WWF Wrestlemania: Steel Cage Challenge (NES) review "Hey, wrestling fans! Do you want the only wrestling game on NES that truly emulates the geat wrestling action featured on the Super Nintendo and Genesis? Then get ready for the Steel Cage Challenge!!! "

Hey, wrestling fans! Do you want the only wrestling game on NES that truly emulates the geat wrestling action featured on the Super Nintendo and Genesis? Then get ready for the Steel Cage Challenge!!!

WWF Steel Cage Challenge features 10 of the best WWF Wrestlers of 1992 including "Macho Man" Randy Savage, "Hulk Hogan" and The "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase. The characters are extremely detailed for their small size and feature pretty smooth animations, comparable to the 16 bit wrestling titles by LJN and Flying Edge.

The wrestlers themselves have far less moves in this 8 bit cartridge than their 16 bit format, but they still deliver quite a punch. Each wrestler can punch, kick, grapple, run, dropkick, pin, and climb the steel cage. The wrestlers don't have their uniqiue "special" moves included, but you still feel the wrestlers come to life with decent sound effects and high quality 8 bit entrance music.

The game modes include One on One, Heavyweight Championship, Tag Team, and Tag Team Championship, with the Steel Cage being included in One on One mode. A second player can join in to battle One on One in the cage or out or in a Tag Team with or against the first player. There's even a 2 Player Tag Team Championship mode that lets two players team up against the computer.

Most matches feature the same basic style of gameplay: Beat the opponent with punches and kicks, then grapple them when their energy is lower. Slam them to the mat a few times, then pin them for the win. The cage match puts a stop to leaving the ring and forces two wrestlers to duke it out until one of them reaches the top of the cage.

The controls are pretty responsive during any mode of play. Grappling is performed instantly when nearing an opponent and running is performed by holding down A + B at the same time. The only complaint I have about the game is the lack of innovation in the gameplay. I would have liked to see weapons or a Tornado Tag Team match mode or something pretty modern for 1992.

If you don't have a Super NES or Genesis, but have a NES, then I highly recommend picking up this WWF title because it provides some decent wrestling action with real superstars that no other NES game can offer.

Note: WWF Steel Cage Challenge is the only WWF NES game compatible with the FC Game Console and FC Twin.

Community review by japanaman (August 22, 2008) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.