6. WWF Raw (SNES, Genesis, 1994, LJN / Acclaim Entertainment)
WWF Raw, not to be confused with WWF/E Raw for Xbox and PC, is the last in the trilogy of SNES and Sega Genesis titles with the WWF name: WWF Super Wrestlemania and WWF Royal Rumble. And like most third and final acts in trilogies, WWF Raw is the best of them all, polishing the tug-of-war grappling system unique to the series and boasting fluid and vivid animations, notably the distinctive finishing moves for each wrestler. But the best “feature” hands-down is being able to knock out the ref and start choking, eye raking, and gleefully bashing the opponent with a steel chair hidden underneath the squared circle.
The roster, however, is split down the middle with five exclusive characters going to each platform, which either shows the limitations of the software or a lack of forethought as to what fans want, or both. Not having Hulk Hogan, Papa Shango, or Jim Duggan in the SNES version and not having Yokozuna, Ric Flair, and Mr. Perfect in the Genesis version is near-unacceptable. But apart from that, WWF Raw is solidly produced, had strong multiplayer modes (Tag Team and Royal Rumble), and best represented the brand for its time.
