Previous Next

You gasped at the screenshots... you swooned at the previews... now play the game! Yes folks, the most talked about beat-'em-up since Fist II is here.

On first seeing the screenshots I was slightly cynical about how the gameplay would match up. Now all reservations are in the past. Championship Wrestling is a combat game to be reckoned with.

The only other wrestling game we've seen was Melbourne's Rock 'N Wrestle, which was quite a flop (although I personally liked it). This, in all fairness, makes Rock 'N Wrestle look like it just came off one of our type-in compilation tapes [Oi! - Ed].

There are eighteen different moves to be executed on your opponent. Here is a rundown of the throws you can inflict upon opponents:

1. Airplane Spin
   Lift your ugly opponent over your head, and... Wheee! Spin him around. Then dispose of him by throwing him across the ring or, if possible, into the crowd. Ha ha!
2. Atomic Drop
   Give your opponent a free nose-job, by picking him up and dropping him face first on to your knee.
3. Body Slam
   Quite self-explanatory really. Pick 'em up, and chuck 'em down good and hard on to the canvas.
4. Body Suplex
   A quick flick of the body. Look down and you'll find your opponent where you'd most like him to be - at your feet.
5. Custom Moves
   Every self-respecting wrestler has one of these in his repertoire. Each wrestler's is different, quite hard to access but do produce efficient result.
6. Flying Drop Kick
   A useful energy drainer this, leap and kick your opponents in the face (But don't miss or...)
7. Headlock
   This is the key move. All the moves other than the basic ones i.e. punch, kick are accessed via this.
8. Leg Drop
   Hit 'em when they're down. Take a good leap in the air and land with your thigh in your opponent's chops.
9. Lift
   Up, up and away! Lift your opponent above your head and then decide what to do with him.
10. Pile Driver
    Why not lift your opponent up, spin him around, and then drop him on his nut.
11. Spin Kick
    The move that gives a new meaning to the twist, turn around and kick your enemy in the face.
12. Suplex
    Fall backwards and take your opponent with you... over your head!
13. Turnbuckle Kick And Punch
    Jump off the corner-post and land with a crunch!... with your foot or fist in the other guy's face.

Sounds like a barrel of laughs. Until you know about the bruisers you have to face:

1. K. C. Colossus
   The blond bombshell from Kansas, who bears a striking resemblance to USA champion grappler Hulk Hogan. Custom move: Trash compactor (His elbows compact your face)
2. Colonel Rooski
   The rugged Russian who is stronger than a litre of Smirnoff. Custom move: Great Bear (A double blow that'll have you seeing sickles)
3. Prince Vicious
   The prancing poofta from California. Beware, he may look effiminate but he fights real mean. Custom move: Vicious circle (An airplane spin followed by an atomic drop).
4. Zeke Weasel
   The dungaree-clad Hill-Billy, who is so fat that he makes our own Big Daddy look like Una Stubbs. Custom move: Block and tackle (What can one expect if tackled by someone weighing 310 pounds!)
5. The Beserker
   The man with feline agility. This cat-like psycho will gladly jam his claws in your flesh. Custom move: Pop-top (The simple but painful head-butt!)
6. Howling Manslayer
   Big Chief feather-head stick tomahawk up paleface bum. Customer move: Bow and Arrow (Me twist arm!)
7. Zantoklaw
   [Santa Claus? - Ed] This is most certainly not the cuddly man that gives presents to deprived children at Xmas, this probably isn't even a man. Who and what Zantoklaw is, nobody knows. But I'm sure not going to ask him. Custom move: Klaw-Hammer (Clawing you with one hand, he delivers a lethal blow with the other.)

They are a nasty little lot, aren't they? If you don't think you're quite up to battling them yet, why not choose the practice mode? Or, even better, call around up to seven more friends and hold a tournament - this is where the real fun is. Being somewhat overwhelming in modesty, I can confess to beating up a numerous amount of friends and enjoying it thoroughly.

All the moves other than the punch, kick, etc, are accessed via the headlock. This is initially hard to cope with, but after twenty minutes against a friend (who never plays computer games!) you'll be pulling off those airplane spins like Tom Cruise.

To beat your opponent, you must hold him down for three seconds. This is done by pin-falling him when their energy's low. If neither wrestler manages this, the one with the greater score wins.

The only blemishes found in this impeccable game is that it's not very hard to beat the computer and... oh, I'm stuck for any more.

Graphics are of the highest calibre ever to come out of our little brown marvels. Superb animation, excellent sprites. What more could you ask?

The sound is also very good. It has obviously been done by the people behind the games series, using the same excellent style of effects.

This is the best beat-'em-up around this side of the Amiga. There is nothing more fans of mindless violence (like me) could want!