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Xbox : Showdown: Legends of Wrestling Reviews

Gas Gauge: 57
Gas Gauge 57
Below are user reviews of Showdown: Legends of Wrestling and on the right are links to professionally written reviews. The summary of review scores shows the distribution of scores given by the professional reviewers for Showdown: Legends of Wrestling. Column height indicates the number of reviews with a score within the range shown at the bottom of the column. Higher scores (columns further towards the right) are better.

Summary of Review Scores
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ReviewsScore
Game Spot 65
Game FAQs
IGN 59
GameSpy 40
GameZone 65






User Reviews (1 - 11 of 18)

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Not bad - not bad at all!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: June 25, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I didn't get to play too much of Legends II but from what I did play I can tell this game is much improved. First off, the Legends seem to have shown up for this installment. Just about everyone you can think of is in this game and I like it. So for those of you who griped about II's roster - This should make you quite happy. Graphically the characters look nice although somewhat disproportioned. My first match was Mr Perfect vs Macho Man and needless to say, Mr Perfect was Never that buff. The wrestlers have fluid moves and they are quite easy to execute. The counter system works like a charm and is really nice to watch. The entrances are almost exact. Two man commentary with Bobby the Brain! What gets better than that? They even talk about old school matches when you are wrestling. Wow, a trip down memory lane - priceless. The menu system is really cool. Even if it's basic, it looks like an old movie board or event board you'd see if you were in Vegas or at a big event showing the matches. There are so many more match types this time around too. This game just racks up cool points. If you're a casual gamer then maybe this is a rental title. If you're any kind of wrestling fan, do yourself a favor and pick up the best installment in the series.

Improved Legends of Wrestling

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: July 31, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Good Stuff
Graphics: Improved graphics

New Wrestlers: DDP, Dusty Rhodes,Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Sting, Ultimate Warrior, and Randy "Macho Man" Savage

Sounds: Finally comentary, by the guys from WCW and Bobby "The Brain" Henan

Storyline: Wrestle wrestlers in each era (70's, 80's, 90's, and today)

Extra Stuff: Play classic matches like Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant

Bad Stuff
Graphics: Didn't improve enough

Sound: Commentaters repeat lines

The Truth about Legends of Wrestling Showdown...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: May 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Let's first discuss the reasons why I didn't bother posting reviews about Legends of Wrestling I or II. To be honest here Legends of Wrestling Showdown is far better than both of it's past family. Better roster of legends and in my opinion an all out better game. Keep in mind here that I own the PSX2 version of this game, thus this review is for the PSX2 version of Legends of Wrestling Showdown.

Though I do have to agree with what others have said, that being, it is slightly buggy and can even lock up from time to time which is annoying. This is the sole reason I gave it a four instead of five in the rating department.

If your a wrestling fan of any kind and looking for something different from the WWE or TNA, I'd suggest trying this out. If your a fan of the more older and solid wrestling style, I'd suggest trying this out aswell. It's a decent game and can be alot of fun with friends and girlfriends... whichever company you prefer the most. :)

Dont even rent!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 5
Date: July 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game does have one good thing about it and that is that it has lots of old wrestlers. other than that it is all very poor. the moves are very limited the reversals are to easy to do and the commentary is so limited that it says the exact same line 13-20 times in a single match. it is hard to understand how games have moved backwards since the N64 but this game seems to have rediculous.

The lowdown on Showdown

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: June 30, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I dont know what these people are talking about. My characters dont magically warp around the ring. I do not see the 1-2 second delay when I push a button. What I do see is... Fantastic, yet oversized, graphics. Sure Hitman was never that big, but who cares? The wrestlers are still sized somewhat correctly, Warrior is bigger than sting and smaller than Andre. The controls are great. Better than last year. You have about 12 moves from the front.(and thats not when the AI is bending over or stunned) You can also combine your move i.e. powerslam into a submission or pin. That gives you even more moves.(bret gives a tutorial) The create-wrestler is better. Provide your own music and the announcers say your name, eat that smackdown! You can create such idols as Rock, HHH, Austin, HBK, Kane, Taker,Goldberg etc, but not Lesnar as there isnt an F5. Match types are not just what you see on the box. Tag matches can be up to 4 tag teams at once/and hardcore etc. There is blood, and clothing absorbs sweat over time. Even the hair on the wrestlers moves. Bret moves and his hair actually moves too. Great graphics. Control takes only a few moments to master. Reverses are easy and amazing when they work. You can counter anything. This game does not have a deep story mode. If you are looking for that, get smackdown. This is for the people who want to wrestle with the greats. All in all, great graphics, smooth control, announcers(even to announce your entrance... THIS IS STIIIINNNNNNGGGG!) The most notable problem I see is sometimes the AI will throw a punch and hit itself, lol. And no your finisher will not finish the match. Your finisher is based on momentum like last year. Please the crowd with different moves. No you can not just kick and punch non stop. Sometimes I dont even get my finisher off.(each charachter has 2 different finishers) The in match play is very much like THQ on N64. You can break up submissions too. This is what Ive been wanting since N64 went under. A No Mercy(N64) game with wrestling greats and on Xbox. Lastly, you dont wear or get titles, no backstage areas, stunning can happen at anytime from any move, and the AI is easy to beat. Pick this up and you wont be disappointed.

Best Out of the Series!

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: July 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

When the first installment came out more than a year ago I was extremely excited and couldn't wait. The game included legendary heroes of the squared circle such as Bret " The Hitman" Hart, Don Muraco, Tito Santana, Rick Steamboat, and last but certainly not least, Hulk Hogan. Being a longtime wrestling fan I was one of the ones who could appreciate a game like this which even though the gameplay wasn't exactly a wrestling fan's dream, it was fun none-the-less. One more thing about the engine that reviewers seem to overlook is the fact that old school wrestling is very basic compared to wrestling nowadays. That means you don't need this game to have a ton of moves for it to be good. People like Ted Dibiase wouldn't perform moves like frankensteiners and high cross bodys. It just isn't realistic that way. When Aclaim brought us the 2nd installment I was kind of dissapointed. The graphics were improved and so were other things like, the list of characters, the entrances along with the music, but the gameplay was much faster than the preceeding and that (atleast in my opinion)made it worse of a game. I don't know what they were thinking, like it would be improved with total non-stop action! The pace in the first game was slower and made it much more realistic. Being a fan of the others , you know I should have been on the edge of my seat for Showdown to hit stores, and I was, visiting my usual video gaming site to check for new screenshots and news. Anybody who is a fan of the other games and doesn't think this one blows them out of the water is rediculous. This game tops them all. Along with newly added long-time greats like Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Ultimate Warrior, Dusty Rhodes, and Sting, the game also is improved in other areas like the engine for instance. The camera views are much more intense then they were before. Other areas of improvement are with newly added commentating,new match-types,more arenas and blood. They even have Gary Michael Capetta doing the ring announcing as well. The game does have some flaws such as bugs, repetitive commentating, and a lack of moves. This makes the game not have long lasting appeal, but it "is" a fun game to play and hope they do add a fourth installment in the series!

Who needs the WWE when you got Showdown!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: June 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Three words: The Ultimate Warrior! is back and he is on X-box jack so what'ca gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you!.

Don't listen to the critics; this game rocks!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: June 29, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I don't understand how this game has gotten such negative reviews. Sites such as IGN.com and Gamespy.com must not know what makes a good wrestling game. These critics complain that Showdown is a step back from the previous two Legends games; I just don't see that. This game is better than the previous Legends games in nearly every category. Showdown has improved graphics, a hugh roster of 73 wrestlers, three man commentary including Bobby "the Brain" Heenan, and about a dozen real-life arenas to wrestle in. As for the gameplay, Showdown utilizes a grappeling system not that different from THQs wrestling games. The bottom line is that this game is one the best wrestling games to come out recently and it is definately the best game in the Legends of Wrestling series. For whatever reason the critics don't like this series but they're wrong and any wrestling fan should own this game.

Its average

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: July 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

"No Mercy" for the N64 is the best wrestling game ever made and this one isn't half the game "No Mercy" is. This new "Showdown: Legends of Wrestling" is way overrated. After reading so many positive reviews about it, I thought they finally got it right. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. Its worth renting for the sake of having King Kong Bundy do a body splash onto Bobby Heenan from the top of a steel cage in Madison Square Garden, but I wouldn't buy it.

Showdown is Awesome!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: July 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Showdown is the best wrestling game ever made. I love it!! WOW!!
GRAPHICS- Absolutely true to life graphics and a MAJOR upgrade from the previous Legends games. Every wrestler is instantly recognizable and yes the wrestlers hair and clothing really does move along with motion. You can see blood spatter from the wreslters face if he's getting beat up (blood can be turned OFF in "options" mode for kids). Every wrestler is also his own real life size. For example: I could clearly see that Hulk Hogan was taller and had bigger biceps than Jake the Snake. The real life stadiums are cool and the Jumbotrons show video "hype" of each wrestler in the backgound as they enter the ring.
GAMEPLAY- I've read some reviews claiming that this game has glitches in gameplay. Those reviewers must have a broken Xbox because I've played Showdown for at least 5 hours now and I think the gameplay is fantastic. I have not noticed any major glitches, slowdown, or delayed reactions at all (Royal Rumble included). Everything is smooth and performing moves is a blast.
The computer AI is very smart and difficulty levels can be adjusted. It seems now that "counter" moves are big in this game which adds alot of strategy. Now you have to ask yourself "should I be aggressive or wait for my opponent to make a move and try to counter it". Counter moves can be devestating in Showdown if you time it right. I noticed if you attempt the same move too frequently on your opponent that the computer catches on to this and will counter and make you pay.

There must be millions of moves and its amazing to watch the intense 3D animations. TOTALLY AWESOME. Showdown has also simplified executing the moves on the controller so its not so hard to perform special moves. I've been playing wrestling games for years and I GUARANTEE you there are moves in Showdown that you've never seen before. There are power moves (Ultimate Warrior uses brute strength), finisher moves, sleeper moves, injury moves, cheap shots (Andy Kaufmann will poke you in the eye), weapons, turnbuckle moves, out of ring action, counter moves etc.
Each wrestler has his own unique "signature" entrance, taunts, and finisher moves. Macho Man says "OHHHH YEaaahhh", the Ultimate Warrior bangs his chest, Hacksaw Jim Duggan comes in with his 2X4 and does his famous football tackle finisher move as the crowd chants "USA USA", and on and on. One example of strength realism- I was playing as Andre the Giant vs skinny Andy Kaufmann. Andy poked me in the eye and while I was stunned for a moment he tried to bodyslam me as Andre the Giant!! He attempted to pick me up and immediately grabbed his back in pain after failing to lift up the Giant it was hillarious!!

SOUND-5.1 Dolby Surround is fantastic. Even Showdown's intro right after you pop in the disc is cool with Quiet Riot jamming to "Bang your Head" while the wrestlers are introduced in bodyslamming glory. Commentary has been added this year and is totally fun to listen to. Funny, cocky, & very detailed. All the sounds seem to be right on. The crowd has their heros and villians. For example- the crowd loves the Hulkster and boos the Iron Sheik out of the stadium. Yes they do chant "USA USA" with Hacksaw Jim Duggan I was very impressed with that. Now that brings back some memories of the WWF glorydays don't you think? One thing I noticed is you can hear the joints/cartialidge snapping & grinding when certain moves are being performed on unfortunate wrestlers (such as a violent bear hug). WOW. I'm not kidding when I say Showdown is realistic like you've never seen in a wrestling game before.
What can I say I could type forever about Showdown I'm totally addicted to it and upset about the bogus reviews that had me bummed out. Now that I've played Showdown for myself I'm still in complete shock & thrilled about how fun and realistic this game is. Simply put, its the best wrestling game ever made...-Graphics are jaw dropping -Gameplay is smooth -Color commentary is detailed and fun to listen to -You can even attack the refs!! -Camera angles are great and they've added an (intentional) slow motion when doing some special moves where the camera moves into an up close angle where you can see the action perfectly and you can view every skeletal joint in the wrestlers body react in slow motion as he's being slammed to the ground its truly an awesome site unlike anything I've ever seen. -Every wrestler is true to life in every way and the unique personalities are right on. No two wrestlers are the same. OK- stop reading this and try out Showdown for yourself brother!!!


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