Editing VS. Wrecking Crew

{{rewrite-expand|Confirm or deny whether the US version was ever given an official release and document its differences with the Japanese version. Also, determine if an international version existed for countries other than the US and Japan.}}
{{italic title}}
{{game infobox
|image=[[File:VSWreckingCrewCabinetFlyerJPredrawn.png|250px]]<br>Front of Japanese flyer
|developer=[[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D 1]]
|publisher=[[Nintendo]]<br>{{wp|Hamster Corporation|Hamster}} (''Arcade Archives'')
|platforms=[[VS. System]]<br>[[Nintendo Switch]] (''[[Arcade Archives]]'')
|release='''VS. System:'''<br>{{release|Japan|August 1984<ref>[https://archive.org/details/game-machine-magazine-19840815p/page/n10/mode/1up Game Machine August 15, 1984 issue], page 21.</ref>|USA|1986}} '''Nintendo Switch (''Arcade Archives''):'''<br>{{release|Japan|May 1, 2020|USA|May 1, 2020|Europe|May 1, 2020|Australia|May 1, 2020}}
|genre=[[Genre#Puzzle|Puzzle]]/[[Genre#Platform|Platformer]]
|modes=Up to two players simultaneously
|cabinet=VS. Table
|ratings={{ratings|acb=g|cero=a|esrb=e|pegi=3}}
|format={{format|arcade=1|switchdl=1}}
|input={{input|arcade=1|joy-con=1|switchpro=1}}
}}
'''''VS. Wrecking Crew''''' is a 1984 arcade game for the [[VS. System]] and is the first game of the [[Wrecking Crew (series)|''Wrecking Crew'' series]]. Unlike its 1985 console sequel ''[[Wrecking Crew]]'', this game is focused more on competitive play and is less puzzle oriented. It features a simultaneous two-player mode in which the opposing player is seen on the other side of the construction wall.

The Japanese version<ref>Hamster Corporation. [http://www.hamster.co.jp/american_hamster/arcadearchives/switch/VS_WreckingCrew.htm Arcade Archives: ''VS. Wrecking Crew'']. Retrieved January 13, 2022.</ref> of ''VS. Wrecking Crew'' for the ''[[Arcade Archives]]'' series was released for [[Nintendo Switch]] on May 1, 2020.<ref>Brian. (April 28, 2020). [https://nintendoeverything.com/arcade-archives-vs-wrecking-crew-out-on-switch-this-week-more-games-confirmed/ Arcade Archives VS. Wrecking Crew out on Switch this week, more games confirmed]. ''Nintendo Everything''. Retrieved April 30, 2020.</ref>

==Gameplay==
[[File:VS Wrecking Crew Gameplay.png|thumb|left|Phase 3]]
{{See also|List of VS. Wrecking Crew phases}}
Gameplay takes place on a single wraparound screen split into five [[floor (Wrecking Crew series)|floor]]s. In the single player mode, [[Luigi]] is an opponent that hinders [[Mario]]. In the two-player mode, both players compete against each other.

The game was designed specifically for the VS. DualSystem, and thus featured mechanics that were only possible with multiple screens. On each screen, each player will see themselves in the foreground and their opponent in the background; likewise the enemies that can harm them are in the foreground, while the ones dangerous to their opponent are blue silhouettes in the background. If an enemy walks into a [[door (Wrecking Crew series)|door]] (which are opened by swinging at them with [[hammer]]s), they will switch the side of the playfield that they are on. This allows both players to compete by luring enemies on their opponent's side, while simultaneously competing for score by demolishing as much of the building as possible before the time runs out. If both players are at the same [[wall (Wrecking Crew series)|wall piece]], whichever swings first will knock the other down to the bottom of the playfield, as can be done with enemies that are on the other side compared to where the player is. In addition, they will have to dodge [[fireball (obstacle)|fireball]]s that spawn from the edge of their platform.

After every even numbered phase, there will be a [[Bonus Stage (Wrecking Crew series)|bonus level]]. In a single player game, Mario has to find a [[coin]] hidden behind a row of walls before the time runs out. With two players, both compete against each other for the coin. There are 10,000 bonus points for finding the coin in the first wall that is smashed.

==Characters==
===Playable===
{|width=fit border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 style="border-collapse:collapse;"
|-
!Character
!Name
!Information
|-
!bgcolor=black|[[File:VSWC Mario.png]]
|align=center|'''[[Mario]]'''
|The first player character, he is the only character playable in single-player mode.
|-
!bgcolor=black|[[File:VSWC Luigi.png]]
|align=center|'''[[Luigi]]'''
|The second player character, he is only playable in two-player mode.
|}

===Enemies===
{|width=fit border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 style="border-collapse:collapse;"
|-
!Enemy
!Name
!Information
|-
!bgcolor=black|[[File:VSWC Gotchawrench 1.png]] [[File:VSWC Gotchawrench 2.png]] [[File:VSWC Gotchawrench 3.png]]
|align=center|'''[[Gotchawrench]]'''
|A dinosaur wrench that moves around the stage. Red ones move slowly while the faster purple ones make their first appearance in Phase 3. Starting in Phase 11, the red ones are replaced by hatchet-like versions.
|-
!bgcolor=black|[[File:VSWC Fireball.png]]
|align=center|'''[[Fireball (obstacle)|Fireball]]'''
|Spend too long in a particular area and a fireball will appear.
|-
!bgcolor=black|[[File:VSWC Luigi.png]]
|align=center|'''[[Luigi]]'''
|In one player mode, the CPU-controlled Luigi will constantly try to stop Mario from completing his job by hitting him off the beams.
|}

==Development==
''VS. Wrecking Crew'' was [[Yoshio Sakamoto]]'s first job as a game designer following a brief stint as a pixel artist. The idea was to create a "puzzle action game" centered around breaking walls.<ref name="Wired">[http://www.wired.com/2010/04/sakamoto/ Q&A: Metroid Creator’s Early 8-Bit Days at Nintendo] (accessed July 15th, 2014)</ref>

The game originally had no tie to the ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' franchise, the protagonist being an unnamed overalls-wearing man with no mustache as seen in earlier Japanese flyers and ads.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/game-machine-magazine-19840801p/page/n13/mode/1up Game Machine August 1, 1984 issue]</ref> The early screenshots in both sets of flyers also have differences compared to the released version. The doors use different sprites which had a more complicated opening animation. Notably, the HUD has the text "I UP" and "IIUP" instead of "MARIO" and "LUIGI". Additionally, the second player is green or blue-clothed, whereas Luigi wears a lighter shade of Mario's red in the final. During development, [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] was shown the game and suggested [[Mario]] to be the player character as "he's really easy to draw, and people recognize him."<ref name="Wired"></ref>

==References to other games==
*''[[Donkey Kong (game)|Donkey Kong]]'': Mario cannot jump because of the weight of his hammer, but he can now climb [[ladder]]s with it.
*''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'': The fireball appears in levels if the player takes too long to complete the level.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
VSWreckingCrewCabinetFlyerJP.png|Front of earlier Japanese flyer showing the arcade cabinet.
VSWreckingCrewScreensFlyerJP.png|Back of earlier Japanese flyer showing gameplay screenshots.
VSWreckingCrewScreensFlyerJPredrawn.png|Back of later Japanese flyer showing gameplay screenshots.
VSWC Japan print ad 1.png|Print ad in the Game Machine magazine (August 1984).
VSWC Japan print ad 2.png|Print ad in the Game Machine magazine (September 1984).
VS. Wrecking Crew arcade.jpg|The arcade cabinet
VSWC instruction card.png|Instruction card
VsWreckingCrewTitle.png|Title screen
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

{{WC}}
{{Super Mario games}}
{{Arcade}}
{{Switch}}
[[Category:VS. Wrecking Crew|*]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:1984 games]]
[[Category:Arcade games]]
[[Category:Puzzle games]]
[[Category:Platforming games]]
[[it:VS. Wrecking Crew]]