ECW Anarchy Rulz is a professional wrestling video game released by Acclaim Entertainment in 2000 based on Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). It was released for the PlayStation and Dreamcast. The last ECW game released, Anarchy Rulz is the sequel to ECW Hardcore Revolution, which was released earlier in the year. Acclaim would later start another wrestling game series with the release of Legends of Wrestling in December 2001.
Features
After ECW Hardcore Revolution was disappointingly received due to, among other reasons, the lack of an ECW feel (the game was criticized for being too similar to the earlier WWF Attitude release), Acclaim tried to compensate for this by adding many new match types. Among these are the Table Match, Inferno Match, Dumpster Match, Rage In A Cage, Hate Match, and the Backlot Brawl.
The game featured new control mechanics as well, however these felt very similar to the controls that had been with the series since WWF War Zone. Rounding out the additions is the revamped career mode. There was going to be a Nintendo 64 version of this game but it was cancelled as the console was approaching the end of its life.
This was the last game that was made for ECW before it filed for bankruptcy and was purchased by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Acclaim went on to produce the Legends of Wrestling series. The more recent incarnation of ECW would appear in three games in the WWE Smackdown vs. Raw series (2008–2010).
Playable
The game featured a selection of wrestlers and other on screen personalities that were active in ECW during development. Many of them are returning from the previous game with only a few having any changes or updates. Some of the announcer characters did not wrestle in ECW, and as such borrow a moves set from characters of the previous game, e.g. Paul Heyman uses Taz' moves set. Most are unlocked by default, although others can be unlocked through gameplay.
Blue Panther
Jobbers
Like in ECW Hardcore Revolution, the game featured wrestlers who featured in ECW events, as well as a separate cast of "jobber" characters. By pressing 'Right' on the selection screen, the player can see the jobber list. They are a mixture of staff members in ECW and Acclaim, as well as some completely fictional personalities. They all appear randomly as opponents in the earlier stages of Career Mode. At first, Trainer is the only one available as a playable character. The remainder need to be unlocked through game-play, and had moves sets borrowed from characters that previously featured in ECW Hardcore Revolution and WWF Attitude.
Arenas
This game featured five arenas: House Stadium - a basic arena that is dark and gray. There are no pyrotechnic or lighting effects during wrestler entrances. Brick Stadium - an arena with the stage set often used on ECW television broadcasts and Pay-Per-View events. Entrances sometimes include lighting effects. Elks Stadium - an arena loosely based upon the Elks Lodge in Queens, New York. Entrances in this arena may include lighting and pyrotechnic effects. ECW Stadium - an arena which features a set that bears a strong resemblance to the ECW Arena in South Philadelphia. Like the Elks Stadium, some entrances will include lighting and pyrotechnic effects. Backlot - this space is based on the back lot of a large building. It is a large, concreted area surrounded by fencing and brick walls. There is no ring, meaning that certain moves could not be performed due to a lack of corners or ring ropes. Players can still perform diving attacks from the top of a trash can or fence. There is no commentary either, being replaced with ambient sound effects instead. The crowd is much quieter to simulate them watching the match from inside the building. Various weapons are randomly thrown into the area.
Career Mode
The career mode returned with two major differences. The fictional Acclaim Title was removed, leaving only two championships in the single-player singles career. This made the mode considerably shorter to play through. The other difference was the addition of a stable career mode.