WWE WrestleMania 21

 Xbox
  • Publisher: THQ
  • Release Date: Apr 20, 2005
Metascore
56

Mixed or average reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 48
  3. Negative: 19 out of 48
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  1. Xbox Solution
    49
    A mixed bag of greatness, and blandness.
  2. Inside Gamer Online
    48
    Numerous bugs, glitches, and polish issues drag this game down and leave it feeling like a textbook rush job.
  3. Gaming Target
    48
    In the ranks of Xbox wrestling games, let alone all-time wrestling games, this one ranks quite low, mainly because of its poor execution and obvious lack of polish.
  5. GameSpot
    45
    Ultimately a shallow, clunky, near-broken mess of a game.
  6. Gamezilla!
    45
    The biggest issue for me was the AI. I'm telling you it seems like the AI took one too many chairs to the head.
  7. Worth Playing
    45
    One of the most poorly executed wrestling games in recent memory.
  8. GameBiz
    45
    Xbox Live gives the game a little justice, but the offline mode could be 100 times more elaborate and involving that it is which is quite a shame, considering how much we were hyping it up and awaiting its arrival.
  9. GamingTrend
    42
    I never thought I would say this, but Wrestlemania 21 is worse than both RAW and RAW 2, a feat that is extremely hard to accomplish honestly. Don't even rent this game, it's not worth it.
  10. GameZone
    40
    The gameplay in Wrestlemania XXI is lousy, with unresponsive controls, boneheaded AI, and frustrating hit-detection issues, making the game absolutely no fun to play.
  11. XboxAddict
    40
    I'm also a bit unclear how the A.I. got as bad as it did with Wrestlemania XXI. I'm not sure if THQ was under the impression that Xbox players needed that much help with wrestling games, but that is the only explanation I can come up with.
  12. G4 TV
    40
    Even the game's menus and overall presentation offend.
  13. GameSpy
    40
    I don't know whether Studio Gigante isn't capable of developing a good wrestling game, or if the new engine is flawed. Whatever the reason, this game is Grade A, 100% jabroni.
  14. GamerFeed
    40
    Atrocious collision detection, clipping, stupid AI, horrible end of match transitioning, and an annoying Career Mode are just a few of this game's numerous flaws.
  15. Times Online
    40
    Wrestling fans will be disappointed by the vagueness of the controls, while Streetfighter types have far more fast-moving titles to choose from. An interesting failure.
  16. VideoGamesLife
    40
    A frustrating and deeply flawed experience from start to finish.
  17. The Sydney Morning Herald
    40
    It may be the best-looking wrestling game to date, but the action is too linear and, before too long, predictable and repetitive.
  18. Eurogamer
    30
    Yes it's simple and probably meant for kids, and you can get a small amount of fun out of Wrestlemania 21 for a relatively short period of time, but behind the shiny superstars it has a pork pie for a brain. That's the most positive thing we can say, sadly.
  19. Gamenikki
    30
    It's a very crippled and undesirable game, but not so bad as to make it completely without merit. In fact, my friends still enjoy playing it even after we've suffered through all its slings and arrows.
  20. Pelaaja (Finland)
    30
    When you are playing Wrestlemania XXI, the first question that comes to mind is that have the designers ever played a wrestling game before? Of all the recent WWE-games, this one is by far the worst. Just wait for the next one, which is hopefully done by Yuke's. [June 2005, p.67]
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Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2005

User Reviews

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User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 50 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 50
  3. Negative: 14 out of 50
  1. Jediknight0330
    Dec 22, 2022
    5
    Graphics are the best part of this game by far. They're beautiful. The season mode is pretty good if you can past the game play. The WWE shopGraphics are the best part of this game by far. They're beautiful. The season mode is pretty good if you can past the game play. The WWE shop in this game is ridiculous. There's a lot to unlock but you can only earn up to $5,000 a match on the highest difficulty. And theres almost nothing for under $5,000. The Wrestlemania arena is $1M dollars. It would take so much time to earn the cash to buy everything in it. Lags a lot when loading. Feels rushed.

    Gameplay: 4/10
    Roster: 6/10
    Soundtrack: 10/10    … Full Review »
  2. evolution98
    Sep 17, 2018
    5
    One of the most disappointing wrestling games of all time.

    It couldn't match WWE RAW 2. The trailer looked impressive and sucked you into    One of the most disappointing wrestling games of all time.

    It couldn't match WWE RAW 2. The trailer looked impressive and sucked you into the game but unfortunately, it got worse as you started to play it.

    So many things wrong with the game. The load times are bad, it has THE worst create a wrestler mode ever, the roster was so small and didn't match the 2004 roster at all. Well all wrestling games that came out that year had very poor rosters. The career mode is boring and is a complete ripoff of Day of Reckoning's. It was lacking in so many beloved match types and that you could only play one on one matches. The fatal flaws with the game are the broken AI and broken game engine. It was so buggy and unreliable. Most of the match types were unplayable.

    The only good things I like about the game are the graphics, the solid controls, the various ranked challenges in profile mode that gives you money, plenty of purchasable unlockables through WWE Shopmode and the great soundtrack.

    Try it out and only play it in short bursts.    … Full Review »
  3. Metroidguy4
    May 15, 2013
    1
    WWE Wrestlemania 21 for XBOX is the worst wrestling game and WWE game that I have played. It has the worst game play of any wrestling gameWWE Wrestlemania 21 for XBOX is the worst wrestling game and WWE game that I have played. It has the worst game play of any wrestling game that has been released and it takes five minutes to do one Boston Crab. When I saw the story mode is a dumb down version WWE Day Of Reckoning for Nintendo GameCube and there was no originality.… Full Review »
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