Legends of Wrestling II
Encyclopedia
Legends of Wrestling II is the sequel
to the professional wrestling
video game Legends of Wrestling
. It was published by Acclaim Entertainment
and released on November 26, 2002 for both the PlayStation 2
and Nintendo GameCube
. It was then released later for the Xbox
on December 5, 2002. Legends II contains 24 wrestlers that were not in the first game, though also excludes Rob Van Dam
, presumably because he had recently been signed to a WWF
contract. The game did contain Eddie Guerrero
, however, who, although unemployed at the time he signed a likeness deal, re-signed with WWF when the game was released.
The PlayStation 2
and Xbox
versions included video interviews with many of the legends featured in the game while the European version of the game exclusively included four legends from the United Kingdom
: Kendo Nagasaki
, Big Daddy
, Mick McManus and Giant Haystacks.
, the only storyline he can play in the Southeast Region is based on the famous feud Lawler had with comedian Andy Kaufman
. Each of the promoters in the game were based on famous real life wrestling promoters.
The game also features a Create A Legend Mode (CAL). Players can create their own custom made characters which can be used for storyline mode as well as exhibition play.
al response to Legends of Wrestling II was slightly better than that of the original, but still not spectacular; at Game Rankings
, the PlayStation 2 version received 59.9%, only a .6% increase from the previous game. The Xbox version was rated highest, garnering a 66.8% (.8% higher than the original), while the GameCube version was the most improved, jumping 5.9% to 60.6%. The Game Boy Advance version was the worst rated, receiving only a 2 on IGN
and a 2.4 on GameSpot
, generally because the poor graphics and bad a.i. Many critics though did praise the great create-a-wrestler mode and outstanding variety of match types. Many legends who played the game also praised it.
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to the professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
video game Legends of Wrestling
Legends of Wrestling
Legends of Wrestling is a professional wrestling video game based on the greatest wrestlers of all time, from WWF/WWE, NWA, WCW, ECW and various independent promotions. It was developed and produced by Acclaim. It was released in for the PlayStation 2, then in for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox...
. It was published by Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
and released on November 26, 2002 for both the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. It was then released later for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
on December 5, 2002. Legends II contains 24 wrestlers that were not in the first game, though also excludes Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, presumably because he had recently been signed to a WWF
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
contract. The game did contain Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
, however, who, although unemployed at the time he signed a likeness deal, re-signed with WWF when the game was released.
The PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
versions included video interviews with many of the legends featured in the game while the European version of the game exclusively included four legends from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
: Kendo Nagasaki
Peter Thornley
Peter Thornley is a British professional wrestler known as Kendo Nagasaki. He was one of the biggest draws of all time in British Wrestling, especially in the mid-1970s and the turn of the 1980s/1990s....
, Big Daddy
Shirley Crabtree
Shirley Crabtree, Jr, better known as Big Daddy was a British professional wrestler famous for his record-breaking 64 inch chest...
, Mick McManus and Giant Haystacks.
Fictional territorial promoters
Within Career Mode, your wrestler will be working for a specific promoter in each area. By winning the belt for that division and successfully defending it, said promoter will become available for purchase in Shop Mode. Note that the World Region is only available after completion of all the American territories. Each territory has between 8-12 storylines chosen at random with a push of a button. Certain storylines may not be available based on the wrestler used by the player. For example, if the player uses Jerry LawlerJerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, the only storyline he can play in the Southeast Region is based on the famous feud Lawler had with comedian Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...
. Each of the promoters in the game were based on famous real life wrestling promoters.
- Belle Jackson (Southeast Region) (Based on Christine Jarrett, mother and grandmother of promoters JerryJerry JarrettJerry W. Jarrett is an American promoter and former professional wrestler, and the father of wrestler Jeff Jarrett. He is the co-founder and former part-owner of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and JeffJeff JarrettJeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
Jarrett, respectively.) - Hiro Natsuume (World) (Based on Hiro Matsuda, former president of New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
) - Randall Scmandall (Pacific Region) (Based on Paul HeymanPaul HeymanPaul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
, the owner of the original incarnation of Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
.) - Scotty MacDougal (Midwest Region) (Based on Jim CrockettJim CrockettJames Allen Crockett was a professional wrestling promoter sometimes known as Jim Crockett, Sr. or to people within the business simply as "Big Jim".-Early life:...
, former owner of Jim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
) - Tex McGraw (Southwest Region) (Based on Ted TurnerTed TurnerRobert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
, former financial backer of World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
) - Tony "The Boss" Pavarotti (Northeast Region) (Based on Vince McMahonVince McMahonVincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
, Chairman of World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
)
The game also features a Create A Legend Mode (CAL). Players can create their own custom made characters which can be used for storyline mode as well as exhibition play.
Critical response
The criticCritic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
al response to Legends of Wrestling II was slightly better than that of the original, but still not spectacular; at Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
, the PlayStation 2 version received 59.9%, only a .6% increase from the previous game. The Xbox version was rated highest, garnering a 66.8% (.8% higher than the original), while the GameCube version was the most improved, jumping 5.9% to 60.6%. The Game Boy Advance version was the worst rated, receiving only a 2 on IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
and a 2.4 on GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
, generally because the poor graphics and bad a.i. Many critics though did praise the great create-a-wrestler mode and outstanding variety of match types. Many legends who played the game also praised it.
Soundtrack
- SuperstarSuperstar (Saliva song)"Superstar" is a song by the post-grunge/hard rock band Saliva. It was released in 2001 on their second album Every Six Seconds. Superstar is featured in various movies, events, and games. It was featured in the movie The Fast and the Furious. The song was also featured and performed live at...
by SalivaSalivaSaliva , referred to in various contexts as spit, spittle, drivel, drool, or slobber, is the watery substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Saliva is a component of oral fluid. In mammals, saliva is produced in and secreted from the three pairs of major salivary glands,... - HeadstrongHeadstrong (Trapt song)"Headstrong" is the debut single from the band Trapt and the lead single from their self-titled debut album. It reached #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock charts and #16 on the U.S. pop chart, as well as #1 on the singles recurrent charts...
by TraptTraptTrapt is an American rock band that formed in Los Gatos, California in August 1997. The group is composed of lead singer Chris Taylor Brown, lead guitarist Robb Torres, bass guitarist Peter Charell, and drummer Aaron "Monty" Montgomery... - Headstrong by EarshotEarshotEarshot is a hard rock/alternative metal band from Los Angeles, California. The band has released three albums: Letting Go, Two, and most recently, The Silver Lining on August 26, 2008.-Formation and Letting Go:...
- Get Away by EarshotEarshotEarshot is a hard rock/alternative metal band from Los Angeles, California. The band has released three albums: Letting Go, Two, and most recently, The Silver Lining on August 26, 2008.-Formation and Letting Go:...
- We Fall, We Stand by EarshotEarshotEarshot is a hard rock/alternative metal band from Los Angeles, California. The band has released three albums: Letting Go, Two, and most recently, The Silver Lining on August 26, 2008.-Formation and Letting Go:...
- Cosmopolitan BloodlossCosmopolitan Bloodloss"Cosmopolitan Bloodloss" is the lead single from Glassjaw's 2002 studio album, Worship and Tribute. Two differing versions were released in the US and the UK.As with many Glassjaw songs, "Cosmopolitan Bloodloss" is lyrically ambiguous and oddly phrased...
by GlassjawGlassjawGlassjaw is a four-piece rock band from Long Island, New York. The band is fronted by vocalist Daryl Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck, and have undergone numerous line-up changes since their inception... - A Box Full of Sharp Objects by The UsedThe UsedThe Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
- Questions? by Home Town HeroHome Town HeroHometown Hero was a post-grunge band from Southern California active in the early 2000s. Founding members Aaron Bruno and Drew Stewart began playing together while attending Westlake High School, where their early project was known as the Ice Monkeys...
- Colorblind by Alien BreedAlien BreedAlien Breed is the first in a series of science fiction computer games played in the form of a top-down shooter for one or two players. It was released in 1991 by Team17 for the Commodore Amiga and later in 1993 by MicroLeague for MS-DOS.-Gameplay:...
See also
- Legends of Wrestling (series)Legends of Wrestling (series)Legends of Wrestling is a series of professional wrestling video games based on the best wrestlers of all time, from WWF/WWE, NWA, WCW, ECW, TNA and various independent promotions. It was developed and produced by Acclaim. It was released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2, then in 2002 for the GameCube...
- Legends of WrestlingLegends of WrestlingLegends of Wrestling is a professional wrestling video game based on the greatest wrestlers of all time, from WWF/WWE, NWA, WCW, ECW and various independent promotions. It was developed and produced by Acclaim. It was released in for the PlayStation 2, then in for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox...
- Showdown: Legends of WrestlingShowdown: Legends of WrestlingShowdown: Legends of Wrestling is the third part of the Legends of Wrestling video game series developed by Acclaim Entertainment for the Xbox and PlayStation 2...