Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood
2004 video game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood is a fighting video game developed by Paradox Development, and published by Eidos Interactive in 2004 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is the second installment in the Backyard Wrestling series and the sequel to Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home. The licensed soundtrack includes music by Andrew W.K., Kool Keith, Insane Clown Posse, Bad Brains, Body Count, Six and Violence, Mudvayne, Saliva, Fall Out Boy, and Hoobastank.
| Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood | |
|---|---|
Xbox cover art featuring (from left to right: New Jack, adult film actress Sunrise Adams, and Violent J of Insane Clown Posse) | |
| Developer | Paradox Development |
| Publisher | Eidos Interactive |
| Series | Backyard Wrestling |
| Platforms | |
| Release | |
| Genre | Fighting |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
The roster of underground wrestlers features more than 20 combatants, including notable hardcore wrestlers, music personalities, and adult film actresses.
The game includes an option for turning the game's blood effects on and off; the original game does not have said option. Each wrestler now has an introduction video. There are also sixteen unlockable music videos.
Roster
| Character | Place or origin/occupation | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent J | Rapper (Insane Clown Posse), wrestler (WWE/WCW/JCW) | |
| Shaggy 2 Dope | Rapper (Insane Clown Posse), wrestler (WWE/WCW/JCW) | |
| Mad Man Pondo | Independent wrestler, notably JCW | |
| Rudeboy | Appears in JCW | |
| Vic Grimes | Independent wrestler (XPW, WWE, ECW) | |
| Vampiro | Independent wrestler, notably for JCW and WCW | |
| New Jack | Wrestler (ECW, XPW, TNA, various indie promotions) | |
| Nick Mondo | Retired hardcore cult independent wrestler (CZW) | |
| Ruckus | Independent wrestler (CZW, ROH, XPW) | |
| The Sandman | Legendary hardcore wrestler (ECW/Japan/TNA/WWE/WCW/JCW) | |
| Sonjay Dutt | Independent wrestler (TNA, CZW) | |
| Masked Horn Dog | Comedy wrestler from Best of Backyard Wrestling: Backyard Babes | |
| El Drunko | Independent wrestler | |
| Messiah | Independent wrestler (XPW, CZW) | |
| Supreme | Independent wrestler (XPW) | |
| John Zandig | Independent wrestler and promoter (CZW) | |
| Luke Hadley | Backyard wrestler | |
| Joe Peterson | Backyard wrestler | |
| Tylene Buck | Wrestler (WCW, XPW), model, host for Best of Backyard Wrestling | |
| Ryuji Ito | Japanese hardcore wrestler (BJW) | |
| Kelvin Finn | Unknown | |
| Andrew W.K. | Musician | |
| Tera Patrick | Porn star | |
| Sunrise Adams | Porn star | |
| Adrianne Pain | Unknown | |
Reception
| Aggregator | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PS2 | Xbox | |
| Metacritic | 46/100[2] | 43/100[3] |
| Publication | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PS2 | Xbox | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 5.67/10[4] | 5.67/10[4] |
| Famitsu | 26/40[5] | N/A |
| Game Informer | 5.75/10[6] | 5.75/10[6] |
| GamePro |    [7] | [7] |
| GameRevolution | D[8] | D[8] |
| GameSpot | 3.4/10[9] | 3.4/10[9] |
| GameZone | 5/10[10] | N/A |
| IGN | 5.6/10[11] | 5.6/10[11] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | [12] | N/A |
| Official Xbox Magazine (US) | N/A | 4.3/10[13] |
Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood received "generally unfavorable" reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[2][3] In Japan, Famitsu gave the PlayStation 2 version a score of one six, two sevens, and one six, for a total of 26 out of 40.[5]
GamePro Germany's wrestling expert, Kai Schmidt, refused to review the game and asked in the magazine "How many variations of "Don't buy it!" can you fit into an opinion box?". His college, Henry Ernst thinks, the game has no justification for existence. They criticized the awkward gameplay, graphics and only praised the soundtrack, giving the game, on both consoles, a 48 out of 100.[14][15]