Wrestling has always been an under appreciated aspect of pop culture.  From time to time, wrestling explodes in popularity and then everyone jumps on the wrestling bandwagon.  T-shirts, Super Bowl ads, you name it and there is probably some type of wrestling connection.  But to me wrestling has always been a guilty pleasure, since I grew up watching wrestling.  I was lucky enough to live in one of the top wrestling regions in America.  Wrestling was a huge attraction for years in this area, and it was a springboard for some wrestlers into the big time.  Jerry Lawyer, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, the Undertaker, and just about anyone else that was in wrestling would wrestle in my hometown on a weekly basis.  There was always a block of wrestling on television every week.  I tried to make it a point to never miss these programs, and in the process grew to love wrestling.  When the first Wrestlemania happened, I could have never imagined that wrestling would become so popular.  Since then, Wrestlemania has always been the biggest wrestling eventof the year. 

With Wrestlemania XIX on Gamecube, now you have the opportunity to jump into the squared circle and compete on the biggest stage of them all, Wrestlemania!  There are several gameplay modes available in Wrestlemania XIX, Exhibition, Tutorial, King of the Ring, and Revenge.  There are also other options available in the game as well, Create a Superstar, Shopzone, and Superstar Profiles.  The Exhibition mode allows you to compete in several types of matches: Single, Tag Team, Triple Threat, Fatal 4 Way, Handicap, Royal Rumble and Revenge States.  With a match selected, you can then  select 8 different match types: Normal Match, Hardcore Match, Ladder Match, Table Match, TLC Match, Cage Match, Hell in a Cell, and Ironman Match.  The different match types should please more wrestling fans.  You can then select from 45 different wrestlers to compete with and against.

The Tutorial mode is a great lesson in learning the controls of the game.  You can compete in several different training lessons with Al Snow as the trainer.  Al offers words of encouragement if you do well and will blast you if you make a mistake.  I recommend everyone take the time to finish the tutorial mode to learn the controls.  The control scheme in Wrestlemania XIX is close to what I consider the Holy Grail of wrestling games, No Mercy on N64.  The game has a grappling system similar to No Mercy but with a few changes.  You can lock up with your opponent by pressing a single button on the controller.  Then once you’ve locked up, you can then press a button to execute a move.  There are also different moves you can perform by pressing the control stick in a different direction when locked up with your opponent.  This is very similar to No Mercy on N64, but Wrestlemania XIX still lacks in comparison to No Mercy when it comes to the controls. 

During the tutorial mode everything seems simple and easy with the controls, but this changes during an actual match.  The game seems to drop the grappling system during an actual match.  It always seems you have a better chance of succeeding by just striking your opponent.  The computer doesn’t give you enough time to perform a grapple move since he/she is consistently striking at you.  Of course you can wear the opponent down by performing strike after strike, but even then this defeats the purpose of the grapple system.  There is also a reversal system you can use during a match.  By pressing the “R” button you can counter a striking attack.  The “L” button allows you to counter a grapple attack.  As mentioned earlier, this works great in the tutorial mode, but seems useless in an actual match.  The game even offers a short visual clue as to which button to press, but you have to press the button at the exact moment in order to execute the reversal.  If you can get the timing down on when to press the button, this can and will help in a match.  But when the computer keeps striking over and over again, it seems useless to try to perform a reversal.  After a few minutes in a match it felt like I had no choice but to keep striking the computer to stay in the match. 

The King of the Ring mode allows you to compete in a tournament against other WWE Superstars.  There are six different match types available: Single Non Title, Single WWE Championship, Single World Heavyweight Championship, Tag Non Title, Tag WWE Tag Team Championship, Tag World Tag Team Championship.  After selecting the match type you then select the arena to compete in, the rules of the match (No DQ, First Blood, etc) and the number of entrants.  You can have up to 16 Superstars to compete in the tournament. 

Revenge is the story mode for Wrestlemania XIX.  The story itself is interesting but is something most fans have already watched on WWE Television.  You take control of a wrestler who’s been thrown out of the WWE by Vince McMahon.  Stephanie McMahon has a plan to take over the WWE, and she can use your help to taking out her father.  The plan is simple, make Wrestlemania XIX a financial disaster and force Vince to sell the company to Stephanie.  Now as a big wrestling fan, I always expect a story mode in any wrestling game that is released.  Revenge is not what I expected and probably not what most wrestling game fans will expect.  Instead of competing in the ring to settle the score and take out Vince, you fight in an urban setting.  There are 24 stages to complete, which are composed of 4 different locations and 6 different stages to finish.  One location is a Construction site; another is a Shopping Mall, a Parking Garage and a Harbor.  The different stages are unique and detailed but go against what wrestling is all about.  You compete in the ring to settle your difference. 

Why do I need to fight a security guard in the mall?  Why couldn’t I fight the Rock in the ring after working my way up the rankings?  Most wrestling fans I know would rather have the option to compete in the ring to settle their differences.  The one advantage of completing the different stages in Revenge mode is the opportunity to earn cash.   You earn cash by finishing the stages, and the amount of damage you do to the stage and your opponents.  You can spend the cash at the Shopzone mode and purchase additional items for the Create a Superstar Mode. 

The Create a Superstar mode is an extremely detailed create-a-wrestler program.  You have the option to create up to 16 different superstars.  You have extensive control over the different moves your character can use.   The amount of control you have over the different moves, and appearance of your character is very impressive.  If you want a character that uses power moves for their repertoire of moves, you can assign which moves to use.  You also have a unique control of your characters’ faces.  You can stretch their nose out, increase the size of their skull, increase the length of their chin, and several other options.  The Create a Superstar mode also includes a Paint Editor program. You can create your own logos, and patterns for your wrestlers.  Probably the only thing missing was a wide assortment of masks.  But if a mask style wasn’t available right away it might be available in the Shopzone section for purchase.

Wrestlemania XIX is a good wrestling game that will please the casual wrestling fan.  Hardcore wrestling fans will probably find the lack of a “standard/old fashion” story mode very discouraging.  But the Create a Superstar mode should please all gamers with the amount of control and options available.  With Wrestlemania XIX, you have the opportunity to experience the excitement of wrestling in your living room.

Gameplay 7.6 

As mentioned earlier in the review, a grapple system is the control scheme of Wrestlemania XIX.  But you’ll spend more time striking your opponents instead of using the grapple system.  When you do get the opportunity to use the grapple system, it can be touchy at times.  My characters would perform a light grapple even though I thought I pressed a hard grapple.  But this is only a minor issue, since the biggest issue is the striking system.  The reversal controls are a great idea and work great, when you can get them to work.  It always seems you’re late in trying to perform a reversal.  But when you have the time to use the grapple system properly it is a very easy control scheme to get used to.

Graphics 8.5 

The graphics for the different wrestlers are detailed and smooth when in the ring wrestling.  However the graphics for the different wrestler’s entrances can be stiff at times.  The wrestlers seem to walk with a limp to the ring during their entrance.  However the entrance videos are spot on to the actual graphics from the WWE television shows.  The ring graphics and audience graphics are very good.  Each ring setting is very detailed and accurate to their real world counterparts.  The animation of the audience members is rather bland and repetitive.   

Sound 8.0 

Each wrestler has his/her own music in the game, which is a great addition.  The sound effects of the crowd are also impressive.  They will start chanting certain phrases that are specific to a certain wrestler.  There is no commentary during the matches, but it isn’t missed.  The in game music, especially during the Revenge mode, does get a little repetitive after a while. 

Difficulty Medium 

Getting used to the controls is probably the hardest part of any wrestling game.  The tutorial mode will ease this problem tremendously.  The actual matches that take place in the ring can be troubling at times.  Just like in “real” wrestling your opponent can come back at any moment in the match.  This can be frustrating, especially when you want to use a particular move on your opponent and he/she just won’t go down.  The repeated use of strikes by the computer adds to the difficulty as well.  Since you spend most of your time striking and not using your more powerful grapple moves.

Concept 7.5 

The Revenge mode is a different idea for a wrestling game, but it only takes away from the game.  The true essence of any wrestling game should be competing in the ring.  The Revenge mode completely removes you from the ring.  Since this is the only story mode available in the game, this takes away from the overall score.  The rest of the game is a tried and true wrestling experience.  You compete in the different type of matches available and beat up your opponent. 

Multiplayer 7.5 

The game supports up to four players.  So you and up to three of your friends can compete in the squared circle.  The majority of the game modes support 4 players.  However you cannot have multiple players competing during the Revenge mode.

Overall 7.8 

Wrestlemania XIX offers a solid, entertaining wrestling experience for Gamecube.  The excellent graphics, sound effects and create a wrestler mode add to the game.  But to those looking for the complete package, this isn’t the wrestling game for you.  The grapple system, while finally starting to come back into popularity, isn’t perfect.  The game still feels like you can finish it without focusing on the grapple system.  The story mode is also a big disappointment for hardcore wrestling fans.  I don’t watch wrestling to see a wrestling fighting security guards in a mall or at a construction site.  For those looking for the next wrestling game on Gamecube, then Wrestlemania XIX will fit the bill.  But it doesn’t compare against a game that was released over three years ago.