by in
When people talk about the golden age of wrestling games, WCW/nWo Revenge is always in the conversation—and for good reason. Released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64, this sequel to WCW vs. nWo: World Tour didn’t just improve on its predecessor; it helped define what a great wrestling game should feel like.
At its core, Revenge nails the most important thing: gameplay. The AKI engine strikes a perfect balance between arcade fun and simulation. Matches feel physical and strategic, with grapples, counters, momentum swings, and stamina all playing a role. It’s easy to pick up, but it takes real time to master, especially when learning how to chain moves, reverse attacks, and manage your wrestler’s strength during longer matches.
The roster was a massive step forward at the time. Featuring top WCW stars like Sting, Goldberg, Diamond Dallas Page, Booker T, Hollywood Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and dozens more, the game captured WCW at the absolute height of the Monday Night Wars. Each wrestler felt distinct, with unique move sets and taunts that matched their real-life counterparts surprisingly well for the era.
While the roster featured many of WCW’s top stars from the nWo, Raven’s Flock, and the Cruiserweight division, several notable omissions stood out. Most prominent was Ric Flair, who was engaged in legal action against Eric Bischoff and WCW at the time. As a result, Flair—and by extension the Four Horsemen—were excluded from the game, which likely would have added at least three additional selectable wrestlers, including Arn Anderson, Steve “Mongo” McMichael, and Flair himself.
Additional missing talent included performers who appeared regularly on Monday Nitro and Thursday Thunder, such as The Disciple, Horace Hogan, Ernest Miller, Bam Bam Bigelow, Barry Windham, Hugh Morrus, Jim Duggan, Prince Iaukea, Public Enemy, Steven Regal, Dave Taylor, The Great Muta, Masahiro Chono, Norman Smiley, and Mike Enos. Several Cruiserweights were also absent, including Lenny Lane, El Dandy, Silver King, Super Calo, Héctor Garza, Lizmark Jr., Damien 666, Cíclope, and The Villanos.
Wrath was removed from the final roster but could still be accessed via a GameShark code. Additionally, Dusty Rhodes, Rick Rude, Vincent, Jimmy Hart, Miss Elizabeth, Kimberly Page, and Sonny Onoo appear in the game as non-playable characters, though they can be selected using controller ports three and four. Eric Bischoff is also included as a manager and is selectable as a character within the nWo Black and White faction.
Furthermore, unused data discovered within the game files revealed models for Woman (Nancy Benoit), Sister Sherri, Jacqueline Moore, James Vandenberg, Ted DiBiase, and The Truck Driver. However, these characters cannot be accessed through GameShark or standard gameplay methods.
Visually, Revenge showed a noticeable upgrade from World Tour. Character models were chunkier but more detailed, animations were smoother, and signature moves—like Goldberg’s Jackhammer or Sting’s Scorpion Death Drop—felt impactful. The arenas, while limited, did enough to set the atmosphere, and the game’s presentation oozed late-’90s wrestling attitude.
Where WCW/nWo Revenge truly shines is in its modes and replay ability. Championship mode gave players a reason to keep coming back, while multiplayer turned the game into an absolute classic at parties and sleepovers. Few N64 games created as many rivalries on the couch as four players battling it out in the ring.
The game isn’t without flaws. Entrance music is limited, entrances themselves are absent, and customization—while decent for the time—doesn’t reach the depth of later AKI titles. Still, these shortcomings are easy to forgive considering how well everything else works.
Final Verdict:
WCW/nWo Revenge isn’t just one of the best wrestling games on the Nintendo 64—it’s one of the best wrestling games ever made. Its tight gameplay, iconic roster, and unforgettable multiplayer experience cement its legacy as a cornerstone of wrestling gaming history. Even decades later, it remains a must-play for fans of wrestling and holds up to this day and is heavily featured in the gaming community for Mods and reskins. Such as WCW: Feel The Bang a popular well known rom-hack.
Final Score 4 / 5 Stars
