More Details And Footage Of WWE's Abandoned Fighting Game Brawl

or Triple H's sledgehammer. Environments were built to break upon impact and destruct over time, [...]

By Matthew Aguilar

WWEBrawl Header
(Photo: WWE)

WWE has featured their superstars in numerous video game projects over the years, but a project back in 2012 never made it to the finish line, and it was called WWE Brawl.

Back in 2009, THQ and Blue Tongue Studios created the character art for the game, which received immense praise. As you can see in the gallery, the look was overtly stylized on purpose, creating a caricature like look for the superstars. It also traded in the real world for a fictional one called Brawl City and took inspiration for the characters from the real life personalities and face or heel roles of the wrestlers themselves.

Storywise it had John Cena, Kelly Kelly, Triple H, and more up against Mr. McMahon and the rated R superstar Edge. The game was a four-player fighting game, with credits going to games like Nintendo's Smash Bros. and Capcom's Power Stone as inspiration. You can see some of the gameplay in the trailer below, and the over the top and power based gameplay is immediately apparent. Special moves revolved around the wrestlers gimmicks, such as Cena's chains (back in the thugonomics days) or Triple H's sledgehammer. Environments were built to break upon impact and destruct over time, allowing the players to utilize the environment during combat.

The roster was actually pretty impressive, featuring the likes of Cena, Edge, Big Show, Rey Mysterio, Triple H, Undertaker, Kelly Kelly, and The Miz, with glimpses in the concept art of other characters like Kane, Batista, Randy Orton, and Kofi Kingston. One thing that is readily apparent is the lack of female superstars, as Kelly Kelly is the only one mentioned. I know that time frame isn't looked at as the strongest in that regard, but there was still wrestlers like Natalya, Michelle McCool, Mickie James, etc, so it could've been a little less skewed.

As to why the game didn't make it, there really isn't a concrete reason, but I don't believe it had anything to do with the look of the game or the premise. The combat needed refining sure, but it actually looks pretty fun and chaotic, and the redesigns are fun and over the top. Even though the game never made it into production, which I feel had more to do with outside issues, aspects of it can be seen in WWE's very own Smash City cartoon and figures, as well as their mobile game WWE Immortals.

via WWE

Trending Now: