So, WWE 2K20 was just…oof. Whether it’s the glitches that were pointed out early or parts of the story mode, WWE 2K20 really had a rough time of it upon release. I mean this was a game that was pre-ordered and is always anticipated. Do you know what game never had that problem? WWF No Mercy 64.
Dropped in 2000 as the sequel to the extremely impressive WWF WrestleMania 2000, WWF No Mercy introduced some minor features that would become part of WWE games going forward. The easy-to-learn controls which were a major feature of the AKI Corporation-developed wrestling games returned as well.
Now, most Nintendo 64 games weren’t the prettiest thing out there. Even for the time, WWF No Mercy 64 was compared to the WWF SmackDown graphically. However, WWF No Mercy had SmackDown’s number in two areas: controls and gameplay.
WWF No Mercy 64 Had Strong Controls
These controls could be taught to someone else easily even if someone never played WCW/nWo Revenge or WrestleMania 2000. AKI didn’t change the control scheme for four games. While Yuke’s and THQ constantly tweaked the controls for every WWE game up until WWE 2K19, AKI kept it simple but allowed the same scheme to allow for more moves and spots.
The only drawback to this was that there was a concrete approach to winning in the game. If your opponent fell after a strong attack or grapple, just hit the analog stick for your taunt as much as possible. Getting the SPECIAL meter up was key and you could blast through one-on-ones with ease.
While the offense was important—this is a wrestling game after all—defense was also key. In No Mercy 64, you could get into a counter war with either a hard AI or playing with someone. This game resulted in many a standoff because no one wanted to get caught with the low blow off of a crouch!
It should be noted that after its partnership with WWE ended, AKI took the engine to work on EA’s Def Jam Vendetta and later on Def Jam: Fight for NY. These games came three and four years after WWF No Mercy 64 and the engine still held up.
With the exception of EuroGamer, in 2003 Def Jam Vendetta was neck-to-neck with WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain ratings-wise. This was with what was considered an outdated style against Yuke’s vastly improved engine from the SmackDown series. AKI’s approach to WrestleMania 2000 and No Mercy 64 still worked.
The Gameplay Experience
Now and days, players expect major improvements and graphical enhancements off a title that drops every year and features largely the same roster each year. This wasn’t the case in the late 90s and early 00s. AKI gave you more match options, updated rosters, and for two of their Western releases—the WWF games—story modes. That’s honestly all that was needed.
Also, Championship Mode was as if you mixed the current story mode approach with an actual career mode. Now by 2020—or hell, even 2010—standards, cut scenes, and progression in No Mercy 64 are pretty barebones, it worked. It kept you in the game when paired with some strong controls and near-arcade speed.
Let’s not forget that the Nintendo 64 had four controller ports. If your friends, family, and so on had an N64 but didn’t have No Mercy 64—all of them could play with you. This is the console that gave us the party game, after all and this was basically the last WWE game that allowed that until Day of Reckoning on Gamecube.
No Mercy 64 Isn’t Dead
Given that these were the days before downloading to a console was a thing, you played the game immediately and the roster that was included was the roster you played with. Of course, you could create wrestlers. We’ve been able to do that in games since WWF Warzone but AKI’s approach to wrestler creation kicked it up a few notches.
Basically, there was no DLC and you got the whole game up front. Imagine it. Let’s not even get into the canceled WWF Backlash game AKI was planned to work on for the Gamecube.
For well over a decade now emulation has allowed for WWF No Mercy 64 diehards to keep enjoying it. Fans have been modding the game with different promotions and WWE 2K rosters since the late-2000s!
Now, you’re not getting all the bells and whistles of current WWE games but hey, the glitches didn’t have you dropping the game all the way. Few customers requested refunds off of No Mercy 64. I’ve said it once before: WWF No Mercy 64 needs to be playable on the Switch, Xbox One, or PlayStation 4.
Or we could wait for AEW to drop their game–which is supposed to be No Mercy 64-inspired.
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