Welcome the very first The Observer column which goes into the latest happenings around RAW and Smackdown!
The Observer goes a long way back taking out the highlights from past leagues and competitions around WWE games.
History :
1992 : Even though we had seen WWF events on tv in earlier years, the real hype started for some of us when we decided to rent a SNES and WWF Super Wrestlemania (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_Super_WrestleMania). It was the kick off for some Sundaynight wars between Sico, Daniel and John.
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1993 : Following the hype around the SNES game we decided to buy a videotape at Freerecordshop to see what the WWF had become. Wrestlemania 9! Bret Hart, Lex Luger, Macho Man Randy Savage, The Undertaker, Razor Ramon and the baddest heel around : Yokozuna dominated WWF back then. And ever since we bought up almost every PPV tape that was released up till 2002. In the meantime a SNES game was released : WWF Royal Rumble! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_Royal_Rumble) More action! And the Royal Rumble itself!
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1994 : Bought the newest SNEW WWF Game : RAW! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_Raw_%28video_game%29) 6-player mayhem!!!!! Unmatched, even today! The competions expanded and VC, Ivo, Youri, Robbie and Virgilio joined the wars! Eventually PPV’s emerged and the whole sheng-sha-beng was brought into our competition.
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1996 : Playstation 1 debuted. Had to get one and was one of the first! A brand new WWF game aswell! WWF Wrestlemania : The Arcade Game (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_WrestleMania:_The_Arcade_Game) (port from the Arcades itself). Micha and Nik joined the fray and competitors collided for new PPV events. Although great graphics compared to SNES WWF games, Wrestlemania : The Arcade Game was nothing more but a Mortal Kombat clone. And we went from 6-player mayhem down to 2-player beat’em up during the transition. A real letdown. It did not live up to its expectations and a few times we took the show back to the great SNES game : RAW!
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1997 : The subsequent WWF In Your House (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_In_Your_House) for the PSONE added 4-player action to the mix, but still relied heavily on the Mortal Kombat beat’em up style.
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1998 : WWF and WCW took it out onto eachother in the Monday Night Ratings War. WWF had DX, WCW had NWO! And WCW had cooler and more realistic wrestling games out on the N64! We continued watching WWF PPV’s, but we kicked ass with WCW vs. NWO : World Tour (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WCW_vs._nWo:_World_Tour) and the subsequent WCW/NWO Revenge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WCW/nWo_Revenge). Another good reason was because NWO Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were still over at that time! Hollywood Hogan and Goldberg feuded and these games were one of the better wrestling sims which paved the way for future games.
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2000 : WWF kicked Acclaim and made a deal with the makers of WCW games : THQ! WWF Smackdown was released for the PSONE! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_SmackDown%21) One of the longest and fierest feuds took place between The Acolytes or APA (Acolyte Protection Agency) Bradshaw (JBL) and Faarooq (Ron Simmons) : Sico & Daniel vs. The New Age Outlaws : Billy Gunn and Road Dog : Micha & John.
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2000 : Smackdown for the PSONE was developed further resulting in WWF Smackdown : Know Your Role! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_SmackDown%21_2:_Know_Your_Role). Micha and John explored the internet for Wrestling RPG-style gaming and had some great momentum within MSN Community Wrestling!
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2000 : (Judge) John initiated into a WWF Collectable Trading Cardgame : WWF With Authority! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_Authority) Running 2 leagues and monthly 10-hour PPV’s with approx. 50-150 players in tradingcard wars for official WWF prices. One of WWE’s highlights of wrestle gaming on the internet.
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2001 : And the next WWF Smackdown : Just Bring It! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_SmackDown%21_Just_Bring_It) Notable events : Micha losing the Crybaby Match versus Ivo with as stipulation loser puts his head into a bucket of cold water! WWF changes name to WWE after settling in a procedure with World Wildlife Foundation.
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2002 : The Playstation 2 was out! Robbie provided the hardware and we kicked ass in the first PS2 WWE game : WWE Smackdown : Shut Your Mouth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE_SmackDown%21_Shut_Your_Mouth). Daniel, John and some friends went to WWE Insurrextion in Wembley Arena London to experience WWE live!
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2003 : Smackdown was further developed and Smackdown : Here Comes the Pain was the first of a new level of wrestling gaming making wrestling gaming what it is today! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE_SmackDown%21_Here_Comes_The_Pain) Micha, Daniel, John and some friends went to WWF Insurrextion in New Castle to witness another WWE UK PPV!
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2004 : Due loss of general interest in WWE television and gaming no more PPV’s and competitions took place.
In the meantime several new WWE games were released for the PS2 like :
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE_SmackDown%21_vs._RAW) &
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE_SmackDown%21_vs._RAW_2006).
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2007 : And now its all over mayhem with the first Xbox360 WWE Game : WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE_SmackDown_vs._Raw_2007)!
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and the future that awaits us :
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE_SmackDown_vs._Raw_2008)
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April 22, 2007 at 10:45 am
Very nicely done, my fellow GM. Nice indeed!
VenoM – GM of Raw