Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood

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(s)	Paradox Development
Publisher(s)	Eidos Interactive
Series	Backyard Wrestling
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2 Xbox
Release	NA: November 16, 2004 EU: November 19, 2004 AU: December 3, 2004[1] JP: April 7, 2005 (PS2)
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	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 was billed as being greatly improved over its predecessor, including a more in depth create-a-wrestler mode. 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

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
	PS2	Xbox
Metacritic	46/100[2]	43/100[3]

Review scores

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]

Reception

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]

References

1. van Leuveren, Luke (November 11, 2004). "Updated Australian Release List - 22/11/04". PALGN. PAL Gaming Network. Archived from the original on September 10, 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
2. "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 27, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
3. "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
4. EGM staff (February 2005). "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 188. p. 100.
5. "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood (PS2)". Famitsu. Vol. 852. April 15, 2005.
6. "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood". Game Informer. No. 141. January 2005. p. 118.
7. Rice Burner (December 22, 2004). "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
8. Reilly, Mike (December 8, 2004). "Backyard Wrestling 2 [There Goes the Neighborhood] Review". GameRevolution. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
9. Navarro, Alex (November 22, 2004). "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 4, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
10. Sandoval, Angelina (December 15, 2004). "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
11. Dunham, Jeremy (November 19, 2004). "Backyard Wrestling: There Goes the Neighborhood". IGN. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
12. "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. February 2005. p. 91.
13. "Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood". Official Xbox Magazine. January 2005. p. 84.

External links

• Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood at MobyGames