Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
51

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 24
  3. Negative: 12 out of 24
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  1. netjak
    48
    This game had serious potential amongst fans of the genre, but Eidos and Paradox have totally sacrificed depth and mechanics and put out true garbage.
    All this publication's reviews
  2. GameSpot
    47
    While Backyard Wrestling certainly has qualities that could make for an interesting wrestling game, Don't Try This at Home is so unpolished that it's far more of a chore than a pleasure to play.
  3. G4 TV
    40
    There's some shocking stuff, but nothing exciting happens. It's just like watching Jerry Springer. If you've seen it once, you've seen it all.
  5. PSX Nation
    40
    The cartoony violence, blood spills and redneck appeal of Backyard Wrestling’s rural locales and colorful cast of characters wears thin quicker than the time it took its equally-shoddy sequel to come out.
  6. PSM Magazine
    40
    About as fun as being hit in the face with a chair. [Holiday 2003, p.44]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Deeko
    35
    The hardest part about reviewing this game is that it is so fundamentally awful it is hard not to want to give it the lowest score possible.
  8. Play Magazine
    33
    There are many reasons to be appalled by this game, but it all starts with a poorly designed game engine that's spazzy to the point of near unplayability. [Dec 2003, p.100]
    All this publication's reviews
  9. Gamer's Pulse
    30
    This game stinks like raw, untreated, sewage. The gameplay is short lived, repetitive, and poorly balanced.
  10. GMR Magazine
    30
    Seriously, don't be tempted to suffer through this painful experience. [Jan 2004, p.56]
    All this publication's reviews
  11. GameSpy
    30
    Compared to most wrestling games, the movesets here have been whittled down to almost nothing.
  12. Gamestyle
    20
    Try hitting your head against a brick wall for about half an hour instead.
  13. Maxim Online
    20
    Sadly, the sloppy controls and graphics make the game about as fun as a blow to the brainpan with a spiked bat.

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003
51
#51 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2003

User Reviews

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User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 33 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 33
  3. Negative: 7 out of 33
  1. The_D4RknesS
    Aug 19, 2023
    0
    The second game is still fun, now this one sucks, has bad graphics, fast gameplay feels like characters are always running, high difficulty,The second game is still fun, now this one sucks, has bad graphics, fast gameplay feels like characters are always running, high difficulty, menu music that teases headache as bad as it is. just a trash game! Go f#ck youself! This game su#ks… Full Review »
  2. KokichiMiyazawa
    Feb 12, 2021
    9
    I really liked this game, for its controls, soundtrack, the playable characters like M-Dogg20, Violent J, Shaggy 2 Dope, Sabu, El Drunko, andI really liked this game, for its controls, soundtrack, the playable characters like M-Dogg20, Violent J, Shaggy 2 Dope, Sabu, El Drunko, and other characters, the weapons that I can use in the fights and the Backyard Wrestling videos and JCW that I unlock in story mode, and boy are those videos really fun to watch, so that's why I gave it a really high rating because I had fun and it's still fun to play.… Full Review »
  3. WillD.
    Aug 2, 2007
    2
    This game is abysmal. After the (admitted awesomeness) that is hitting people with household objects wears off, you are left with nothing This game is abysmal. After the (admitted awesomeness) that is hitting people with household objects wears off, you are left with nothing more than an advertisement for the Insane Clown Posse. It has to be said that any game that can somehow make beating down on the horrorcore group with a 2x4 a tedious experience should be avoided like the plague.… Full Review »
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