WWF Superstars
Encyclopedia
WWF Superstars is an arcade game
manufactured by Technos
and released in 1989. It is the first WWF arcade game to be released. A series of unrelated games with the same title
were released by LJN
for the original Game Boy
. Technos followed the game with the release of WWF WrestleFest
in 1991.
, André the Giant
and Virgil
. Mean Gene Okerlund
and Miss Elizabeth make appearances as well. Before the first match, the player's chosen team enters the arena via the "ring cart" seen in WrestleMania III
and WrestleMania VI
.
The game features a basic grappling and attack system. From a grapple, a player can either toss the opponent, throw them into the ropes, or go into a headlock from which two character-specific grapple moves can be performed. Each wrestler also possesses standing strikes, running attacks, running counter attacks, ground attacks, and moves from the top turnbuckle. Brawling outside of the ring and usage of weapons is also allowed in each match. A referee is present in the ring, but cannot be attacked or otherwise affected by the wrestlers.
Players select two wrestlers to form a tag team
. The playable wrestlers are Hulk Hogan
, The Ultimate Warrior
, Big Boss Man
, Randy "Macho Man" Savage
, The Honky Tonk Man
, and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
. Up to two players can play at once. The players take their team through a series of matches with other tag teams in New York City
and then Tokyo
. After three matches are won, players get to challenge the Mega Bucks
("The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
and André the Giant
). The Mega Bucks are not selectable characters. However, there are cheats for MAME
that allow them to be used (together or separately), the drawback being that if DiBiase or André get a submission victory, the game will think that the player lost. Also, there can sometimes be graphical errors which will make the in-ring opponent disappear.
If the player wins the title match, a newspaper headline heralding the players' tag team as champions is shown. The player is then taken through another series of three matches (one of which will feature DiBiase) in the other city and a final match against DiBiase and André before the game ends.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
manufactured by Technos
Technos Japan Corporation
is a defunct Japanese video game developer, best known for the Kunio-kun and Double Dragon franchises...
and released in 1989. It is the first WWF arcade game to be released. A series of unrelated games with the same title
WWF Superstars (Game Boy)
This is the video game for the Nintendo Game Boy. For the arcade game of the same name, see WWF Superstars.WWF Superstars is a video game released on the Game Boy handheld console by LJN, based on WWE's old syndicated television show of the same name...
were released by LJN
LJN
LJN was an American toy company and video game publisher. It created toy lines and video games based on movies, television shows, and celebrities. It was headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and later in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.-Founding:...
for the original Game Boy
Game Boy line
The line is a line of battery-powered handheld game console sold by Nintendo. It is one of the world's best-selling game system lines with a combined 200+ million units sold worldwide....
. Technos followed the game with the release of WWF WrestleFest
WWF WrestleFest
WWF WrestleFest is a professional wrestling arcade game released by Technos in 1991, featuring stars of the World Wrestling Federation. The game is the sequel to WWF Superstars...
in 1991.
Features
The game features some of the signature moves and trademark mannerisms of the wrestlers in the game. There are also cut scenes featuring Ted DiBiaseTed DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
, André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
and Virgil
Mike Jones (wrestler)
Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant...
. Mean Gene Okerlund
Gene Okerlund
Eugene "Mean Gene" Okerlund is a semi-retired American professional wrestling interviewer and announcer. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hulk Hogan...
and Miss Elizabeth make appearances as well. Before the first match, the player's chosen team enters the arena via the "ring cart" seen in WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
and WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI was the World Wrestling Federation's sixth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event and the first to be held outside of the U.S...
.
Gameplay
Players select two wrestlers to form a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
. The playable wrestlers are Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, The Ultimate Warrior
Warrior (wrestler)
Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
, Big Boss Man
Ray Traylor
Ray Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
, Randy "Macho Man" Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
, The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris , better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee...
, and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
. Up to two players can play at once. The players take their team through a series of matches with other tag teams in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and then Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. After three matches are won, players get to challenge the Mega Bucks
Mega Bucks
The Mega Bucks was a professional wrestling tag team that competed in the World Wrestling Federation in 1988. The team, consisting of "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and André the Giant, was formed in a storyline that saw DiBiase purchase André's contract from fellow manager Bobby Heenan...
("The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
and André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
). The Mega Bucks are not selectable characters. However, there are cheats for MAME
MAME
MAME is an emulator application designed to recreate the hardware of arcade game systems in software on modern personal computers and other platforms. The intention is to preserve gaming history by preventing vintage games from being lost or forgotten...
that allow them to be used (together or separately), the drawback being that if DiBiase or André get a submission victory, the game will think that the player lost. Also, there can sometimes be graphical errors which will make the in-ring opponent disappear.
If the player wins the title match, a newspaper headline heralding the players' tag team as champions is shown. The player is then taken through another series of three matches (one of which will feature DiBiase) in the other city and a final match against DiBiase and André before the game ends.