Reception
The Nintendo 64 and PlayStation versions received mixed reviews, while the Dreamcast and Game Boy Color versions received unfavorable reviews, according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[3][4][5][6]
Critics praised Joey Styles' commentary, and the use of weapons during the game. However, many reviews criticized Revolution for being a near copy of its predecessors, WWF Attitude and War Zone, and not reflecting ECW's unique style, just covering over everything with ECW wrestlers and themes.[22] Daniel Erickson of NextGen gave the Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 versions negative reviews in two separate issues, calling the latter "One of the few games to inspire active anger and hate. Just having to handle the cart with our bare fingers made us feel dirty" (#63, March 2000);[34] and later calling the former "A blatant insult to the intelligence of wrestling fans and Dreamcast owners" (#65, May 2000).[33]
In one review, Lamchop of GamePro said of the PlayStation version, "If you liked Attitude and you're a big ECW fan, then you'll like ECW Hardcore Revolution—but there's little evolution here. It has a different name, but it's pretty much the same game."[37] In another review, Lou Gubrious said of the same console version, "For all of you who liked WWF Attitude and wanted to see an ECW game, this was designed for you. Non-wrestling fans might want to rest their thumbs with a less-complex grappler like WCW Mayhem or the upcoming WWF SmackDown!."[38] Jake The Snake said in one review that the Nintendo 64 version "is so much like Attitude, you should stick with the latter (or WWF WrestleMania 2000) unless you're a huge ECW fan or [you] must have every wrestling game that comes along."[39] However, The D-Pad Destroyer said of the same console version in another review, "Attitude fans who dig the ECW might want to give this one a look, but if you really want to play ECW wrestlers, then try to create them in Wrestlemania 2000 [sic] or Mayhem. In an age where both wrestling games and wrestling itself are centering on the show behind the sport, Acclaim's difficult and bland engine is showing its age."[40] Later on, Lamchop said that the Dreamcast version "isn't an improvement over Attitude. In fact, it heads in the other direction with less-popular wrestlers and done-this-before gameplay. Only hardcore ECW fans should pick this one up; everybody else should keep their Attitude."
The Game Boy Color version was heavily criticized by critics and fans alike. Players complained about sluggish controls, poor sound effects and graphics and glitches. It was rated as one of the two worst GBC games of all time by MobyGames.
After the first week of the game's US release, ECW Hardcore Revolution peaked at No. 2 on NPD Group's weekly PlayStation sales chart. It also peaked at No. 6 on NPD Group's weekly Nintendo 64 sales chart. Overall, the game's versions collectively sold over 600,000 units within a month of its release. Acclaim also noted that ECW Hardcore Revolution was one of the top rental titles in the few weeks after its release.[42][43]
