The Nintendo DS isn’t exactly the first system you’d expect to see a quality wrestling title, but “TNA Wrestling: Cross the Line” is one indeed.
With decent controls, graphics and presentation, the title is easily one of the best wrasslin’ games on the handheld.
That however isn’t saying much.
Nevertheless, it’s hampered from a series of problems that prevent it from garnering the three count it could have gotten otherwise.
For one, featuring only 18 wrestlers, two being Consequences Creed and Curry Man, both of whom aren’t being used in any current story lines, there’s just not enough depth to the roster to keep you entertained very long. With all the new additions to the company over the past seven months, there’s no excuses why talents like Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson, Rob Van Dam and Ric Flair weren’t included.
Simply put, the addition of just Hulk Hogan can’t satisfy all by itself.
This sentiment especially rings true when many of the movesets aren’t in the least bit realistic either, hampering the game even further.
Hogan and Mick Foley doing the tornado DDT? What about Foley doing the Blackhole Slam as a finisher?
Yeah right.
Aside from that, some of the animations for the finishing moves are just abysmal. Hogan’s leg drop for instance looks like a high knee followed by a crooked leg drop across someone’s chest. As well, several clipping and collision problems limit the overall fun and make playing the game more a chore than the smashfest it feels like at times.
Nevertheless, in spite of these zits, this game has its moments.
Featuring video intros a-la “WCW Thunder” for the original Sony Playstation the presentation is pretty cool. The same thing goes for the control scheme, which effectively uses the DS touch screen for pins and submissions, going a long way in making the game enjoyable.
Graphically, the game resembles another PSone title, “WCW vs the World,” as the blocky and mishapen character models aren’t the least bit attractive, but they get the job done and give the game a unique and old school look. With some more polish though, this game could have looked like something like “WCW Revenge.”
While the overall look of the title is slightly above mediocre, it’s solid enough to not be an eyesore and help round out a more than entertaining entry in the DS library.
As a result, if you can forgive its problems and don’t care about having the newest wrestlers or realstic movesets, this is the game for you. Hardcore fans however may have to wait until next year before their hunger for a super high quality wrasslin’ game is quenched.
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