Game Profile

In NES classic Wrecking Crew, Mario swaps his plumber’s cap for a hard hat as he takes on the unique role of a demolition engineer!

Your aim is to demolish every obstacle in each enemy-infested level, while working out the most destructive route through the networks of ladders and scaffolds.

Wrecking Crew was part of the NES “Programmable Series” so it also includes a mode for designing your own levels. This Virtual Console version also features the ability to save your creations, which was not possible in the original.

Game Review

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Review

USA Fri, 24 Aug 2007 by Marcel Van Duyn

In NES classic Wrecking Crew, Mario swaps his plumber’s cap for a hard hat as he takes on the unique role of a demolition engineer!

Wrecking Crew's a bit of an oddball. It stars Mario, but hardly anyone seems to know about the game, partly because it launched simultaneous with the legendary Super Mario Bros. and multiple other titles, meaning it was quickly overshadowed.Wrecking..

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User Comments

Mirokunite

1. Mirokunite United States 16 Jul 2007, 16:57 BST

Ah, Wrecking Crew. A Mario game believe it or not.

I wasn't a fan of it then, so I think I will pass on this one.

Pocketim

2. Pocketim New Zealand 18 Jul 2007, 23:14 BST

I want wrecking crew '98 to be released on VC, It was for the SNES and was only released in japan

ld

3. ld United States 08 Aug 2007, 22:40 BST

Greatest game ever made

Drake

4. Drake Netherlands 17 Aug 2007, 14:12 BST

By the way, I kinda don't like ScrewAttack (Home of the AVGN) anymore for including this on a list of worst Mario games. Half that list is wrong, you can't take a Worst Mario Games list with Picross and SMB2 on it seriously.

5. 23 Aug 2007, 21:26 BST

I have Wrecking Crew 98 its top stuff. Will get this NES one when it turns up on VC.

SKTTR

6. SKTTR Germany 24 Aug 2007, 01:51 BST

yeah im going to buy a new wii points card for this!

BF-Medic

7. BF-Medic Norway 24 Aug 2007, 15:03 BST

This one I'm going to buy! A brilliant game indeed.

jg233

8. jg233 United States 27 Aug 2007, 16:20 BST

is it actually very good? i like nes games but is it worth 500 points? How long is it fun?

Drake

9. Drake Netherlands 27 Aug 2007, 17:08 BST

It's an arcadey title, but unlike games such as Donkey Kong, Pinball and all the sports games on the NES, it actually has longevity. There are 100 levels (With a level select too) and a level designer, so you'll get your money's worth for sure. And yes, it is fun.

dualj

10. dualj United States 25 Sep 2007, 19:49 BST

This needs to come here. My sister loves this game and would flip If i had it.

Mii be you

11. Mii be you United States 13 Oct 2007, 20:31 BST

Drake, what is ScrewAttack's Top 10 Worst Mario Games list?

Drake

12. Drake Netherlands 13 Oct 2007, 22:08 BST

Their list is as follows:

10. Mario is Missing
9. Super Mario Bros. 2 (Doki Doki Panic)
8. Wrecking Crew
7. Mario's Tennis (VB)
6. Mario's FUNdamentals
5. Mario Picross
4. Mario's Time Machine
3. Mario's Early Years
2. Mario Clash
1. Hotel Mario

9, 8, 7, 5 and 2 have no reason to be on there. Also, honestly, Hotel Mario isn't bad at all. My bet is they didn't play over half the games they picked.

Mii be you

13. Mii be you United States 28 Oct 2007, 20:49 GMT

Hotel Mario deserves 2 stars. The gameplay's not bad, But the sound in the cutscenes sucks. But Bowser looks more like himself than he did in the Mario cartoon and in Super Mario Bros.

Stuffgamer1

14. Stuffgamer1 United States 09 Nov 2007, 17:36 GMT

Wrecking Crew was just ESRB rated! Hopefully, it'll release next monday, because I'm tired of waiting for it while junk like Super Mario Bros. 3 comes out (you heard me right! In my opinion, Wrecking Crew was a better NES game, and anyway, I have Super Mario Advance 4 and don't need SMB3 for NES.). Europe's had it for over two months, and they complain that we get all the best stuff first!

Stuffgamer1

15. Stuffgamer1 United States 19 Nov 2007, 13:31 GMT

Yes! Finally released in America! Must download immediately!

Thomas

16. Thomas United States 19 Nov 2007, 20:18 GMT

Time to get more Wii points. :) I remember playing this one at my cousin's house. I wonder if Nintendo will eventually release Gyromite on the Virtual Console (sans the need for the R.O.B.).

Masuyo

17. Masuyo United States 19 Nov 2007, 20:21 GMT

I loved wrecking crew!!! OH man. I don't know how it would hold up now but when I was a kid I absolutely loved this game. The way you use doors was so cool :D

I remember using the level editor! It's so great for an NES games :D

Kenji510

18. Kenji510 United States 20 Nov 2007, 05:47 GMT

One of my favorite games to download and play! :D

Beau Skunk

19. Beau Skunk United States 23 Nov 2007, 10:04 GMT

One of my all time favorites of the obscure early NES games. The level editor is a nice feature comparible to Excitebike. (But with more replay value, if you ask me.) The 100 levels to chose from, are all very cleverlly made. You could even edit them by setting the number of the level you want to edit on the title screen, and then using pressing one of the buttons on the second controller, in the design mode to bring it up. (Somebody please confirm if this feature is in the VC version.)
The puzzle/platformer-mix genre has always seemed quite forgotten. If you're like me, and enjoy games where you use your brain like like DK'94, Adventures of Lolo, Blast Corps, Dr. Mario, ect. or old-school games in general like Ice Climber, or Kid Icarus, you should try out Wrecking Crew.

Clayfrd

20. Clayfrd United States 26 Nov 2007, 06:59 GMT

This looks like a fantastic game. Mario puzzlers aren't the most common, particularly these days, so I'll have to download this one as soon as possible.

Gorecki

21. Gorecki United Kingdom 26 Nov 2007, 12:21 GMT

How does this game play in 2 player mode? Is it co-op or versus?

Drake

22. Drake Netherlands 26 Nov 2007, 12:24 GMT

It's actually alternating (When one dies the other gets to play). An error on our part (We list all games which only have alternating 2-player as 1-player).

Clayfrd

23. Clayfrd United States 29 Dec 2007, 06:14 GMT

I agree with the score given with the review. This game deserves praise, and it is very good. I haven't tried the level editor, but I'm sure I'll have fun with that. I've played the first several levels, and it is fun if a touch frustrating at times. It may not be the most fun game that can be bought for 500 wii points, but it is certainly worth a try.

FinalEffect

24. FinalEffect Canada 23 Jan 2008, 18:52 GMT

Looks alright...worth a shot anyway.

Adamant

25. Adamant Norway 25 Jan 2008, 17:03 GMT

None of the games on Screwattack's list had any real reason for being there. Yes, not everyone might be interested in learning basic math with Mario and friends, but - shock! These were educational games designed for very young children who probably didn't have much of a say in what games they got to play anyway. If you don't want to play it, don't, but don't call it crap - it does exactly what it was designed to do.

v404

26. v404 United States 04 Apr 2008, 17:58 BST

How far can you guys get? I'm stuck on level 79

pdrydia

27. pdrydia United States 04 Apr 2008, 23:17 BST

Ugly graphics and sound, surprisingly fun gameplay but I don't quite find it addictive. You can skip to any level you want, which is a GREAT feature on a puzzler.

Wiimaster

28. Wiimaster United States 15 May 2008, 16:08 BST

Wow does this bring back memories !!

Will have to get this one....

On a side note anyone know when the mario RPG is coming for the U.S. ?

Ricardo91

29. Ricardo91 United States 07 Jul 2008, 00:22 BST

I didn't even know this game existed until I found that eggplant man trophy in Melee, and i've wanted to try it ever since. It's a good puzzle game, but the dark, ugly graphics bug me and the sound screams "Early NES game". The level editor's a nice addition, but it's not nearly as great as Battle Lode Runner's. a level select is nice too, something Battle Lode Runner SHOULD have.

I hope we get the Japan-only sequel, Wrecking Crew '98 some time.

Kurachi

30. Kurachi Netherlands 16 Oct 2008, 23:48 BST

i didnt really like it as much as i liked other nes games, but the thing keeping me playing was making your own levels, yes, i do it in ssbb too :P, that was fun, just make own levels, and sometimes even add an enemy or that luigi-looking-guy ( or maybe shadow mario )
this game also was on dunnohowmuch in 1

dont think i will download, but who knows, maybe i change my mind one day :P

Corbie

31. Corbie United States 27 Oct 2008, 19:36 GMT

This was one of those surprises for me during the NES era. I didn't expect this game to be very good but it really surprised me.

Twilight Crow

32. Twilight Crow Mexico 07 Dec 2008, 08:34 GMT

I didn't remember this game, mostly because I didn't know how it was called :P, but I played it in a "Family"(pirate version of the Famicom) compilation cartridge and I liked it a lot, I'm glad I remember it now :), I hope to download it soon.

pie4prez

33. pie4prez United States 07 Jul 2009, 04:00 BST

Ooh... I might get this with my next point card. :)

Betagam7

34. Betagam7 United Kingdom 04 Aug 2009, 17:06 BST

Can you jump in this game?

Sharecrow

35. Sharecrow United States 14 Aug 2009, 20:46 BST

no jumping in this game, betagam7

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