A major part of pop culture in the 80s and 90s that dug its way into video games was professional wrestling. Between the eccentric personalities that walked into the squared circle and the ridiculous displays of athleticism, people fell in love with watching wrestling. When brands like the World Wrestling Federation (WWF for short) became household names, a number of wrestling video games based on the brand were developed over the years. But that doesn’t mean they were the only ones people loved to play, as other organizations like WCW and ECW eventually had their own game releases. Fans just loved taking control of their favorite wrestlers and slamming the opposition onto the mat or grabbing the nearest weapon from the crowd for a big, bad brawl.
But what were the wrestling games that managed to outlast their opponents throughout the decades? While professional wrestling itself would eventually recede into the background of pop culture, some of the video games people played back then would garner a following behind them. Across consoles like the Nintendo 64, PlayStation 2, and even the arcades, certain wrestling games have outlived the eras from which they were created. Here are four of the greatest wrestling video games that everybody loves to replay.
Related
The 5 most influential fighting games of all-time
The fighting game genre has grown over the years, and it’s these 5 influential and iconic fighting games to thank for it.
4 Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
Total control of the business
To many hardcore wrestling fans, there are few games that could compete with the sheer level of customization that the Fire Pro Wrestling series offers. The PlayStation 2 saw the release of Fire Pro Wrestling Returns in 2005 for Japanese audiences, but it was also released in North America in 2007. In Asian territories, the game was known as Fi-Pro Returns. Unlike other wrestling games that people commonly know, Fire Pro Wrestling mashes together numerous wrestlers from a variety of organizations, making for a “who’s who” gathering of the wrestling business. However, the series does not have an official license for any specific promotions. At the same time, the gameplay of Fire Pro is based much more on strategy and clever timing with attacks and special moves, as opposed to the button-mashing nature of other games. There’s a variety of match types and even a Match Maker mode, where you can put together matches like a wrestling booker and gauge the crowd’s reactions.
The biggest feature of Fire Pro Wrestling Returns, and the whole series, is the Edit feature, which allows players to create their own wrestlers. Everything from a wrestler’s appearance, arsenal of moves, and more to add to the roster. But the customization goes beyond that, enabling players to also make their own belts, ring displays, referees, stables, and so much more. Wrestling fans view the series as a dream match maker, where they can add almost any kind of superstar into the game and pit them against anyone of their choosing. For this reason, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns continues to be a big part of hardcore wrestling circles, with continuous support from various online communities.
3 WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game
Complete pandemonium
Source: Midway Games
The WWF was in a very different place during the mid-90s as the business continued to change in big ways. But despite the shifts in how people viewed sports entertainment, the WWF games at the time were very fun to those who played them. One of the most outlandish games to release based on the WWF was created by Midway and the team behind the Mortal Kombat series. WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game is what happens when you take the spectacle and flair of professional wrestling to its most extreme rendition. Developed with similar technology and design concepts as the early Mortal Kombat games, WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game takes a selection of mid-90s wrestlers from the WWF and makes them true caricatures of themselves in the best way possible.
Wrestlers throw opponents across the ring, jumping hundreds of feet into the air and even slamming actual tombstones onto someone before going for the pin. But if you thought that was ridiculous, then you’ll flip out seeing someone literally burst into flames after being hit by an attack off the top rope. The game includes a total of eight wrestlers from the 1995 active lineup in the WWF and gives them the most insane special moves that look incredible. While the single-player modes could allow players to compete for the Intercontinental and World Heavyweight championships, a second player could join and allow a team to go for the Tag-Team championship as well. While WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game did have a sequel on the PlayStation called WWF: In Your House, it did not have the same positive reception or lasting legacy as its predecessor.
2 WCW/nWo Revenge
Too sweet for many
Source: THQ
The Nintendo 64 is home to multiple great wrestling games that have become legendary. And while most people remember the WWF games of the era, they weren’t the only ones making waves with players back then. WCW had its fair share of game releases that were alternatives to what was happening with the WWF license but with varying degrees of success. But most wrestling fans remember playing WCW/nWo Revenge on the N64 and enjoying it a lot. The game brings together the lineup of WCW superstars and stables from 1998, which includes the nWo and other groups that were part of the organization at the time. The game is also a sequel to WCW/nWo World Tour, which was released for the Nintendo 64 a year earlier. For a while, it was considered the best wrestling game on the market in that era.
WCW/nWo Revenge used the AKI engine, which became really popular during this era because of how easy games were to play that used it. Matches are built around a grapple system that gives wrestlers an array of moves that players can often use during a match, along with a few special actions like grabbing weapons from the crowd. This was a gameplay system that made WCW/nWo Revenge very popular to play among wrestling fans and would later be adopted into the WWF releases for the console after THQ acquired the license to make games based on that company. WCW/nWo Revenge wouldn’t have many of the extra features that the WWF titles would eventually showcase, but the visuals and lineup of superstars were very appealing to fans during a time when the infamous Monday Night Wars were taking place on television between WCW and the WWF.
1 WWF No Mercy
And that’s the bottom line
When it comes to defining the best wrestling game ever made, many people are often quick to say WWF No Mercy for the Nintendo 64, and for good reason. Utilizing the AKI grapple system that other N64 wrestling games adopted, WWF No Mercy has cemented itself as one of the greatest wrestling titles that people love to go back to and play. It was released in 2000 for the console and is a follow-up to WWF: WrestleMania 2000, which came out the year prior. Along with an updated roster of WWF superstars from the attitude era, the game built upon the foundations of previous N64 wrestling games and added new features and improved graphics. While things like full entrances were dialed back from the previous release, other aspects of the game, like new moves, new arenas, customization items, better entrance music, and backstage fighting, would more than make up for it.
Although the WCW games prior to the release of WWF No Mercy would still be viewed as solid competitors, the WWF license at the time was a real difference maker in the popularity of the game’s release. The WWF was at an all-time high in ratings and popularity with superstars like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and others who dominated prime-time television. So having an already solid gameplay system with some of the biggest names in the industry was a recipe for big success. WWF No Mercy has a total of 60 wrestlers on the roster, with the ability to make custom wrestlers to add to it. The game also had multiple Championship Mode paths that offered variations on the outcomes as players fought for a championship belt at the biggest PPV shows. For many wrestling fans, WWF No Mercy was the pinnacle of sports entertainment in a video game.
A showcase of immortals
If there’s one thing that can be said about most of the popular wrestling games, it’s that they’re still incredibly fun to play now. Whether you are someone who grew up watching wrestling on TV or know nothing about any of it, you can still get a ton of enjoyment from playing any of these games. Unfortunately, a lot of things have changed since the time when these games were released, with professional wrestling dwindling in popularity compared to the 90s and early 2000s. But those who want to relive the fun and excitement of when wrestling ruled the world can feel all the nostalgia by booting up these four wrestling games once again. They really were champions of their time.
Related
The 3 best things about the Nintendo 64 that everyone forgets
The Nintendo 64 is a classic Nintendo console. But there are a few things that everyone always forgets which make it great.
