WWE WrestleMania 21

WWE WrestleMania 21 is a wrestling video game released in 2005 for the mh:awesomegames:Xbox console. It is named after the pay-per-view WrestleMania.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The main problem with the game was that it was rushed to coincide with the PPV of the same name, not that it helps that it was developed by a company that no experience with wrestling games at all, and because THQ didn't want to release it months after the event (like with WrestleMania X8 and WrestleMania XIX on the GameCube, but even then that worked anyway).
 * 2) Due to the game being rushed, the game suffers from severe slowdown issues, alongside many bugs and glitches.
 * 3) * Control input is heavily delayed, which means you'd have to be pressing the buttons almost instantly unless you want the AI to beat you.
 * 4) * There are constant ring movement glitches and poor collision detection everywhere.
 * 5) * The game can lock up at random moments, mostly during the unskippable "replays" where the screen transitions are so bugged that most of the time the game will crash.
 * 6) * Early versions of the game had a glitch that wouldn't even let players get past the start-up screen.
 * 7) The AI is incredibly frustrating. They will always keep getting up no matter how much damage you apply and will attempt to submit your player in any chance possible.
 * 8) * Tag Team matches are as bad, where your partner will do absolutely nothing and if you try to tap, it may get your team disqualified.
 * 9) The game appears to not take advantage of the Xbox's power, as the game can slow down at random, especially during Royal Rumble matches, and even lock up, as noted above.
 * 10) Most of the divas wear skimpy outfits, especially in the Bra and Panties (i.e. Bra 'n' Panty as the game calls it) mode.
 * 11) The online mode was broken right from release and needed a downloadable patch if so, not that it matters anymore after the Xbox Live servers shut down in 2010.
 * 12) * Worse is that most of the unlockables required Xbox Live, and now they're permanently missable.
 * 13) Although Hell in a Cell, Ladder and TLC matches are there, you can only allow for two-on-two play, you can't play with four wrestlers like in the PS2 and GCN titles.
 * 14) Create-a-Wrestler is a complete letdown from the one in WWE Raw 2. There are so many limitations (eg, they can't be used outside of Career Mode and you can't use WWE superstar entrance themes as music for your own) and the fact you can't change his name or music after creating them makes it worse. You also can't make Divas, either.
 * 15) Career mode, while fine, has many flaws.
 * 16) * The glitches are quite rampant, even more than in the main modes, and once again the game can hang up seemingly at random and lose your existing saved data if so.
 * 17) * Once you've beaten career mode with a created wrestler, you can't play it again using the same one.
 * 18) * Although the roster is decent, some of the fan favorite superstars and divas are absent.
 * 19) * The superstars wear match attires in every cutscene in career mode.

Good Qualities

 * 1) The graphics and visuals are impressive for Xbox standards and still hold up to this day. Wrestler models look great, and there are even little touches like the colour of lighting changing depending on what arena is selected.
 * 2) Like with Raw 2, you can use your own music for entrance themes.
 * 3) It has decent commentary by the WWE announcers.
 * 4) In addition to the standard shows and PPVs, there are some interesting additional arenas as well: a Gymnasium, a Wrestling Club, a Training Facility, a Civic Center, and an Industrial Basement.
 * 5) In addition to the songs from WWE Day of Reckoning and SmackDown! vs. Raw, it features some exclusive songs.
 * 6) Career mode was decent, despite the glitches and hang-ups.

Reception
WWE WrestleMania 21 received mixed-to-negative reviews from the critics. On Metacritic, it has a score of 56.

Trivia

 * According to a commenter on YouTube user NikaTeeN's review of the game, he had an interview with Studio Gigante's head director John Tobias, who admitted the game's quality was subpar, and mentioned that if his development team was given more time, there would be more match types, variety and that the Create a Wrestler mode was going to be bigger. The glitches were also because of a complete lack of quality assurance.