BurningDoom wrote:Well to you those things may not matter. But to the average wrestling fan, such as myself, they are a big deal. Roster is one of the biggest points, in fact, to a wrestling fan. Who's in an who's out of the roster is as important to a wrestling fan as it is in an NFL game to a football fan.
We are talking about retro games here. The rosters reflect who was around at the time. It's not like it's a choice of 6 or 8 wrestlers like on the NES we are talking about here...
And the inclusion of storylines, HUGE to a wrestling fan. Storylines are huge reason many of us originally got into wrestling. And easily breaks up the monotony of match after match after match.
Again, it depends on what you are looking for. This is very subjective here. For the record, No Mercy does have a story mode.
More gameplay modes should matter to anyone playing the game regardless of being a wrestling fan or not. More match types and game variety makes ANY game better. And the rest is filler? Please, you're not using the games to their full potential if you truly believe that. I for one don't want to just play singles matches over and over again. Hardcore matches, ladder matches, cage matches, Hell in a Cell, Royal Rumbles, Falls Count Anywhere, King of the Ring Tournament, and on and on. Those are all great additions to the core gameplay.
Same as the above point. We aren't talking NES here. We are talking about games in an era that offer up a very sizable amount of match-types. 1-on-1, tag, rumble, battle royals, ladder, HITC, tourny, hardcore, etc. are all in pretty much all of them. As yes, there does come a point where things start to become gimmicky.
Also online support may not be important for you, but I'm pretty dang sure it is to most everyone else who plays these games. I mean wrestling games are made to be played multiplayer, and online is a fantastic function for multiplayer.
You are aware that this thread is about N64 games, right? Still, there are plenty of people who say that the Aki N64 games are the best wrestling games there are, despite online not being available. If you want to get technical, you CAN play No Mercy online if you use a PC.
As for the controls, yeah, that is debatable and subjective. But in the N64's case in particular, that controller makes it more awkward to play than a PS2/PS3 or XBox 360 controller IMO, for sure. I've never been a fan of the N64's controller.
I'm not a fan of the N64 controller either, but, guess what?; these wrestling games are some of the few games that are actually very well suited to the controller. If you disagree, there's always the Hori mini-pad.
And you're right, graphics aren't a big deal to us here are Racketboy a lot of the time. But in this case, I think it does matter. More realistic models and actual entrance video footage make the experience more like what you see on WWE Raw or WWE Smackdown, which is going to make the game better especially for fans.
Then why are there entire websites and forums dedicated to saying that the N64 games like No Mercy are still more fun and re-create matches better than the newer games? It's a bit like NHL 94 in this regard; that there is a very large community of gamers that say the Aki games are still the best. I don't think NHL 94 is the best hockey game (well, I do prefer it, but I know damn well it's nostalgia), but I DO think that the N64 Aki games are the best wrestling games out there.*
*unless you 'need' to play online on a console, of course.
Just because YOU don't care about all these things, doesn't mean the rest of us don't. And it doesn't mean they don't count. I think it's kind of ridiculous that you just brush it all aside as if it all doesn't matter to anyone else, either.
If you break it down to how a match plays out, I really do still say they are the best there is. And yes, I do realize that other factors, such as graphics, online, having modern entrance themes/styles available, etc., does factor into someone preferring newer games. At the core of the game, though, I am telling you straight up that the best wrestling game ever made is Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 on the N64. No Mercy on the N64 is second best. For those who need online or new graphics, then don't bother with it. Trade off the best wrestling system ever made for bells and whistles (lots of bells and whistles, yes, but still bells and whistles).
Like I said, though. The era of wrestling those earlier games were made in, was the best of all time. And because of that, I think a lot of people connect the greatness going on on WWF & WCW T.V. at the time to these games, which is a strong sense of nostalgia going on there.
I would agree with this if VPW2 didn't exist... but, it does exist. No WWF or WCW is to be found in it. I also just played it for the first time a few years ago. Nostalgia isn't a factor there, honestly. Gameplay, specifically the ease of control and pace of the match, is the stand out factor for me. I have sat down and played the newer Raw vs. Smackdown games on the PS3, including completing storylines and yes, despite me not really caring, I have played online before, and I still go back to the Aki games and prefer them.
And they were great games for the time, to boot. But 10-15 years later, and the evolution and upgrades to wrestling games are just huge and undeniable.
And yet, I still say that nothing has matched the gameplay of those N64 games yet. The GCN and Def Jam games were as close as it's ever been.
I made a comparison to NHL 94 before, and here are a few more: why do people (not all, but a good number!) still prefer Zelda: A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time* to newer offerings; why do people prefer Mario 3 above all other Mario games; why do people prefer Final Fantasy IV and VI above all other Final Fantasy games?
*I personally don't understand all the Ocarina of Time love.
I still prefer the CAW on those games as well.
I do in how they are much simpler, but, to be honest, it is better in most ways on the newer games. Your point about having 4 editable uniforms and being able to edit the entire roster is a good one. Still, this is not the main game. It's another bell and/or whistle.
And yeah you're right about the amount foreign wrestlers in Japan, it's crazy. 
