TNA Impact! (video game)

TNA Impact! (official typeset "TNA iMPACT!") is the first video game released by the professional wrestling promotion, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). The game was developed by Midway Studios in Los Angeles and published by Midway Games.
==Production==
After periods of negotiation with Electronic Arts and Rockstar Games, TNA signed a multi-year agreement with Midway Games on November 7, 2005. Midway announced their intentions to release Impact!, the first game in TNA's history, for each of the seventh generation consoles on March 2, 2006.
TNA wrestlers were involved with the games production. The self described "hardcore gamers" Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles both took part in meetings with Midway staff to brainstorm game-play ideas, and Joe, Styles, Christopher Daniels, Senshi, Sonjay Dutt, and Jeff Jarrett were all a part of the motion capture sessions. During the October 23, 2006 tapings of the weekly TNA Impact! program, members of the TNA roster were "scanned" for the game and audio samples of the Impact! Zone crowd were recorded.
==Features==
TNA Impact! is geared towards a quick-paced, high-impact style of play, with less emphasis on submission maneuvers. It supports up to four players at once on a console, with online support—which includes tournaments—currently standing at one-on-one. Online play is, however, limited to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. It's planned to feature straightforward, intuitive controls, with "accurate" and "detailed" character models. Scans of the actual wrestlers were used for the game in place of hand-painted textures to include small details, such as skin texture and specific scars. Finishers are accessed by building up the "Impact! meter" displayed on the screen. In the same area a color-coded damage indicator shows the condition of characters. The game also features mini-games for escaping pin attempts and submission holds.
TNA's signature match, Ultimate X, is a playable match type, alongside the more standard Singles, Tag team and Fatal Four Way matches. Submission and Falls Count Anywhere matches will also be included. There will not, however, be a Six Sides of Steel match. Eight different venues—including TNA's main home; the Florida Impact! Zone, and arenas set in Japan, Mexico, England, Las Vegas, and locations designed to evoke the independent circuit feel are available to house matches, with the Impact! Zone having an increased ringside area for play and hot spots for player interaction. Liverpool Olympia is also a playable arena in the game.
The story mode's main character is a wrestler named Suicide. During every iMPACT episode after the August 14, 2008 version of iMPACT!, the words "whoissuicide.com" flashed on the screen for less than a second. On the website, it shows that Suicide is being taken from the game to real life television.
==Reception==
IGN gave varied reviews for all platforms, 6.7 for the Xbox 360, 6.4 for the PS3, and 5.3 for the PS2. IGN said that the graphics were great, though the lack of Create-a-Wrestler, Championships, moves, and "brain-dead" tag team AI were not favorable. GameSpot was more favorable, saying that the first TNA video game was off to a good start, and praised the sound effects, but panned the voice acting. Tech-Gaming gave TNA a 'B' grade, stating they liked the zippy frame rate and accessible controls, but bemoaned the similarity of each wrestler's move list.
==Sequel==
Midway Games originally announced a sequel to the game. In July 2009, Time Warner]] (through its subsidiary Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment) purchased the majority of Midway, the TNA license was not included with the purchase. In a September 2009 interview, TNA president Dixie Carter announced that TNA was looking for a new video game partner. On November 11, 2009, SouthPeak Games confirmed it acquired Midway Games TNA video game license in its quarterly report. The first game published by the company was TNA Impact!: Cross the Line for PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS. It was released on June 25, 2010.
==See also==
*Roster Gallery - A Gallery of the game's roster characters.
==External links==
*TNAgame.com (official website)
Category:Wrestling video games
Category:Video games