. Backstage Assault features commentary by Tony Schiavone and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. The game is distinguished by the fact that all gameplay takes place outside of a standard wrestling ring. This approach was very poorly received and unfortunately, the game has sold only 200,000 copies. A PlayStation 2 port was under development, but cancelled.
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Gameplay
Backstage Assault is vastly different from other games of its genre. Previous wrestling games such as WWF SmackDown! and WCW Mayhem featured backstage areas as auxiliary fighting locations. Backstage Assault took the concept further by removing the ring entirely and having all action take place backstage.
The primary gameplay mode is called Hardcore Challenge. It consists of winning matches against random opponents until challenged by the champion. Throughout the game, players can unlock wrestlers, arenas, and moves for use in Create-a-Superstar. The player cannot defend the championship after earning it.
Reception
WCW Backstage Assault was universally panned upon release. On the aggregate rating site, Metacritic, Backstage Assault currently has a rating of 40, based on 9 critic reviews. Most negative reviews center on the premise that all wrestling gameplay takes place outside of a wrestling ring, or traditional arena entirely. While some critics respected this decision by EA, virtually all reviewers acknowledge this as an ultimately fatal approach.
Other less notable grievances include gameplay that quickly becomes repetitive, a control system that is unimproved from EA's previous installment, and graphics that appear to have actually regressed from its predecessor. This regression in graphics quality occurs despite Backstage Assault being practically a stripped down version of WCW Mayhem.