That's not to say that certain updated looks for wrestlers have not been added, such as Christian's shorter hair. The game's roster was set as of the end of March 2003, so the game does not emphasize the roster split between Raw and SmackDown.

There are 45 initially selectable wrestlers in the game, from Triple H, The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, to John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Kurt Angle. It's unlikely that Rey Mysterio will be body-slamming The Big Show. The gameplay refinements don't stop there, as location damage can have you weaken an opponent's limbs or head, and each wrestler has unique power, speed, and strength attributes that will affect how he will handle certain challenges. Timing is critical, and while there are icons that will come up on screen to assist newer players, experienced players can turn them off from the options menu. Much of the cheapness of the previous title has been eliminated through the use of counters, reducing the ability for button mashers to make too much headway on a skilled opponent.

There are a wide variety of grapples, including many 'context-sensitive' grapples and moves that only happen when you're close enough to, say, the turnbuckles. Essentially, the game will allow you to do weak punches and grapples with a simple tap of the corresponding button, and stronger punches and grapples when you hold down the same button. The result is a game that plays very similarly to EA's Def Jam Vendetta, also made by AKI. With the high-water mark for wrestling games being the N64’s WWF No Mercy by AKI, it made sense when THQ announced that they had brought former AKI employees in to work on the newest one with Yukes. The core of any great game must always be solid gameplay. By and large, THQ has succeeded with WrestleMania XIX. After the disastrous reception WrestleMania X8 received, THQ took the franchise back to the drawing board, determined to right the wrongs and release a GameCube wrestling title they could be proud of. The Road to WrestleMania has been an interesting one for THQ.

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