WCW vs. nWo: World Tour (1997) was AKI Corporation’s first WCW-licensed Nintendo 64 title, introducing North American audiences to the groundbreaking grappling system from Japan’s Virtual Pro Wrestling 64. With a roster featuring WCW icons like Hulk Hogan, Sting, and the Outsiders, plus hidden international stars, it captured the spirit of the late-’90s wrestling boom.

Gameplay revolved around AKI’s intuitive grapple system: light and strong grapples led to a wide range of moves, from suplexes to submissions, with match flow designed to escalate logically. Players built momentum toward finishers, creating tension and rewarding smart pacing. Multiplayer four-player brawls quickly became a fan-favorite feature, making it a staple of dorm rooms and living rooms alike.

While presentation was basic by modern standards, the controls, depth, and replay value made World Tour a breakthrough. It laid the groundwork for Revenge, WrestleMania 2000, and No Mercy, establishing AKI as the premier developer of wrestling games in the late ’90s.