WWF No Mercy was developed by AKI and published by THQ in November 2000. What's amazing is that three years later,despite the onslaught of next-gen wrestling games released,No Mercy is still the heavyweight champ. Aside from Virtual Pro Wrestling 2,No Mercy was definitely AKI's shining moment.
If you played any of the previous N64 AKI games,you'll know what to expect. The game features the most refined version of the famed AKI engine yet. With smooth and responsive controls,the game is really easy to get into.Those new to the game will find themselves pulling off Spaceman Planchas and Dragonranas in no time.
The graphics are done in AKI's tried and true cartoon style,which,IMO,is great. You'll either love it or hate it. While yes,all of the wrestlers have a somewhat, blocky look to them,there's no denying that everyone looks like there supposed to look. There's also some slowdown issues and some minor clipping,but,really,nothing to detract from the overall game.
The animation,however,is practically flawless. Every move is performed just as it is in real life with spectacular camera angles used for enhancement. Whether you're performing a devastating Triple Powerbomb or a death-defying Tope Atomico,the animation is absolutely fantastic.
Without a doubt,No Mercy's replay value lies in the excellent Edit and Create a Wrestler mode. The edit mode allows you to keep the games roster of 60-plus wrestlers up to date(though,in appearance only). The Create a Wrestler(CAW) Mode allows you to create your own grappler(male or female) from scratch and choose from a staggering assortment of different moves,hairstyles,clothes,etc. After completing Championship mode and unlocking all of the items,the edit and CAW features become the meat of the game.You can practically create(or recreate)anybody...wrestlers who aren't in the game,characters from video games games,celebrities,the possibilities are nearly endless.
Added to all that is the near plethora of match types found in the game. Off the top of my head there's Royal Rumble,Hardcore,Cage,Iron Man,Ladder,First Blood,etc. You get the picture. Of course the game features the standard one on one and tag-team matches,as well as the crazier stuff. Though,even those 'regular' matches can be customized,giving you near-limitless match-types to choose from.
Overall,with it's great gameplay coupled with near- endless customization,WWF No Mercy is STILL considered to be the top dog of North American wrestling games. It's no wonder that THQ is promising that their upcoming next-gen wrestling games will feature No Mercy-like gameplay. Many fans have been craving a next-gen pro wrestling game with AKI's engine(aside from Def Jam Vendetta,which was more of a fighting game). Not bad for a three year old wrestling game on a dead system.
