WWE 2K24is a lot of fun (our reviewer Matthew Schomer thought so too), I’ve been enjoying duking it out in the MyGM mode and messing around with my own storylines in Universe. For me, the real star of the show is this year’s Showcase mode.
With Wrestlemania 40 happening next month, WWE 2K24 has selected ‘40 Years of Wrestlemania’ as its Showcase theme. The mode has you playing various iconic matches that occurred at WWE’s ultimate event, completing objectives to ‘recreate’ the events of the match.
40 Years Of History
Before you begin a match, you get a clip reel narrated by Corey Graves documenting the events leading up to the match. Then, you’ll get footage of the real-life match interspersed throughout your in-game match after completing objectives, also narrated by Graves.
This mode is very cool, and it serves a function beyond just being an enjoyable video game experience. It’s a great historical and educational resource, documenting key events in wrestling history in an illustrative manner.
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There isn’t one match from every Wrestlemania or anything like that, there are often two matches from the same event and then a couple of years are skipped. I was a childhood wrestling fan, and tend to only watch Wrestlemania and the Royal Rumble these days. I’ve heard of these matches, but it has been amazing to play through them and learn about how the matchup came about in the first place.
I knew of matchups like Ricky Steamboat against ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 3, or Ultimate Warrior against Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 6 but being able to watch the footage while playing as the two wrestlers is enlightening.
It’s a great historical and educational resource, documenting key events in wrestling history in an illustrative manner.
If you’re a new fan of WWE then playing through Showcase mode is a quick education for some of the most important matches in the company’s history. From Andre the Giant vs Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 3, to Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 30, you get a feel for how important these matches were in shaping the direction of the company and wrestling as a whole.
It’s a great consequence of how far sports simulation games have come, you’re able to learn about sporting moments in an interactive, exciting way. You might not always have the willpower to seek out and watch classic matches, but playing them sure is fun. You get rewarded for completing every match objective, unlocking wrestlers, entrance themes and arenas.
It isn’t without its frustrations. At one stage, I’m dominating Shawn Michaels as Kurt Angle, I’d have him beaten 20 minutes ago if it wasn’t for the objectives, but the real-life footage kicks in and it transitions back to the game with the Heartbreak Kid on top. He picks me up, and I’m still dazed — Sweet Chin Music, 1,2,3, game over. I lost control through a scripted event and never recovered, forcing me to start the match over again.
Still, the Showcase Mode is reason enough to purchase WWE 2K24. As WWE and the ‘wrestling business’ continue to age, resources like 2K24’s ‘40 Years of Wrestlemania or even 2K14’s ‘30 Years of Wrestlemania’ are going to be pivotal educational and historical resources for teaching new fans.
WWE 2K24 Review - Upgrades Across The Board
Every mode of WWE 2K24 has seen improvements over last year’s game, which is an impressive feat.
