WWF Rage in the Cage
Encyclopedia
WWF Rage in the Cage is a professional wrestling
video game released on December 21, 1993
for the Sega CD
gaming system. It is a spin-off of sorts of LJN
's 16-bit WWF games, as the gameplay engine and graphical style are the same as in WWF Royal Rumble
for the Super NES
and Sega Genesis
.
clips seen in the game's opening video, as well clips of the wrestlers' signature moves that can be viewed on the wrestler select screen, and clips that play of the player's wrestler celebrating upon completion of the tournament mode. In addition, the game features audio introductions by Howard Finkel
and rants between the competitors prior to the matches. However, for the game's music, developers did not take advantage of the CD
format, as it resembles the digitized music of 16-bit
games from that period. Rage in the Cage features 20 wrestlers, the most seen in a WWF game up to that point (this number would not be surpassed until WWF Attitude
was released six years later).
Several match variations are available for either one player versus the computer, or two players head-to-head. A One Fall match is a standard bout won by pinfall. In a Brawl match, there is no referee, no count-out, and illegal moves can be done at all times. The match ends only when one wrestler lacks the energy to continue. A Cage Match puts the wrestlers inside of a steel cage. There are no holds barred, and victory is achieved by escaping the cage. Also available is a one-player Tournament mode, where the player selects a wrestler and must defeat the rest in a series of One Fall matches to become WWF Champion
. Upon completion, a FMV clip of the wrestler celebrating a victory is shown.
There are no tag team modes, despite the inclusion of actual tag teams in The Headshrinkers
, Money Incorporated
, and The Nasty Boys
.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
video game released on December 21, 1993
1993 in video gaming
-Events:*March — In Sweden, the Swedish video game magazine Super PLAY starts. The original name is Super Power.*Midway Games embroiled in controversy for its game Mortal Kombat from 1992 when the game is launched for video game consoles in 1993....
for the Sega CD
Sega Mega-CD
The is an add-on device for the Mega Drive video game console, designed and produced by Sega and released in Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The device was also released in North America under the name Sega CD, for the Sega Genesis...
gaming system. It is a spin-off of sorts of LJN
LJN
LJN was an American toy company and video game publisher. It created toy lines and video games based on movies, television shows, and celebrities. It was headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and later in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.-Founding:...
's 16-bit WWF games, as the gameplay engine and graphical style are the same as in WWF Royal Rumble
WWF Royal Rumble
WWF Royal Rumble is a Super NES and Sega Genesis game based on the World Wrestling Federation, released in 1993. It is the sequel to LJN's previous 16-bit WWF game, WWF Super WrestleMania, and is considered by many as the second part of a trilogy...
for the Super NES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
and Sega Genesis
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
.
Features
Rage in the Cage was the first WWF game to feature actual video footage in the form of FMVFull motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
clips seen in the game's opening video, as well clips of the wrestlers' signature moves that can be viewed on the wrestler select screen, and clips that play of the player's wrestler celebrating upon completion of the tournament mode. In addition, the game features audio introductions by Howard Finkel
Howard Finkel
Howard Finkel is a professional wrestling ring announcer currently working with WWE in a variety of roles. Hired in 1975 by Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation, "The Fink" was the first person brought in to Vincent K...
and rants between the competitors prior to the matches. However, for the game's music, developers did not take advantage of the CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
format, as it resembles the digitized music of 16-bit
History of video game consoles (fourth generation)
In the history of computer and video games, the fourth generation began on October 30, 1987 with the Japanese release of Nippon Electric Company's PC Engine...
games from that period. Rage in the Cage features 20 wrestlers, the most seen in a WWF game up to that point (this number would not be surpassed until WWF Attitude
WWF Attitude
WWF Attitude is a professional wrestling video game based on the World Wrestling Federation released by Acclaim Entertainment in July 1999 for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. A slightly enhanced port of the game was later released for the Dreamcast, as well as a handheld version for the Game Boy...
was released six years later).
Gameplay
Each wrestler possesses punches and kicks, several grapple moves (executed via a "tug-of-war" style lockup system), running attacks, a move off the top turnbuckle, and a signature finishing move unique to that wrestler. Also available are illegal eye gouges and chokeholds, which can only be done outside the ring or if a referee is not present.Several match variations are available for either one player versus the computer, or two players head-to-head. A One Fall match is a standard bout won by pinfall. In a Brawl match, there is no referee, no count-out, and illegal moves can be done at all times. The match ends only when one wrestler lacks the energy to continue. A Cage Match puts the wrestlers inside of a steel cage. There are no holds barred, and victory is achieved by escaping the cage. Also available is a one-player Tournament mode, where the player selects a wrestler and must defeat the rest in a series of One Fall matches to become WWF Champion
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. Upon completion, a FMV clip of the wrestler celebrating a victory is shown.
There are no tag team modes, despite the inclusion of actual tag teams in The Headshrinkers
The Headshrinkers
The Headshrinkers were a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation that consisted of Fatu and Samu. They previously competed under the name The New Wild Samoans in the National Wrestling Alliance , and as The Samoan Swat Team in World Championship Wrestling , World Class...
, Money Incorporated
Money Inc.
Money Inc. was a heel professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from February 1992 to August 1993. The team consisted of "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster . They held the WWF Tag Team Championship three times, defeating the Legion of Doom, The Natural...
, and The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags, active from the mid to late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Their gimmick was that of anti-social punks who specialized in hardcore wrestling and brawling...
.