WWF No Mercy Hands-On

WWF No Mercy plays, well, a lot like every other wrestling game that THQ has released on the N64. The focus with No Mercy is on some marginal graphics improvements and a few new modes that should length the game's lifespan.

The version shown on the floor only contained simple exhibition matches and a few wrestlers, namely The Rock, Triple H, Rikishi, Tazz, Chris Benoit, and Kurt Angle. The roster of wrestlers that will appear in the final product hasn't been finalized, but the number will be somewhere between 30 and 60.

On the mode front, the largest addition is the ladder match. The game will also feature the standard king of the ring, royal rumble, and create-a-wrestler modes that have been in previous WWF games. The other major addition to the game is called the SmackDown Mall. Throughout the game, you'll earn points. These points are used in the SmackDown Mall to unlock things, like wrestlers and perhaps additional modes, costumes, and other little extras. You'll also be able to earn points in the Game Boy version of the game, and then use the GB Transfer Pak that shipped with Pokemon Stadium to transfer your GB points to the N64 version of the game.

The graphics are roughly the same as Wrestlemania 2000's, but the backgrounds have been given a bit of a bump. The SmackDown set was the only one on display at the show, but it definitely looks pretty good. Also, you can fight up the runway, and pull weapons out of the crowd. The two weapons I was able to pull were a ladder and the ever-popular Singapore cane.

Fans of Wrestlemania 2000 should be pleased by the extra modes and updated roster, while people that didn't appreciate WM2K's game mechanics will want to stay far, far away. The game is currently scheduled to release in October or November.