Natsume Championship Wrestling
Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Region: USA
Media: Cartridge
Controller: Gamepad
Genre: Sports, Wrestling
Gametype: Licensed
Release Year: 1994
Developer: Natsume
Publisher: Natsume
Players: 1 to 4 CO-OP, VS
_________________________

"Okay... So I was a bit harsh on it before, but..."

Intro
Originally, I gave this game a 1. Why, you ask? Most likely out of ignorance and impatience. I'm not above admitting I'm wrong (although someone did e-mail me about ''Escape from Camp Deadly'' and obviously didn't approve of the 3 I gave it. That's the score it has and that's the score it's going to bear under my name). After a long wait, I decided to play this game again. Once you have the timing down, it's a lot better.

NCW? Never Heard of 'Em. Eh...
In NCW, you play as a bunch of made up wrestlers with somewhat drab names like Asteroid and Hungry Snake (sounds like a Man Show reference). Anyway, you're competing to try to become Triple Crown Champion or something of that nature. The only way to do that is to defeat everyone else in the NCW.

Gameplay
The game is pretty basic with the attacks: regular punches and the like. Running off the rope and off the top rope, you can do other moves. While your opponents are down, you can also do various submission holds (although there is no submission in the game, or so it would seem as I've never made anyone give up). Yep, there's even grappling...

Grappling
You bump into you opponent grapple and you and your opponent lock arms. The thing is you have to be precise when you push the button combination for the move or your opponent will slam you instead. Timing is the key. It takes a bit of time before you can actually get the hang of it. It's pretty downhill from there. It mainly requires that you don't give up right away.

Options
There is the basic tournament as with many wrestling games. There is also the tag tournament, round robin, and exhibition mode. You can even play up to four players on this game.

Where it Lacks
Options. I felt this game could've used about one or two more types of options. While this can actually be a bit more fun and addictive than any of the mash-based wrestling games, it does sort of get old pretty fast. Thankfully, there's enough wrestlers to tide you over for a while.

...And Now, My Punishment...
BG: Well, as a guideline I have set up... If for any reason I have to change a review's over-all rating, I am to be punished severely for not seeing the light to begin with. Maynard, ready the Belt.

Maynard: Okay!

BG: For my punishment, I'm to take a belt to the bottom several times. WOOOPASH! Oh! WOOOPASH! You beast! WOOOPASH! The pain! The unbearable pain! WOOOPASH! That'll teach me to give good games bad scores! WOOOPASH! ...And no! I'm not changing my score on ''Camp Deadly!'' I thought that game sucked! WOOOPASH! ...Along with about 90% of the other Simpson's games! WOOOPASH! Simpson's Wrestling included! WOOOPASH! I think that's enough... WOOOPASH! Hey! Enough!

Maynard: Sorry... WOOOPASH!

Game Elements
The graphics were not bad, but not remarkable. To say they least, they were really basic on both color and detail. I thought the audience looked kind of lame, but the wrestlers and the ref don't look too bad. The sound was all together lame. I didn't like the music very much and would almost prefer Royal Rumble's sounds: fans cheering and two people going ''OOO! OOO! AH!'' The controls will take a bit of getting used to. It's mainly the timing thing. The gameplay is actually quite fun if you give this game a chance. Please, use my original review as a counter-example on two accounts: 1) How not to enjoy a game with an open-mind and 2) How not to make a fair and unbiased review.

FINAL JUDGMENT
Graphics: Workable 7/10
Sounds: Blech! 4/10
Controls: Just practice a little 7/10
Plot/Storyline: Not much of a real storyline, but this works good enough for a wrestling game 10/10
Gameplay: You'll have a bit more fun staring at a blank screen 7/10
All Together: 7/10

Recommendations
I'd say for fans of wrestling. In other words, no (or few, anyway) marks aloud. If you're only into the popular button-mashers, this game will be your torture device. If you're really not sure, give this game a little try.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/09/01, Updated 07/08/01

Reviewer: BoredGamer
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/review/R14560.html
