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| WWF Raw | |
|---|---|
Promotional flyer depicting WWF superstarsThe Undertaker,Yokozuna,Lex Luger,Razor Ramon,Bret "Hitman" Hart,Diesel,Luna Vachon,Owen Hart andDoink the Clown behind the originalWWF Raw logo. | |
| Developers | Sculptured Software Realtime Associates Seattle (Handheld versions) |
| Publisher | Acclaim Entertainment[a] |
| Platforms | |
| Release | |
| Genres | Sports-based fighting |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
WWF Raw is aprofessional wrestlingvideo game based on thetelevision show of the same name produced by theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF), released for theSNES,32X,Mega Drive/Genesis, andGame Boy in late 1994 and early 1995 byAcclaim Entertainment. It is thesequel to theWWF Royal Rumble game that was released in 1993, and is the final part ofLJN's 16-bit WWF trilogy. Players can play either One-on-One, Tag Team, Bedlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, or a Raw Endurance Match. Unlike its predecessor,WWF RAW ismultitap compatible.[2]
WWF RAW introduces differences between the characters in that they not only have their own signature moves, but differing move sets altogether (including new over-the-top "mega moves"). The game adds many moves not seen in the previous games, such as a DDT, a fallaway slam, and various types of suplexes. Additionally, wrestlers differ in attributes of speed, strength, stamina, and weight.
The game itself is arcade-like and involves a "tug-of-war" system in which, when the wrestlerslock-up, a meter appears above them and players must repeatedly press buttons to pull the energy away from the opponent's side to theirs. With more energy, they can perform moves with greater impact. Once an opponent's energy is low enough, a player can perform a wrestler's unique signature move.

General rules:
Types:
Every wrestler has a unique move based on their real-life finishing move. They all need to be performed in specific positions when the targeted opponent is low on stamina. They all use exactly the same button combination, and most characters taunt if the move was successful. Shawn Michaels' finishing move is the "Catapult Suplex", a version of his then finishing move the "Teardrop Suplex". Both Bret Hart and Owen Hart use the "Sharpshooter", which is a hold. If the Sharpshooter causes the opponent's health to deplete fully, then they will submit. The correct move positions are noted in the game's instruction manual.
All versions of the game apart from the handheld versions also have Mega Moves. These are greatly exaggerated moves which cause the most damage. In most cases, they will knock an opponent out of the ring. If this happens in a Royal Rumble, then the opponent is eliminated. The player can execute these moves using a character specific button combination. Most of them are easy to avoid due to their long set-up animations. For example, both, Lex Luger and The Undertaker swing their arms in a circular motion before punching the opponent. As they are winding up their arms, the opponent has time to walk away from the target area. Other moves cannot be countered, like Diesel's literal throw towards the ceiling.
| Wrestler | SNES/Genesis | Sega 32X | Game Gear | Game Boy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2-3 Kid | ||||
| Bam Bam Bigelow | ||||
| Bret Hart | ||||
| Crush | ||||
| Diesel | ||||
| Doink the Clown | ||||
| Kwang | ||||
| Lex Luger | ||||
| Luna Vachon | ||||
| Owen Hart | ||||
| Randy Savage | ||||
| Razor Ramon | ||||
| Shawn Michaels | ||||
| The Undertaker | ||||
| Yokozuna |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 5.75/10[5] |
| Famitsu | 19/40[3] |
| Next Generation |
On release,Famitsu magazine scored the Mega Drive version of the game a 19 out of 40.[3] Quick-Draw McGraw ofGamePro gave it a positive review, praising the selection of fighters, variety of moves, lack of slowdown, the sound effects, and the many skill settings. He did, however, criticize the fact that all the wrestlers are rendered at the same height, even ones who have drastic height differences in real life.[6]
Next Generation gave the SNES version of the game three stars out of five and wrote that "there are still many aspects of pro wrestling that none of theWWF games have yet to cover, so why not go after those?"[4] Quick-Draw McGraw ofGamePro was even more laudatory towards the SNES version, remarking that the controls are more precise and the graphics more detailed than those of the Genesis/Mega Drive version.[7]
GamePro's Air Hendrix dismissed the 32X version, saying it is identical to the Genesis version aside from some minor graphical improvements.[8] The two sports reviewers ofElectronic Gaming Monthly agreed, and further criticized that the control is poor and the opponent AI is overly hard to beat on all but the easiest difficulty setting. They scored it a 5.75 out of 10.[5]Next Generation reviewed the 32X version of the game, rating it two stars out of five.[9]
Longest absence from WWE games: The longest time spent away from appearing in official WWF and WWE games is an epic 16 years 4 months, achieved by "Macho Man" Randy Savage. After appearing in the Game Gear releaseWWF Raw in November 1994, the Macho Man wouldn't feature in official wrestling federation games again untilWWE All Stars, released in March 2011.