WCW Backstage Assault

WCW Backstage Assault is a video game by Electronic Arts. It was the final World Championship Wrestling game to be released before the company was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation.The game features commentary by Tony Schiavone and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.

Overview
Backstage Assault is vastly different from other games of its genre. Any wrestling game prior to it that featured backstage areas (such as the SmackDown! series or its predecessor, WCW Mayhem) treated them as auxiliary fighting locations. Backstage Assault took the concept further by removing the ring entirely and having all action take place backstage.

Locations

 * Truck area
 * Loading dock
 * Storage Bay
 * Boiler Room
 * Locker Room
 * Parking Lot
 * Media Room
 * Exercise Room
 * Bathrooms (men's and women's)

Hardcore Challenge
Hardcore Challenge is Backstage Assault 's primary gameplay mode. It consists of winning matches against random opponents until challenged by the champion. Throughout the game, players can unlock wrestlers, arenas, and moves for use in Create-a-Superstar. Unlike most other games that feature title modes, the player cannot defend the championship after earning it.


 * WCW Hardcore Championship (Easy)
 * WCW United States Championship (Medium)
 * WCW World Championship (Hard)

Reception
Backstage Assault was widely panned by critics and gamers alike. Many felt that a wrestling game without a wrestling ring was too gimmicky. Also noted were the sub par graphics, which seemed bulky and crude compared to the game's predecessor, Mayhem, and that many of the game's more popular and recognizable characters needed to be unlocked. In addition, the engine was very similar to Mayhem, something many players felt hindered the game.

The game has, however, been noted for featuring a more extensive create-a-wrestler mode than Mayhem.

Featured wrestlers

 * Asya
 * Bam Bam Bigelow
 * Big Vito
 * Bill Goldberg
 * Booker T
 * Cpl. Cajun
 * Custom 1 (Punker)
 * Custom 2 (Biker Grrrl)
 * Custom 3 (Shoot Fighter)
 * Custom 4 (Femme Fatale)
 * Custom 5 (Southern Thunder)
 * Custom 6 (Warlock)
 * David Flair
 * Diamond Dallas Page
 * Disco Inferno
 * Doug Dillinger
 * Hulk Hogan
 * Jeff Jarrett
 * Jimmy Hart
 * Kevin Nash
 * Konnan
 * Major Gunns
 * Mona
 * Ric Flair
 * Scott Steiner
 * Sarge
 * Sgt. A.W.O.L.
 * Sid Vicious
 * Stevie Ray
 * Sting
 * Torrie Wilson

Unlockable wrestlers

 * Billy Kidman
 * Brian Adams
 * Brian Clarke
 * Bret Hart
 * Buff Bagwell
 * Chris Candido
 * Chris Kanyon
 * Daffney Unger
 * Crowbar
 * Don Harris
 * Eric Bischoff
 * Evan Karagias
 * Hugh Morris
 * Johnny Stamboli
 * Kimberly
 * Lance Storm
 * La Parka
 * Lex Luger
 * Lt. Loco
 * Madusa
 * Mike Awesome
 * Miss Elizabeth
 * Ms. Hancock
 * Norman Smiley
 * Rey Mysterio, Jr.
 * Ron Harris
 * Scott Hall
 * Shane Douglas
 * Shane Helms
 * Shannon Moore
 * Tank Abbott
 * Vampiro
 * Vince Russo

Trivia

 * Perhaps due to the negative response to Backstage Assault, Electronic Arts planned a "true" sequel to Mayhem, at one point titled Mayhem 2. The game is said to have featured an all-new engine and was planned for a release on the PlayStation 2 console, but production ended when the World Wrestling Federation purchased World Championship Wrestling.