AAA Heroes del Ring is definitely a video game featuring AAA luchadors. The strongest point of the game are the models of the AAA characters, who look very accurate and true to life. Everything else has it’s issues: game play leans towards more frustration than fun, both the story mode and the announcing quickly become repetitive, and there’s not much depth here. The CAW appears to have a lot of options, but having only four slots to save is strange and limiting on today’s systems, and there’s no apparent way to easily share your creations. I have not yet tried multiplayer or online (did not appear to be working) – those might be fun, but there weren’t a lot of extra options there.
As the first major game completed by a Mexican video game company, it’s a remarkable achievement. As a $60 game going up against $60 games, it’s doesn’t hold up to the competition. Not just of wrestling games, but of games entirely in 2010. If the novelty of an AAA game appeals to you, it’s worth getting. It’s not a terrible or broken game, but one that’s not nearly as fleshed out as any other new game you’d buy at the moment and doesn’t have enough charm or fun to make up for the lack of standard features.
Heroes del Ring feels about 10 years behind the curve. (And even then, WCW/nWo Revenge had tag team moves and six people in the ring.) Getting from zero to here is a good start, but they’ve got just as far to go if they want to make a good game.
Resisted doing a separate post on this for a day, but then decided it might be useful to have it this way to look up later.
The new new roster is pretty much what we were looking for. The guys who appeared not on the Wii – Wagner! – will be on the Wii. Many of the who’ve dropped off the roster have been mostly added as DLC, plus a couple new names. No one still knows who La Fresa is.
PS3/XBOX 360 Downloadable Content (no release date/price) –new in blue
Alex Koslov Aerostar
Joe Lider Laredo Kid
Crazy Boy
Nicho el Millonario
Polvo de Estrellas
Pimpinela Escarlata
Rocky Romero
Último Gladiador
Still OUT
Chris Stone
La Parkita
Mascarita Divina
Mascarita Sagrada
May Flowers
Juventued Guerrera
Groon XXX
Teddy Hart
Octagoncito
X-Pac
They released a roster to 1up yesterday. There are slightly different rosters for the 360/PS3 version and the Wii(/PSP?/DS?) version. They’re a rare double fail.
Just 3 weeks ago, the official Facebook site for the game posted a roster, which is quite different from the roster linked above. There are 17 guys listed last time who are out of the game – the likes of Alex, Nicho, Teddy, Gladiador. Sorry, Crazy Boy, you’ll have to make yourself in the game. Their Facebook page has since deleted those roster pages (1, 2) from its site, but Google still has a cache of those pages (1, 2). My guess is the people who run the facebook are some PR team that copied a list off wikipedia, and maybe didn’t do the best job of checking to see if the list was actually right. Those pages are dated 07/10, so they probably pulled it a few weeks ago, decided to pretend they never existed, and so it’s just become evident now. Also, people really should stop trying to delete things on the internet, there’s always a copy floating around somewhere.
The other problem is the list of guys who are the PSP/360 version and not the Wii version. Assuming there’s reasoning to have different rosters (maybe they thought the Wii version would sell better with female wrestlers, though that doesn’t explain why Sexi Star wasn’t included), I’d figure the guys to get removed would be the ones who aren’t actually with AAA any more or aren’t on TV. Cut Charly, Psicosis, Gronda and maybe Alan Stone and they’d have the room.
They went a different route, cutting Silver King, Extreme Tiger, Jack Evans, and the guy on the cover of the video game, Dr. Wagner Jr. That is unfathomable, so much so that either that Wii roster is just wrong, or there’s some sort of DLC coming to add those guys very early on. That they left Doctor Wagner Junior out of the AAA video game on purpose with no plans to add him is impossible to believe.
(I’m still pre-ordering the game, when we’re a week or two away and they’re not moving it again, but I’m glad I’m getting the PS3 version.)
Felt like time for a new post. The old one is here.
Heroes del Ring just updated their facebook with the roster. Part 1 & 2. I’ve highlighted the new additions.
Abismo Negro
Alan Stone
Alex Koslov
Charly Manson
Chessman
Chris Stone
Cibernético
Crazy Boy
Dark Cuervo
Dark Ozz
Dr. Wagner, Jr.
El Elegido
El Mesias
El Zorro
Electroshock
Extreme Tiger
Gronda
Groon XXX
Jack Evans
Joe Lider
Juventud Guerrera
Konnan
La Parka
La Parkita
Marco Corleone
Mascarita Divina
Mascarita Sagrada
May Flowers
Nicho el Millonario
Octagón
Octagoncito
Pimpinela Escarlata
Psicosis
Psycho Clown
Rocky Romero
Silver King
Super Fly
Teddy Hart
Último Gladiador
Vampiro
X-Pac
That’s 40 (plus Mystery Guy, maybe). Earlier reports had 31, but I’m perfectly fine with getting 10 more people. I’m thrilled to get to play Video Game Teddy Hart; this is how the man was meant to exist. Crazy Boy too. Minis, after all! (note: start campaigning for Mini Vipers next – no Mini Abismo Negro, no peace!) The real big news is the Groon vs Gronda match can finally happen, which is really worth the $60 alone.
With those going in, a few people are now missing
El Brazo
Escoria
Kenzo Suzuki
Monster Clown
Murder Clown
1up mentioned playing as Brazo, so he was in here at one point. The other four have all been seen in video. They could always be added later in via downloadable updates, and I guess people would be more likely to pay for guys like these who are still around then for guys long gone. I’d rather have the complete Psycho Circus trio than May & X-Pac, but not everyone might feel that way.
Other guys not in the game: Aerostar, Laredo Kid, Decnnis, Billy Boy, Gato Eveready, Tiger Cota, Rio Bravo, Tito Santana II, Relampago, Gato Eveready, and Gran Apache. Only the first two are even a slight surprise.
CMLL (SUN) 06/20 Arena Mexico [@cmllmagazine, Cesar]
1) Horus & Metálico b Cholo & Zayco
2) Demus 3:16, Pequeño Warrior, Pierrothito b Astral, Bam Bam, Shockercito
3) Ángel de Oro, Ángel de Plata, Diamante b Cancerbero, Raziel, Skándalo
4) La Máscara, Máscara Dorada, Sagrado b Ephesto, Mephisto, Misterioso II
5) Héctor Garza, Jushin Lyger, Terrible b Máximo, Shocker, Toscano
6) Mr. Águila b Místico
Main event turned into a Tirantes Sr. special, blatantly counting fast for Aguila and slow for Mistico. Aguila got in a foul, which Tirantes ignored, for the win. I think Mr. Aguila just jumped to the front of the line!
Demus pinned Bam Bam with his feet on the ropes.
I had this wrong earlier on Twitter – it was SuperLuchas who has Verando de Escandalo as August 6, not the WON. SuperLuchas also reports CIMA & Nosawa are due back in July.
Groon XXX is back in the hospital. A painkiller he took after his most recent knee injury was causing abscesses to form on his knees. Groon will undergo surgery and be in the hospital for up to fifteen days.
Super Nova was listed as working a show with Atlantis, Rey Bucanero and Sombra in Ciudad Juarez tonight, so maybe he’s headed back to CMLL or at least working with them when not doing the Lucha Libre USA bit. There was a note in the Observer that AAA wasn’t going to use anyone working the Masked Warriors show. With the Perros not running more shows even before this invasion started (and haven’t announced much lately), Nova may be low on options.
Heroes en el Ring notes from the Bit Bag (scroll down until you see Super Fly with a grab bag; must’ve been visiting the other booths at E3)
The Lucha Libre: Heroes del Ring (the Wii version) was pretty cool and I got the chance to talk to the developer. Unlike other wrestling games, this focuses on the cultural aspect, since these wrestlers are held in such high regard in Mexico. When you’re grappling, you can perform certain moves depending on where the icon is set on the bar. Also, it’s very important to win over the crowd, so that you can perform better. This is a must buy for those looking for something different when it comes to wrestling games.
I hadn’t heard of anyone seeing the Wii version, but it sounds like it plays like the other ones.
DJ Spectro and Estrellas del Ring both write about visiting lucha libre Expo MUJAM this weekend.
Intrusto I had his retirement match tonight in Arena Aficion, after a 33 year career.
SuperLuchas #369 has Kelly Kelly in a Team Mexico jersey. Also Rayo & Vampiro.
Luchas 2000 #526 has Mr. Niebla, Mistico vs Invaders, and Lyger.
CMLL (FRI) 06/18 Arena Mexico [SuperLuchas, Ovaciones]
1) Camorra & Disturbio b Camaleón & Robin
2) Fabián el Gitano, Pegasso, Rey Cometa DQ Dr. X, Hooligan, Loco Max
3) Amapola b Princesa Sujei [lightning]
4) Máscara Dorada, Metro, Stuka Jr. b Dragón Rojo Jr., Misterioso II, Sangre Azteca [MEX TRIOS]
5) Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara, Máximo b Shigeo Okumura, Taichi, Yoshihashi
6) Atlantis, Jushin Lyger, Rey Bucanero b Blue Panther, La Sombra, Rayo de Jalisco Jr.
Rudos won the main clean with the Muralla Guerrera triple team submission. Match seemed to build towards a Rayo/Atlantis match.
Ovaciones quotes Taichi as saying he’d be back in November. Yoshihashi is in for three months makes sense; he’s missing two NJPW tours, but he probably wouldn’t be on much for the G1 (the second one)
Challengers won the first fall, but the champions rallied to win the second and third. Dragon Rojo, the captain, got surprised by a Metro German suplex for the win. Misterioso could’ve broken it up, but was too busy celebrating.
Dragon Rojo Jr. has now lost 8 straight title matches (3 Mex Trios, 3 CMLL SL, 1 Mex Welter, 1 CMLL Trios) since last March, and the last six have all involved Mascara Dorada.
Besides everyone challenging Mistico and Mistico talking about who he’d prefer to face (Averno or Volador at Anniversary over Aguila or Oriental), Ras de Lona also introduced four new minis
Mini Maximo – same guy who had it briefly before (aka Atomo & the Evil Monkey)
Cisne – five years wrestling, trained by Virus
Aereo – four years, trained by Virus
Halcon – from Laugna, trained by Ultimo Guerrero
Other bits
They showed all the YouTube clips of Sombra in the BOSJ they could find, too, including his pin on Tiger Mask. Helped for Yoshihashi too.
Puebla will have it’s 57th Anniversary show on 07/19.
Sangre Azteca talked about heading to France, Goya Kong was introduced, Princesa Sujei showed off her new title, Peste Negra caused havoc, Taichi got to yell “NO SOY GAY” one more time, Jushin Lyger terrorized people at the airport and had a superb interview.
Dr. Wagner Jr. (Mexican Wrestler)
More Heroes en el Ring @ E3
One of the mini tag matches: part 1 and part 2. Funny that they had tag and trios matches all week, when the game itself doesn’t allow it.
IWRG (THU) 06/24 Arena Naucalpan
1) Dragon Fly vs Keshin Black
2) Comando Negro, Eterno, Hijo del Signo vs Guerrero Nazi, Imposible, Trauma II
3) Avisman, El Hijo del Diablo, Gringo Loco vs Brazo Metalico, Daga, Eragon
4) Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro vs Bombero Infernal, Maldito Jr., Samot [hair]
5) Máscara Año 2000 Jr. vs Silver King [IWRG IC HEAVY]
Semimain appears to be the whole teams hair vs the whole teams hair, not a captains battle.
Would figure Mascara retains his title here, and Silver King & Ultimo Gladiador retain their titles on AAA show, but it’s still hard to believe they’d do an IWRG match on AAA show.
CMLL (FRI) 06/25 Arena Mexico
1) Metálico & Trueno vs Cholo & Zayco
2) Ángel Azteca Jr., Ángel de Oro, Ángel de Plata vs Arkangel de la Muerte, Puma King, Tiger Kid
3) Astral vs Eléctrico [lightning]
4) Fabián el Gitano, Sagrado, Stuka Jr. vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
5) Blue Panther, Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara vs Averno, Jushin Lyger, Mephisto
6) La Sombra, Místico, Shocker vs Felino, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas
Peste Negra return match. Sombra & Mistico teaming up is interesting for storylines that only exist in interviews.
Theoretically, someone in a match here is winning (or has won) the Bobby Bonales trophy. Maybe Panther again?
That seems like an odd fourth match for a Friday show.
After this week’s female ruda/ruda match, this week’s lightning match appears to be a tecnico/tecnico minis match, though Astral hasn’t been around all that much and wouldn’t be a big deal to move to the rudo side.
CMLL (SUN) 06/27 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Black Metal (GDL) vs Relampago Azul
2) Astaroth & Magnum vs Drago & Infierno
3) Lady Apache & Silueta vs La Comandante & Seuxis
4) Neutrón, Stuka Jr., Valiente vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Misterioso II, Sangre Azteca
5) Atlantis, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero vs La Sombra, Máscara Dorada, Sagrado
Poder Mexica keeps on teaming. Neutron keeps working here and with Lucha Libre USA, which seems unusually open for CMLL.
IWRG (SUN) 06/27 Arena Naucalpan
1) Dinamic Black vs Mixteco Jr.
2) Eragon & Hijo del Halcon vs Comando Negro & Eterno
3) Freelance, Hijo del Pantera, Miss Gaviota vs Fishman Jr., Gringo Loco, Kung Fu Jr.
4) Chico Che, Trauma I, Trauma II vs Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, Oficial Fierro
5) Dr. Wagner Jr., Hijo del Cien Caras, Máscara Año 2000 vs Electroshock, Silver King, Último Gladiador
