Wrecking Crew
- This article is about theNintendo Entertainment System game. For other uses, seeWrecking Crew (disambiguation).
| Wrecking Crew | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 For alternate box art, see therelated gallery. | |||||||||||||||
| Developer | Nintendo R&D1 | ||||||||||||||
| Publisher | Nintendo | ||||||||||||||
| Platforms | Family Computer,Nintendo Entertainment System,Family Computer Disk System,Game Boy Advance,Virtual Console (Wii,3DS,Wii U),Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics | ||||||||||||||
| Release dates | Family Computer: June 18, 1985[1]Nintendo Entertainment System:  October 18, 1985[2] October 15, 1987[?]Family Computer Disk System: February 3, 1989[?]Game Boy Advance: May 21, 2004[3]Virtual Console (Wii): August 24, 2007[?] August 24, 2007[?] November 19, 2007[?] February 5, 2008[?]Virtual Console (3DS) (Ambassador Program Release): August 31, 2011[?] August 31, 2011[?] September 1, 2011[?] September 1, 2011[?]Virtual Console (3DS) (Full Release): September 19, 2012[?] March 7, 2013[?] May 9, 2013[?] May 10, 2013[?] May 18, 2016[?]Virtual Console (Wii U): June 19, 2013[?] June 20, 2013[?] June 20, 2013[?] June 20, 2013[?]Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics: July 17, 2019[?] July 17, 2019[4] July 17, 2019[?] July 17, 2019[?] July 17, 2019[?] July 17, 2019[?] | ||||||||||||||
| Language | English | ||||||||||||||
| Genres | Puzzle, platformer | ||||||||||||||
| Ratings |
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| Modes | Single player, 1–2 players alternating | ||||||||||||||
| Format | Famicom:  CartridgeNES:  Game PakFDS:  Disk CardSuper NES:  Game PakWii:  Digital downloadWii U: Digital downloadNintendo Switch: Digital downloadGame Boy Advance:  Game PakNintendo 3DS: Digital download | ||||||||||||||
| Input | Famicom: NES: Super NES: Wii:  Wii Remote (horizontal)Wii U: Wii Remote (horizontal)Nintendo Switch:  Joy-Con (horizontal)Game Boy Advance: Nintendo 3DS: | ||||||||||||||
| Serial codes | Famicom: HVC-WR NES: NES-WR-USA NES-WR-CAN NES-WR-EEC NES-WR-ESP NES-WR-HKGGame Boy Advance: AGB-FWCJ-JPN | ||||||||||||||
- Everyone
- All ages
- Three years and older
- All ages
- General audience
- All ages
- General
Wrecking Crew is the second game and namesake installment of theseries of the same name. It was released in1985 for theFamily Computer in Japan and later that year for theNintendo Entertainment System in North America, eventually making it to Europe in1987.Wrecking Crew was released on theWii's,Nintendo 3DS's, andWii U'sVirtual Console, as well as forNintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics. It follows theVS. System version of the game calledVS. Wrecking Crew which came out the previous year. In both games, the player controls Mario (Player 2 asLuigi) working on a demolition site. The goal is to break down allwalls on each phase. However, this version is more focused on the puzzle platformer aspect and removed competitive play entirely as there is no simultaneous two-player mode.
Unlike the arcade version, this game also features a DESIGN mode, where players can make their ownWrecking Crew phases. The game had the ability to save those custom phases. However, the required peripherals (the keyboard and Data Recorder accessories) were released only in Japan, as the peripherals are only available in theFamily BASIC accessory. The gamesExcitebike andMach Rider have the same limitations asWrecking Crew. This functionality was fully utilized in the Virtual Console rereleases of these games as they emulate the peripherals behind-the-scenes. However, this feature is not included in the Nintendo Switch Online version of the game. TheFamily Computer Disk System version does not need the peripherals as it could save on the disk.
A sequel toWrecking Crew was released in 1998,Wrecking Crew '98, exclusively for theSuper Famicom. A port of this game would also be featured in the sequel.Wrecking Crew '98 is competitive, giving each player their own side to clean up, and opportunity to send enemies to the opponent's side.
Gameplay[edit]
- See also:List of Wrecking Crew phases
Players can select any of the 100 phases to start on, excluding theBonus Stages that come after every fourth phase. Unlike the arcade version, there is vertical scrolling but each phase still takes place in a single wraparound screen.
As the player tries to break all the walls with theirhammer, they are attacked by various enemies. Defeating the enemies is not easy, as the regular hammer deals them no damage. If an enemy wanders underneath adrum, the player can trap it by causing the drum to fall. SometimesForeman Spike appears in the background and smashes walls himself. He can also try to push the player off the platforms, but if they can hit Foreman Spike with their hammer, Foreman Spike will fall down instead.
Doors appear less frequently than in the arcade original. Like the previous game, an enemy sent to the background screen becomes a harmless silhouette. If all enemies in a phase that contains more than one are sent to the background, they will freeze for around eight seconds.
If the player breaks down the walls in a particular order, they may findletters of the name of the character the player is playing. Finding all of these will give the player anextra life. In any phase with three or moredynamite, hitting three dynamite in a specific order will reveal a prize. The type of prize is determined by adding the phase number with the number of swings Mario made during the phase then dividing by 8. If the remainder is 0, 3, or 6, a pig statue is revealed which can be smashed for 800 points. If the remainder is 2 or 5, aSanta Claus statue worth 1600 points with show up. If it is 4 or 7, amaneki-neko statue worth 3200 points will appear. If the remainder is 1, it will spawn aGolden Hammer, also worth 3200 points. Much more powerful than the regular hammer, the Golden Hammer allows the player to knock down walls much faster, and, if they time it right, they can knock enemies down to the bottom floor.
As well as brick walls, there are alsopillars that can be knocked out, ladder walls that can be used until they are destroyed (Foreman Spike can also destroy these), and dynamite that will damage any bricks lined up with it (as well as knocking whoever is nearby off the platform if they do not move away fast enough).
In the Bonus Stages, the player has to compete against Foreman Spike to find acoin hidden in a row of walls as the time counts down. 10,000 bonus points are awarded for finding it in the first wall that was smashed.
In 2 Player Game, one player will take over after the other loses a life. After completing all 100 phases, the game starts again from the beginning.
Characters[edit]
Playable[edit]
| Character | Name | Information |
|---|---|---|
 | Mario | The first player character, he is the only character playable in single-player mode. |
 | Luigi | The second player character, he is only playable in two-player mode. |
Enemies[edit]
| Enemy | Name | Information |
|---|---|---|
 | Gotchawrench Jr. | A dinosaur wrench that chases Mario around the phase at a slow speed. |
 | Gotchawrench | A dinosaur wrench that chases Mario around the phase at a faster speed. |
 | Eggplant Man | A masked eggplant that sprints around, getting in Mario's way. |
 | Fireball | Spend too long in a particular area and a fireball will appear. |
 | Foreman Spike | The bearded foreman of the construction site. He will constantly try to stop Mario from completing his job by hitting the hero off the beams. He takes over the role Luigi did in the single player mode of theVS. version. |
Staff[edit]
- Game Designer
- Yoshio Sakamoto
- Makoto Kano
- Original Music
- Sound Department
- Hirokazu Tanaka
- Director
- Producer
- Programed by
- Toshiyuki Nakamura
- Tomoyo-chan
- Yase Sobajima
- Akina-chan
Reception[edit]
| Reviews | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release | Reviewer, Publication | Score | Comment |
| Wii | Austin Shau,GameSpot | 7/10 | "For 500 Wii points, Wrecking Crew is a surprisingly fun game if you enjoy a good puzzler now and again. The presentation is uninteresting and you may be initially put off by its rigidity, but stick with it and you'll find yourself entertained by its brain-teasing level designs." |
| Wii | Lucas M. Thomas,IGN | 7/10 | "Puzzle fans should take new notice of Wrecking Crew now, even if they've avoided it before by thinking it's more of an action title. And if they did, it's not surprising – this game hasn't been properly presented in the past. But if gamers who loved Tetris, Bejeweled, Dr. Mario and Puzzle Quest jump on board and give this one a fair amount of downloads, we might also be blessed with its sequel." |
| Wii U | Stephen Kelly,Nintendo Life | 6/10 | "With so much competition out there, it's often hard to justify paying hard-earned cash for microscopic NES games of yesteryear. Nonetheless Wrecking Crew is an ambitious game, and even in the face of the occasional exhausting aggravation, this puzzle-platformer has a lot to offer. Although it paved the way for better projects to build on its foundation, Wrecking Crew still stands firmly cemented in Nintendo history." |
Gallery[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Wrecking Crew.
Multimedia[edit]
- For the complete list of media files for this subject, seeMultimedia:Wrecking Crew.
Phase Begin ThemeReferences to other games[edit]
- The fireball appears in phases if the player takes too long to complete the phase.
References in later media[edit]
- Graphics designer Toru Osawa created theEggplant Wizard in part as a tribute to the Eggplant Men, as well as his own love of eggplants.[5]
- This game is a sequel toWrecking Crew, a port of which is also included. All characters from the previous game are back.
- Mario's third color palette, with brown overalls and a white shirt, is said to be a reference to Foreman Spike.[6] This color option for Mario would return in all future installments.
- Luigi's third color palette, with red overalls and a pink shirt, is based on his sprite from the game.
- Foreman Spike reappears.
- The Eggplant Man reappears as a collectibletrophy.
- Mario's Foreman Spike-inspired color palette returns and Luigi's pink color palette returns.
- The Eggplant Man reappears again, this time under the name "Kid Eggplant."
- 9-Volt has amicrogame based off Wrecking Crew simply titledWrecking Crew.
- Waluigi's theme, "Destruction Dance", is an arrangement of the Bonus Stage music.
- TheGolden Hammer and its theme are included in the game.
- Mario's Foreman Spike-inspired color palette returns and Luigi's pink color palette returns.
- 18-Volt has a microgame titledWreck. Crew but some of its graphics are more similar toVS. Wrecking Crew.
- Several challenges are based on this game.
- AWrecking Crew stage appears in this game
- Mario's Foreman Spike-inspired color palette returns and Luigi's pink color palette returns, alongside the Golden Hammer item.
- Foreman Spike is one of theCostume Mario costumes in the game.
- Several jingles are also heard from this game when playing as him.
- One of 9-Volt's microgames in this game is based onWrecking Crew.
- The Golden Hammer fromWrecking Crew and the Wrecking Crew stage return in this game.
- Mario's Foreman Spike-inspired color and Luigi's pink color palette return.
- Spike reappears as Mario and Luigi's former boss.
- His outfit has the name "Wrecking Crew" on his hat and left sleeve.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | レッキングクルー[7] Rekkingu Kurū | Wrecking Crew |
References[edit]
 | The Cutting Room Floor has an article onWrecking Crew. |
 | Wikipedia has an article onWrecking Crew. |
- ^レッキングクルー | ファミリーコンピュータ | 任天堂.Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Japanese). Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^Kohler, Chris (October 18, 2010).Oct. 18, 1985: Nintendo Entertainment System Launches.WIRED (English). Retrieved August 23, 2018.
- ^ファミコンミニ／レッキングクルー.Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Japanese). Retrieved January 16, 2025.
- ^NintendoAmerica (July 9, 2019).The Wrecking Crew and Donkey Kong 3 games are coming to Nintendo Entertainment System - #NintendoSwitchOnline on 7/17! #NES.Twitter (American English). Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^Monnens, Devin (March 19, 2012).Making of a Myth: The Grueling Development of the OriginalKid Icarus.Nintendo World Report. Retrieved April 4, 2015. (Archived May 2, 2014, 00:50:53 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^「（ブラッキー色：ＦＣレッキングクルー） (Blackey - FCWrecking Crew)」–色ちがいのひみつ.Nintendo (Japanese). Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^Japanese logo
[Edit] VS. Wrecking Crew /Wrecking Crew | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Mario •Luigi |
| Items and objects | Coin •Door •Druma •Dynamite •Floor •Golden Hammera •Ladder (Ladder wall) •Lettera •Pillara •Wall |
| Enemies | Eggplant Mana •Fireball •Foreman Spikea •Gotchawrench |
| Phases | Bonus Stage •VS. Wrecking Crew •Wrecking Crewa |
| Music | "Bonus Phase"a • "Golden Hammer"a • "Phase BGM"a |
| Miscellaneous | Gallery •Game Sound Museum: Wrecking Crew •Multimedia •Nintendo Music (soundtrack) •Wrecking Crew (playing cards) |
a Only inWrecking Crew | |
- Wrecking Crew
- Wrecking Crew '98
- Games
- Family Computer games
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