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Tuesday March 24th, 2009 will be the day that the latest video game release from the WWE and THQ, WWE Legends Of Wrestlemania, will be released on X-Box 360 and Playstation 3. Recently, on both X-Box Live and Playstation Store, a demo version of WWE Legends Of Wrestlemania has been released for download.
The downloaded game features four WWE Legends Of Wrestlemania wrestlers in Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, The Rock and Steve Austin. The downloadable demo also features two game modes, exhibition match (pitting Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant) and relive mode (featuring The Rock vs. Steve Austin).
The exhibition match pits Hulk Hogan against Andre The Giant in a rematch from their legendary encounter at WWE Wrestlemania 3. The Pontiac Silverdome is recreated for this match, albeit looking very much smaller in the realm of the video game. Also, both wrestlers come to the ring in the mini wrestling ring cart, Hulk Hogan even has his authentic ring music (Andre The Giant has random generic music).
The relive mode pit’s the Rock against Steve Austin in a rematch from their WWE Title encounter at WWE Wrestlemania 15. The relive mode will basically feature classic Wrestlemania match that can be replayed by each individual player (only Steve Austin vs. The Rock was revealed). However, what makes it different from the exhibition mode is that the relive mode gives players points for completing certain tasks.
The more points you unlock throughout the game will give the player the ability to unlock other features and Easter eggs in the game. For example, in The Rock vs. Steve Austin match, the challenges range from “Slobber Knocker” (win the opening match brawl) to “Wrestlemania Up Close” (throw The Rock into the Wrestlemania 15 sign) to “Stunner” (hit the Stone Cold Stunner on The Rock) to “The Rattlesnake Rules Again” (defeat The Rock with Steve Austin)...
The challenges will vary from each match depending on which wrestlers you are using and which match you are involved in.
As for game play, this game is virtually the complete opposite of which past THQ/WWE games have been known to offer. For example, when you are being pinned, you have to mash the buttons (since I own a Playstation 3, I have to hit triangle, X, square and circle together) until your meter reaches the line (which varies based on how hurt your wrestler is).
Also, locking up is not down with the analog stick, it is done by pressing the X (PS3) button on your controller, followed by hitting X again and a direction on your analog stick. THQ has stated previously that they wanted to make the feel of the game very different from the WWE Smackdown vs. Raw games they have released in recent years.
In a good nod to past Wrestlemania‘s, legendary WWE ring announcer Howard Finkel is the ring announcer in the game. Also, handling the commentary in the video game in the combination of Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler, without much variation from how they are used in past WWE Smackdown vs. Raw video games.
In just under two weeks, WWE Legends Of Wrestlemania will be released on both X-Box 360 and Playstation 3 and I for one, will be looking forward to this release.
You can contact David Tees at bigtees360@yahoo.com
