Sound:  
Punches, kicks, body slams, and any other sound of contact are expressed by the same generic sound effect. Given the limitations of the Game Boy Color's sound abilities this is not a surprise, but it would have been nice to hear a little more variation between attacks. However, other sounds like air venting from pipes and opening doors come across exactly as they should, which adds to the game's overall atmosphere.

Then there is the music. I'm not exactly sure why the tunes in this game bother me so much, as they are actually done rather well. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that each track has only 8 or so bars that repeat on a constant loop. Something like that is fine the first hundred times you hear it, but after constant exposure to it the urge to throw your Game Boy against the wall to shut it up becomes almost overwhelming. Of course there is a volume control on the unit, so thankfully it never came to that.

Control:  
The button layout of the Game Boy Color makes for a very simple control scheme. The A button performs a punch, and the B button is a kick. If an enemy is staggering, attacking them with "B" will unleash a signature move in place of a kick. Basic stuff for sure. Movement is controlled by the D-Pad, and the overall responsiveness is excellent. The character moves when you want it to, and attacks swiftly when a button is pressed. While this is to be expected, many games don't offer responsiveness in their controls, but thankfully WWF: Betrayal is not one of them.

Gameplay:
First off is the story. This little aspect of the game is so bad I can't even find the words. A game like this doesn't really need a story though so it's understandable. Basically it goes like this... Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley has been kidnapped on the eve of your character's grand moment. You are just about to win the WWF Championship belt when you are hit from behind and your victory stolen. After you recover, Vince McMahon tells you that he will give you another shot at the title if you rescue his kidnapped daughter. Yuck. Now, I know it's not the fault of the developers. The WWF has had ridiculous story lines like this for years now, so they didn't really have much to work with. Forgive my opinion, but I come from the time of Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage. These new characters and personas are quite ridiculous to me... but I digress. After she is kidnapped off you go into the various stages ahead fighting people that look like referees and construction workers as you near ever closer to unraveling the mystery of the kidnapping.

Enemies are not your only obstacles though. There are things such as air vents that can burn you, and pits you can fall in that will cut your adventure short.

Over the course of your journey you can also pick up all sorts of weapons and objects to use against your foes. Weapons such as boxes, wrenches, bats, you name it. Everything you could possibly think of that would hurt if you hit someone with it is included.

Like any good side scrolling fighter, this game has it all. The weapons, the obstacles, the weird enemies, and of course the laughably horrible storyline. WWF: Betrayal delivers on all aspects of the genre, and fans won't be disappointed.

Multiplayer:
There is no multiplayer to speak of, but that's ok. It would have been nice to link up with a friend, but truthfully there aren’t enough enemies for two people anyway.

OVERALL:
Not exactly what you would expect from a WWF title, but a fun game nonetheless. The side-scrolling fighter never had much of a history on Game Boy Color, but WWF: Betrayal is poised to change all of that. A great little beat em' up for the road.

 

The Lowdown on  WWF: Betrayal Aesthetics: Very Good Control: Very Good Gameplay: Above Average Multiplayer: Sound: Average Innovation: 3/6 Lasting Appeal: 4/6 Overall: Very Good! "A Must-Buy"