THQ were keen to stress how each different WWF game series (RAW for XBox, Smackdown for PS2 and Wrestlemain for Gamecube) would be different.

"We have three different developers working on these games and will ship them at different times of the year to give each one time to shine," said Craig Rechenmacher, group marketing manager, THQ. "In addition to our own extensive TV, print and online marketing initiatives, we work with the WWF and Jakks Pacific to cross-promote our games on the toys and even feature them within the WWF TV programming." The Wrestlemain series are set to be released each year in the US in March (possible Summer release here), the later release this year is becuase of the team getting used to the Gamecube.

THQ is treating its three WWF franchises individually, offering unique gameplay perspectives for each title. The Wrestlemania line of games will harken back to the Nintendo 64 Wrestlemania 2000 grappling gameplay.

"We hope WWF fans enjoy the counter system that we’ve developed for this game," explained Takumi Kon, game designer for Yuke’s. "This game’s not a button-masher. There’s a lot of strategy involved. For every move, there’s a counter move. You have to think before deciding your next grapple, strike or special move, because your opponents can steal your special moves from you with a correctly times counter."

THQ showed a 60 percent complete version of Wrestlemania, which featured five playable superstars: The Rock, HHH, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Each character features 3,500 polygons, has two costumes and graphically looks on par with the new Xbox RAW game. THQ will show a finished version of the game at E3 in May.

Wrestlemania will feature over 40 wrestlers, including updated rosters with former ECW wrestlers Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Diamond Dallas Page, as well as New World Order members Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall and new wrestlers like The Hurricane and old comebacks like Ric Flair. Sexy female superstars like Lita, Stephanie, Trish and Stacey will also be available for you to play with. The game will incorporate a detailed Create-a-Superstar mode very similar to Smackdown’s, which should open up the replay value. Thanks to inverse kinematics, superstars of different heights will now look up or down at their opponent when standing face-to-face, rather than staring at their opponent’s chest. There are 10 different game modes, including cage matches and the always welcome Tables, Ladders and Chairs (or TLC) affairs which were absent from RAW. There are over 50 belts, including six WWF belts (you can play the Trophy Challenge and go for all six belts), and the entire game runs at a swift 60 frames per second with four superstars and a referee on screen.

"There’s a very large audience out there that enjoys this type of simulation game," said Christopher Sturr, product manager for THQ. "The grappling game mechanics and momentum shifts allow WWF fans to choose their favorite superstars and play out a match that’s very similar to the ones on TV, right down to the breaking of the announcers’ tables on ringside. Four-player action makes it a great party game."

Wrestlemania features a TV-style presentation, right down to the colorful play-by-play commentary, Titantron intros and licensed music. In addition to the Wrestlemania venue, Summerslam, RAW and Smackdown (complete with new graphics and a new stage) are included in the game.

Kon, who has been a wrestling fan for over 20 years, is already looking forward to his next Wrestlemania game.

"We have a lot of ideas for the next game," said Kon. "There are a lot of features we can add. Now that we’ve created a new game engine and spent our time balancing the gameplay and feeling out the GameCube, we’ll have more time to improve on our first effort."

Oh God, Wrestlemania sounds so good! As if all that wasn't enough check out these new screens!

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Source: Xengamers