Development:WWF WrestleMania (Arcade)
This page details development materials of WWF WrestleMania (Arcade).
 | To do: Move all the stuff left in the final game inside the main article (feel free to re-create it, you can find the title screen image that was uploaded here). |
W.W.F. spells danger
It's 1993 and time for WrestleMania
Unlike the song, the game doesn't feature terrible literacy or a rapping Einstein. What it does feature can be found in its entirety on Github, which is where most of this information and all the art comes from.
Unused Characters
Adam Bomb
Work on a ninth wrestler, Bryan "Adam Bomb" Clark, was started but only 5 of the 11 required image categories were created. According to Josh Tsui, one of the developers, Adam was cut from the game due to space constraints.
Animations
Hit reaction - ADM_HIT.IMG
Kicks - ADM_KIK.IMG
Punches - ADM_PNC.IMG
Movement - ADM_WLK.IMG
Miscellaneous - ADM_MSC.IMG
Images
Character selection mugshot and logo
Name and bio
Referee
Unlike Adam Bomb who was well known to have been cut, there's a relative lack of information about any referee being present. Nevertheless, the source dump contains art for various referee actions.
REF_HIT.IMG
REF_MSC.IMG
REF_PNC.IMG
REF_WLK.IMG
Mr. Perfect
Curt Hennig, AKA the inimitable Mr. Perfect was also intended to be a playable character in the game. He reportedly no-showed the sprite capture sessions, likely due to lingering back injuries keeping him out of WWF action until 1995's Survivor Series event that November. As a result, he has only a minimal presence remaining in the files.
Two high score screen images, one composited with a background, and one without:
A character selection mugshot:
And an embossed name for an earlier version of the "Fall/Match Awarded To" banner:
Unused Moves
Fatalities
Famously, only The Undertaker has a fatality-style special pin, with rumors as old as the game suggesting increasingly bizarre input combinations as to how to perform them for the other wrestlers. Unfortunately, the game code confirms that the rumors are just that - The Undertaker's is the only one that is programmed in. Each wrestler does however have data slots for two fatalities, and art and animations exist that seem to fit unused fatalities. The idea would later fully emerge in WWF: In Your House where everyone features a special pin animation.
Bam Bam
Bam Bam bowling a literal fire ball.
Bam Bam throwing a blast of napalm to the ground. Normal people throw shade, Bam Bam throws heat.
And perhaps, the result of one of those - a person on fire collapsing.
Doink
A large ball materialising and rolling.
A smaller version of a rolling ball.
Flattened wrestlers, presumably after being squashed by the ball:
Lex Luger
A fatal beam of patriotism is Lex's move. AMERICA!
This seems to be an on-the-nose play on the metal plate placed in his right forearm as a result of a 1992 motorcycle accident. The WWF incorporated said plate into Luger's previous "Narcissist" and then-current "All-American" gimmicks, claiming it allowed Luger to deal more damage when striking with that arm. Apparently Midway planned to take it to its logical conclusion here.
Razor Ramon
This would likely have been similar to Jax's cutting-up Fatality in Mortal Kombat 3, with some associated spinning razors:
The art for the results of this move is also present:
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In addition, The Undertaker also has two steaming piles of ash.
The Undertaker
The art file for Undertaker's fatality has animations of hands coming out the canvas.
Yokozuna
A bunch of arena lights associated with Yokozuna in some way, likely debris from his Banzai Drop:
And some blood animations that could go anywhere. Midway is obviously no stranger to blood spills as is the world of wrestling, but WWF was likely still squeamish at that point in time.
Other
Bam Bam
Animations named "breath" and "fireball". Would likely have been similar to Sonya's fire breath Fatality in MK3.
Bret Hart
A knee drop.
Doink
"Tornado Slapper"
Tornado slapper in motion
An exploding pie
A Piledriver
Doink working on the railroad
Four frames of "melting"
Teetering
Teetering again
Doink doing... something
And another thing
And another
Lex Luger
Lex throwing from his knees.
Razor Ramon
Razor high stepping out of there...
...And throwing his sweat.
The Undertaker
Ghostpunchers!
A rapid fall.
Is this a roll or a flip?
An unused purple-headed ghost type being born, flying, and disappearing:
Yokozuna
Game Modes
A label for a nonexistent Lumberjack match mode exists. Due to the name and being an actual match type, this would presumably have had a ring surrounded by wrestlers who might go inside the ring and attack the wrestlers based on their alignment with that wrestler, if not keeping said wrestlers in the ring.
Robotron
Source code also exists that would've transported the player to a hidden game of Robotron if the player had exactly 25 awards after a match during a credit - awards being points given for things like perfect, double perfect, quick wins, big comebacks, etc. However, the check for this at the start of the main game loop is commented out:
; Wrestle.asm, line 1049 ; .if DEBUG ; ;don't allow this out in the field yet. ; JSRP robo_check ; .endif
The code doesn't exist in the Rev 1.30 ROM version in MAME, and so was never allowed out into the field.
Two Players
Drone Meters and Move Names are the only modes one player can turn unilaterally. With two players, more modes can be turned on by inputting various control codes on the pre-match screen where the wrestler logos are displayed.
- No blocking: Block ×3
- Hyper match: Left, Punch, Punch, Block
- Instant Combo: Right, Punch, Power Punch
- Over the top rope elimination: Down, Punch, Kick, Block
- Buddy Mode: Block ×5
- Sans ring: Up, Right, Down, Left (not entirely clear what this means; it could be to make the ring invisible or remove it entirely)
Weapons
Grabbable weapons seem to have been planned at some point. Images of a chair being swung and breaking are present in CHAIR.IMG.
To go with those, each wrestler except The Undertaker has an animation for swinging the chair and picking it up. The Undertaker only has one for picking it up; swinging may have reused the tombstone smash animation.
Other Images
An alternative title screen spelling out what WWF stands for. Apparently it's not "danger" anymore.
A screenshot from an early build showing a different "round won" icon.
And the different "round won" icon itself.
A really low-quality version of the title screen.
Mr. Fuji is part of the progression screen assets. This is actually used in the final game, but you don't see it often: He's only visible when you play Yokozuna 1-on-1, and he doesn't show up when it's a 1-on-2 or 1-on-3 match.
scrdangle is a test crowd image.
A video set is amongst the images for the crowd.
The file with the developer tip images has a stray Raiden from Mortal Kombat II.
There's a number 4 amongst the round number images.
Bret's sunglasses, rotating.
An older version of the Best 2 out of 3 Falls graphic.
And finally, four different styles of old "namebars". This is what the embossed Mr. Perfect above would be mounted on:
Revisions/Changelogs
Versions.doc lists a few revisions and a summary of what was fixed in each. These version numbers don't correspond to the ROM revision numbers in MAME, so whether they refer to pre-release test builds or are different names for official version numbers (that MAME uses) is unknown.
2.01 Tues 6 Jun Initial release. 2.02 Thurs 8 Jun Endgame stories added. Fixed a bug that cut many combos short. Buddy mode powerup didn't work. Fixed. Various minor bug fixes. 2.03 ??? Fixed a problem with a new watchdog part. 3.00 Fri 23 Jun Test version only -- never released. Attract AAMA transition crash bug fixed. Various minor bug fixes. Lots of gameplay tweaking. 3.01 Tues 27 Jun Various tweaks and bug fixes. Buy-in during fireworks bug fixed.
Some of the fixes mentioned above are also listed in a more detailed compilation of problems found and bugs to be fixed, contained in todo.doc:
SHIT TO DO: 6/19/95
******************************************************************************
JASON - Owns everything not owned by anyone else, the greedy bastard.
******************************************************************************
TEST - safe time while entering ring
TEST - second wind safety time
DONE - shawn's hdhold suplex doesn't add to combo meter
DONE - doink's & razor's head grabs don't add to combo meter
why the funny reaction on spin kicks?
somehow make robotron fit or abandon it (not NEARLY enough room)
DONE - don't allow taunts if all opponents are dead.
DONE?- more buckoff weirdness
DONE - new hint - pin guys who can't buck off
1 on 2, tossed guy out, went out after him, I walked toward rear of arena,
opponent logic wouldn't allow him to walk back to me, time ran out,
I won. Drone even climbed back into arena.
DONE - 1 on 2, tossed guy out, killed him, I waited outside, never took damage
do fake head grab if too fast
drones not aggressive outside of ring
rpt hdbutt needs to be reversible.
interruptible credits
DONE - put operator message over top of bouncing balls
choose brighter pal/font for end game stories
reduce firework time - jazz up text
???? - add some white flashes to fireworks
effects on napalm miss
kick or punch to a flying opponent should fall back in place, not bounce off
bam bam hits inair off-ground opponent from tbukl leap, do fall back sans fire
DONE - don't allow pushing people out of flying kicks.
unique sound on second wind
no attack sounds if blocked
meter comes out after a fling
getting buzzed, someone interrupted it, I was left hanging
rzr z-float backwards on pin
bam fireball
Rzr blade toss - blades also?
dnk tornado
trashed combo image
Getup meter came out, didn't rise until a button was hit - flung/flykicked
8-on-1 did buckoff on right, message came out on left
look at all ;fix & TODO comments
some moves give high-risk message but didn't hit!
Drain from my meter into his on squeeze move - use taker pin art
???? - still have opponent bnc off ropes from choke slide and drift up/over offscrn
???? - robotron sounds [can't do it unless we can link robotron in somehow]
???? - auto taunt after def play - block time?
???? - allow sharpshooter on dead guys
???? - fix that zero seconds crap
******************************************************************************
MARK - owns wrestlers (bam, doink, ???seq?, etc.)
******************************************************************************
use the pie
show hiptoss art not in close
bam combos against lex
doink hammer bug (?)
knock-down hits should hold longer (only when you've got one live opponent)
slow down recoil on punches
bam bam charge neckbreaker after hiptoss
fix spirits
drone yoko salts teammate bret, bret gets stuck in run frame
quicker run time whacks
yoko lost overhead victim
low gut flykick
2 butn pickups
graboh mvs on other combo
last super k,p - delay
chair code
dnk box pnch - slide mv - dnk negpal
Do doink boxing pnch slide - trail
Yoko bnc on grnd knock opponent down/perhaps float, energy shock wave - air2
kick somebody out of ring
look into tb misses
fire wad plume for bam pin
bret eye gouge move floats
Add sweat at neckbreaks, etc. - lex elbow to face
Look through wake up addrs to see what looks out of place
Do hands from mat Taker move
Add bogus adam bmb, etc. audits, inc over time... text strings also
Repeated chokes
bret swirl mv from head hold too powerful
ball bnc
Smoke from turnbuckle moves (hits only)
Add other moves (knees, etc) to in close combos
Flip slam to taker - taker slides off ropes
Put in swirl/swirl speedy fly kick
Make spirits code/art cooler
******************************************************************************
MIKE - owns AWARD.ASM
******************************************************************************
Test combos
IN PROGRESS - Taker coffin.
DONE - Try to free up more program space. NOTE - We gain about 16k by
turning OFF debug mode.
DONE - end game dma lockup - NOTE - This was being caused by multiple
round winner announcement processes being started. As far as I know
Jason fixed that problem.
DONE - end game pan around, faster fireworks, readable text, more text
DONE - attract mode instructions - secret moves (go from bio page to a bio page
without text, instead put up three moves). NOTE - Need to finalize
tips for each wrestler.
DONE - Fix some bullshit problem with some off brand watchdog chip gurnee
decided to use. What a cluster fuck!!!!
DONE - AAMA Message crash bug from Belmont tape. See explanation in
attract.asm
DONE - do a general hints in the attract mode on one page - tons of moves. flings,
hiptosses, big boots, flying kicks, etc.
******************************************************************************
SHAWN - owns DRONE.ASM
******************************************************************************
make the first drone a complete sissy
drones are too aggressive. on the low difficulty settings, the drones don't
win headholds, and they block poorly, which is good, but they still
constantly attack, kamikaze-style. On low settings, they should just stand
around and/or circle their opponent more.
drones don't appear to begin trying to buckoff until they get pinned. They
should start the instant they die.
rzr has a leaping rugslam now - TT KICK
drones - shouldn't jump off turnbuckle so often in multi matches
make drones easier - especially match one
won 5 against humans, then drone kicked my butt - rules?
fix undertaker not pinning - taker walks back and forth real fast trying to
look for a pin!
guys still walk into ropes for long time!
don't attack mode head hold humans - unless difficulty setting is hi!
Don't have drones do power moves unless human has.
Yoko should take advantage of salt throw
Drones should take advantage of missed buzzers, etc.
Have drones run back into ring
drones should NOT be able to mess with other drones when they are in the
middle of a puppet move
Drone Taker drops people from chokehold
Doink's main code file, DNK.ASM, also has an undated list of problems to fix and things to do:
;Tap thru every fucking delay ;Into ring easier ;Drain from my meter into his on squeeze move ;Fix immobilize - doesn't allow stands from head hold or fire punch angle swaps ;Blood from broken arm ;Revive after death ;Fix all action_tables to read dual buttons! We miss button hits... ;Make alt arena pals come up rarely, or button combo! ;Lex club somebody down from in close super punch ;Fix end of round/game pin/move time/stuff ;Fix convulse on all pins ;Out of ring slide backs ;Fix shawn run/stomp ;Penalize missed ghosts ;Do some 5x damage moves, etc. ;Flash player on powerups! ;Stop near rope pile driver zeroing of y vel ;Fix flying kicks in place, looks stupid, be successful... ;Buyin count - repeated ladder position - Jake! ;Fix shawn flip toss ;Fix head hold speeds/look ;Don't knock me down with 1 pixel, and am blocking ;Blocks slide velocity ;Two bozo modes on aggressor head hold - 2 presses of supers does kick ;Flying kick start rules / like clothesline ;Add smoke whisps ;fire moves ;make flykick not miss on bounce! ;Damage bug from combo ;Wrong guy awarded victory ;Fix all at_types, including at_leaping ;Whack on buttons bozo mode ;Fix frankensteiner into blocker ;Clothesline stick on blocker ;Flykick off of blocker up into air ;Get out of overhead ;Get out of chokehold ;Kick toss out of ring ;Wrong person wins ;HIGHER YVEL ON TURNBUCKLE STUFF ;RING ENTRANCE EASIER ;Urn in takers hand at end ;Do our own auto pin ;Z on pin ;Buckle drop after being hit! ;Immobilize bugs ;Shawn dead, but still in puppet mode ;Make tombstone smash work on ground opponent ;reverse piledriver/neckbrkr for und ;Tombstone smash sound ;Killed in midst of head held hits - for everyone! ;Frankensteiner reversal doesn't jump up high! Yes it does! ;Reversals don't work! ;Show fast victory time ;Put in new artwork ;Whack out of fast victory - it selected razor ;Make spirits code/art cooler ;Redo head grabs ;Eyes tumble from head on eye gouge ;Fix pal options - button combo at start - Blue curtain is good ;Fling guy into wrong direction ;Fix razor knee into gut from head hold ;Doink pin toss ;Flash screen white ;Sliding choke move - faster? ;Fix taker smash snd ;Fix taker clobber snd ;Fix big boots, read kick & skick buttons ;Debris from broken arm ;Place specific speech calls where needed! (Ex. Arm break "Here it comes") ;High scream when shawn nabs you on charge suplex
