• Publisher: THQ
  • Release Date: Apr 20, 2005
WWE WrestleMania 21 Image
Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 48 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 44 Ratings

  • Summary: Build your own wrestling legacy in WrestleMania XXI. The game provides a realistic WWE experience, complete with superstar voice-overs and commentary. Create your own wrestler, and watch him or her evolve as you earn new moves, costumes, and abilities. Strive for the WWE heavyweight title in single-player mode, or build your own championship belt, and defend it online. Through Xbox Live, you can take on four of your friends in head-to-head competition, where you'll try to gain prestige with each victory earned. Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 48
  2. Negative: 19 out of 48
  1. But the most important inclusion into Wrestlemania 21 is it's full on Xbox Live gameplay with all matches available. That makes the game worth having right there.
  2. Inconsistencies such as the out-of-date player roster (why are Jazz and Nidia still there, yet characters like Heidenreich, William Regal and Torrie Wilson aren't), the fact that only four wrestlers are ever allowed on screen at once (why not six, or eight?), and that the list of unlockable legends is limited to say the least (no Hulk Hogan!) [Official UK Xbox Magazine]
  3. Wrestlemania 21's outrageously flawed A.I. and emphatically clunky control integration sully an otherwise outstanding display of wrestling prowess.
  4. A mixed bag of greatness, and blandness.

See all 48 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 14
  2. Negative: 12 out of 14
  1. WrestleMania XXI is easily the best wrestling game on the XBOX. It's certainly better than anything you'll find on the Gamecube (with the exception of Day of Reckoning 2.) First of all, the graphics are absolutely phenomenal for an original xbox title, the wrestlers look perfect, every bit of detail is captured, in my opinion, the graphics on this are certainly better than the ones on the SmackDown! series on PS2. The variety of superstars to choose from is great, you can be top superstars of the WWE such as Triple H, John Cena, Kurt Angle, Rey Mysterio, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho etc. Midcarders/Jobbers like The Hurricane, Eugene, Rene Dupree, Val Venis, Rhyno and Tajiri. Then of course you have the divas, there are only about 6 divas in total but unless you're a real divas fan, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. Finally, you have a new addition to the WWE XBOX game franchise, WM 21 introduces Legends to the game. Andre the Giant, The Rock, Bret Hart, Mankind and Jimmy Snuka are all playable within the game but need to be bought through the WWE Shop.

    The gameplay itself is a lot of fun, there are loads of different moves to use throughout the match so it never feels like you're using the same boring old move over and over again. Each superstar has their own unique finishing maneuver in the game and weapons can be used in matches like steel chairs, sledgehammers etc. There are a variety of arenas in the game like SummerSlam, RAW, SmackDown, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, Heat, Velocity but one of the main flaws with the game is that there is no WrestleMania 21, instead there's only the WrestleMania XX arena, which kind of spoiled the game for me.

    The story mode is a nice addition to the game, you create a superstar and take him through the ranks in order to make him a top WWE superstar, it's not mind blowing but it's not a let down either. As you play through story mode, you will earn money. The money you have earnt can be used to purchase Legends, Arenas and Alt Attires (such as Big Show with hair.)

    Another downside to the game is it's Create-A-Wrestler mode. As you'd expect, it's nothing compared to recent WWE games such as SmackDown vs RAW 2011 or WWE'12 but it's a very poor mode, compared to the previous XBOX original WWE game, WWE RAW 2, where the customization on that is so out there, with the player being able to not only create a wrestler but also being able to edit current WWE superstars attires, WWE WrestleMania 21 just seems like a total let down when it comes to creating a wrestler. Overall, WWE WrestleMania 21 is a fantastic wrestling game, it's really cheap now and can be bought for about £2-£10 somewhere on the internet, it's definitely a must have for anyone looking to get a good wrestling game on the original xbox which is why I'm giving it a 9 out of 10.
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  2. Wongit
    5
    Im being nice, this game isn't all that bad, but i had high hopes for this game, and its definetly not that good. Its alright, there are nice graphics, but its got way to many glitches, and the CAW mode is weak. Expand
  3. PeterD.
    4
    This game is full of bugs,.!!! the loading is way too long and the play action is too slow in if you compare with previous smackdown (especially bring the pain,.. wich is the best ever if u ask me)... i wish i could get a refund. Expand
  4. JaceN.
    3
    Why-o-why did I trade in Raw 2 with all my painstakingly created superstars...for this? To think, all THQ had to do was update the roster, add a few new modes, more Create A Superstar material and they had Raw 3 set to stun everyone...twice...but no...proof that when it aint broke...you should redesign everything for redesignings sake! Expand

See all 14 User Reviews