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.
Gameplay The roster of underground wrestlers features more than 20 combatants, including notable hardcore wrestlers, music personalities, and adult film actresses.
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/XPW/TNA/JCW) Shaggy 2 Dope Rapper (Insane Clown Posse), wrestler (WWE/WCW/XPW/TNA/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
Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood received "generally unfavorable" reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. 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.
GamePro Germany's wrestling expert, Kai Schmidt, refused to review the game and asked in the magazine "How many variations of "Don't buy it!" can you fit into an opinion box?". His colleague, Henry Ernst, thinks the game has no justification for existence. They criticized the awkward gameplay, graphics and only praised the soundtrack, giving the game, on both consoles, a 48 out of 100.GamePro Germany Issue 2/2005, Page 60
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