Wrecking Crew

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This article is about the game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. For other uses, see Wrecking Crew (disambiguation).
Wrecking Crew
Wrecking Crew NES cover
North American box art
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer Nintendo R&D 1
Publisher Nintendo
Platform(s) Famicom/NES, Family Computer Disk System, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console (Wii, 3DS, Wii U), Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online
Release date Famicom/NES:
Japan June 18, 1985
USA October 18, 1985[1]
Europe October 15, 1987
Family Computer Disk System:
Japan February 3, 1989
Game Boy Advance:
Japan May 21, 2004
Virtual Console (Wii):
Europe August 24, 2007
Australia August 24, 2007
USA November 19, 2007
Japan February 5, 2008
Virtual Console (3DS) (Ambassador Program Release):
Japan August 31, 2011
USA August 31, 2011
Europe September 1, 2011
Australia September 1, 2011
Virtual Console (3DS) (Full Release):
Japan September 19, 2012
USA March 7, 2013
Europe May 9, 2013
Australia May 10, 2013
South Korea May 18, 2016
Virtual Console (Wii U):
Japan June 19, 2013
Europe June 20, 2013
USA June 20, 2013
Australia June 20, 2013
Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online:
Japan July 17, 2019
USA July 17, 2019[2]
Europe July 17, 2019
Australia July 17, 2019
HK July 17, 2019
South Korea July 17, 2019
Genre Puzzle, platformer
Rating(s)
ESRB:E - Everyone
PEGI:3 - Three years and older
CERO:A - All ages
ACB:G - General
Mode(s) Single player, 1-2 players alternating
Media
NES:
Game Pak
FDS:
Floppy disk
Wii:
Digital download
Wii U:
Digital download
Nintendo Switch:
Digital download
Game Boy Advance:
Game Pak
Nintendo 3DS:
Digital download
Input
NES:
Wii:
Wii Remote (horizontal)
Wii U:
Wii Remote (horizontal)
Nintendo Switch:
Game Boy Advance:
Nintendo 3DS:

Wrecking Crew is the second game and namesake installment of the series of the same name. It was released in 1985 for the Family Computer in Japan and later that year for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America, eventually making it to Europe in 1987. Wrecking Crew was released on the Wii's, Nintendo 3DS's, and Wii U's Virtual Console, as well as for Nintendo Switch Online. It follows the VS. System version of the game called VS. Wrecking Crew which came out the previous year. In both games, the player controls Mario (Player 2 as Luigi) working on a demolition site. The goal is to break down all walls on each phase. However, this version is more focused on the puzzle platformer aspect and removed competitive play entirely as there is no simultaneous two-player mode.

Unlike the arcade version, this game also features a DESIGN mode, where players can make their own Wrecking Crew phases. The game had the ability to save those custom phases. However, the required peripherals (the keyboard and Data Recorder accessories) were released only in Japan, as the peripherals are only available in the Family BASIC accessory. The games Excitebike and Mach Rider have the same limitations as Wrecking Crew. This functionality was fully utilized in the Virtual Console rereleases of these games as they emulate the peripherals behind-the-scenes. However, this feature is not included in the Nintendo Switch Online version of the game. The Family Computer Disk System version does not need the peripherals as it could save on the disk.

Gameplay[edit]

Gameplay of Wrecking Crew
A screenshot from Wrecking Crew.

Players can select any of the 100 phases to start on, excluding the Bonus Stages that come after every fourth phase. Unlike the arcade version, there is vertical scrolling but each phase still takes place in a single wraparound screen.

As the player tries to break all the walls with their hammer, they are attacked by various enemies. Defeating the enemies is not easy, as the regular hammer deals them no damage. If an enemy wanders underneath a drum, the player can trap it by causing the drum to fall. Sometimes Foreman Spike appears in the background and smashes walls himself. He can also try to push the player off the platforms, but if they can hit Foreman Spike with their hammer, Foreman Spike will fall down instead.

Doors appear less frequently than in the arcade original. Like the previous game, an enemy sent to the background screen becomes a harmless silhouette. If all enemies in a phase that contains more than one are sent to the background, they will freeze for around eight seconds.

If the player breaks down the walls in a particular order, they may find letters of the name of the character the player is playing. Finding all of these will give the player an extra life. In any phase with three or more dynamite, hitting three dynamite in a specific order will reveal a prize. The type of prize is determined by adding the phase number with the number of swings Mario made during the phase then dividing by 8. If the remainder is 0, 3, or 6, a pig statue is revealed which can be smashed for 800 points. If the remainder is 2 or 5, a Santa Claus statue worth 1600 points with show up. If it is 4 or 7, a maneki-neko statue worth 3200 points will appear. If the remainder is 1, it will spawn a Golden Hammer, also worth 3200 points. Much more powerful than the regular hammer, the Golden Hammer allows the player to knock down walls much faster, and, if they time it right, they can knock enemies down to the bottom floor.

As well as brick walls, there are also pillars that can be knocked out, ladder walls that can be used until they are destroyed (Foreman Spike can also destroy these), and dynamite that will damage any bricks lined up with it (as well as knocking whoever is nearby off the platform if they do not move away fast enough).

In the Bonus Stages, the player has to compete against Foreman Spike to find a coin hidden in a row of walls as the time counts down. 10,000 bonus points are awarded for finding it in the first wall that was smashed.

In 2 Player Game, one player will take over after the other loses a life. After completing all 100 phases, the game starts again from the beginning.

Characters[edit]

Playable[edit]

Character Name Information
Mario Mario The first player character, he is the only character playable in single-player mode.
WC Luigi Sprite.png Luigi The second player character, he is only playable in two-player mode.

Enemies[edit]

Enemy Name Information
Red Gotchawrench Purple Gotchawrench Gotchawrench A dinosaur wrench that chases Mario around the phase. Red ones are slow, but purple ones are faster.
Eggplant Man Eggplant Man A masked eggplant that sprints around, getting in Mario's way.
Fireball from Wrecking Crew Fireball Spend too long in a particular area and a fireball will appear.
Foreman Spike Foreman Spike The bearded foreman of the construction site. He will constantly try to stop Mario from completing his job by hitting the hero off the beams. He takes over the role Luigi did in the single player mode of the VS. version.

Sequel[edit]

In 1998, Wrecking Crew '98 was released as a Japan-only game for the Super Famicom. Wrecking Crew '98 is competitive, giving each player their own side to clean up, and opportunity to send enemies to the opponent's side.

Staff[edit]

Game Designer
Original Music
  • Hirokazu Tanaka
Sound Department
  • Hirokazu Tanaka
Director
Producer
Programed by
  • Toshiyuki Nakamura
  • Tomoyo-chan
  • Yase Sobajima
  • Akina-chan

Reception[edit]

Reviews
Release Reviewer, Publication Score Comment
Wii Austin Shau, GameSpot 7/10 "For 500 Wii points, Wrecking Crew is a surprisingly fun game if you enjoy a good puzzler now and again. The presentation is uninteresting and you may be initially put off by its rigidity, but stick with it and you'll find yourself entertained by its brain-teasing level designs."
Wii Lucas M. Thomas, IGN 7/10 "Puzzle fans should take new notice of Wrecking Crew now, even if they've avoided it before by thinking it's more of an action title. And if they did, it's not surprising – this game hasn't been properly presented in the past. But if gamers who loved Tetris, Bejeweled, Dr. Mario and Puzzle Quest jump on board and give this one a fair amount of downloads, we might also be blessed with its sequel."
Wii U Stephen Kelly, Nintendo Life 6/10 "With so much competition out there, it's often hard to justify paying hard-earned cash for microscopic NES games of yesteryear. Nonetheless Wrecking Crew is an ambitious game, and even in the face of the occasional exhausting aggravation, this puzzle-platformer has a lot to offer. Although it paved the way for better projects to build on its foundation, Wrecking Crew still stands firmly cemented in Nintendo history."

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Wrecking Crew.

Media[edit]

Audio.svg Phase Begin Theme
File infoMedia:WC Level Begin Theme.oga
Audio.svg Phase Theme
File infoMedia:WC Stage Theme.oga
Audio.svg Phase Clear Theme
File infoMedia:WC Stage Clear Theme.oga
Audio.svg Bonus Theme
File infoMedia:WC Bonus Theme.oga
Audio.svg Golden Hammer Theme
File infoMedia:WC Golden Hammer Theme.oga
Audio.svg Game Over Theme
File infoMedia:WC Game Over Theme.oga
Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

References to other games[edit]

  • Mario Bros.: The fireball appears in phases if the player takes too long to complete the phase.

References in later media[edit]

Wrecking Crew
The Wrecking Crew stage in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  • Kid Icarus: Graphics designer Toru Osawa created the Eggplant Wizard in part as a tribute to Wrecking Crew's Eggplant Men, as well as his own love of eggplants.[3]
  • Wrecking Crew '98: This game is a sequel to Wrecking Crew, a port of which is also included. All characters from the previous game are back.
  • Super Smash Bros.: Mario's third color palette, with brown overalls and a white shirt, is said to be a reference to Foreman Spike.[4] This color option for Mario would return in all future installments. Also, Luigi's third color palette, with red overalls and a pink shirt is based on his sprite from the game.
  • Mobile Golf: Foreman Spike reappears.
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee: The Eggplant Man reappears as a collectible trophy. Mario's Foreman Spike-inspired color palette returns and Luigi's pink color palette returns.
  • Chibi-Robo!: The Eggplant Man reappears again, this time under the name "Kid Eggplant."
  • WarioWare: Twisted!: 9-Volt has a microgame based off Wrecking Crew simply titled Wrecking Crew.
  • Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix: Waluigi's theme, "Destruction Dance", is an arrangement of the Bonus Stage music.
  • Super Smash Bros. Brawl: The Golden Hammer and its theme are included in the game. Mario's Foreman Spike-inspired color palette returns and Luigi's pink color palette returns.
  • WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase: 18-Volt has a microgame titled Wreck. Crew but some of its graphics are more similar to VS. Wrecking Crew.
  • NES Remix: Several challenges are based on this game.
  • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: A Wrecking Crew stage appears in this game. Mario's Foreman Spike-inspired color palette returns and Luigi's pink color palette returns, alongside the Golden Hammer item.
  • Super Mario Maker: Foreman Spike is one of the 100 Mario Costumes in the game and also several jingles are also heard from this game when playing as him.
  • WarioWare Gold: One of 9-Volt's microgames in this game is based on Wrecking Crew.
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: The Golden Hammer from Wrecking Crew and the Wrecking Crew stage return in this game. Mario's Foreman Spike-inspired color and Luigi's pink color palette also return.
  • The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Spike reappears as Mario and Luigi's former boss. His outfit also has the name "Wrecking Crew" on his hat and left sleeve.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese レッキングクルー
Rekkingu Kurū
Wrecking Crew

References[edit]