5 of the Best… Pro Wrestling Games

The biggest event in the professional wrestling calendar is almost upon us, so with Wrestlemania XVII so close, what better time to look back at five of the best recreations of sports entertainment gaming has to offer?

Pro Wrestling (NES, 1986/7)

This was where it all began for wrestling games. While not the first, Pro Wrestling set the template for future 2D wrestling games, imitated by the WWF and WCW games, as well as many other unlicensed games – Capcom’s Saturday Night Slam Masters being probably the best of those. With a simple control scheme it was easy to get into, something that can’t be said for much of what would follow. The lack of buttons on the NES actually works to Pro Wrestling’s advantage, allowing a surprising amount of moves from such a lack of input options. A and B default as strikes, but walking into an opponent initiates a grapple. From there slams and suplexes can be performed. It’s also possible to climb the top rope and land a splash or knee drop. It’s the sprites however, that make Pro Wrestling memorable. No real wrestlers are included, but the characters are colourful and bursting with personality. Star Man is a particular favourite, but everyone on the road to the championship (it’s a short road) has a totally distinct style – quite an achievement on the humble NES.

WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain (PS2, 2003)

Here Comes the Pain was arguably the pinnacle of the Smackdown series, but with that peak came a sudden decline, and it’s unfortunate that the brilliance of this game created the problems which have plagued the series since. HCTP introduced a number of new features, most notably a new grapple system which, like classic wrestling games, required a lock-up before a move could be attempted. It didn’t detract from the excellent fast-paced gameplay the series had become known for, in fact, it made for a better, more tactical game focused on well-timed reversals. After this game the grappling would slow matters down to a standstill, but here the four types of lockup leading to four possible moves each was a brilliant addition to a great game. The body damage system allowed individual body parts to be targeted, making submission moves more effective and even causing wrestlers with head injuries to become groggy. Add to this an incredible roster of current WWE stars like Randy Orton and John Cena, holdovers from the WCW/ECW takeovers such as Scott Steiner and Goldberg, legends like The Rock, Steve Austin and… Hillbilly Jim and even current UFC star Brock Lesnar and you have one of the most polished wrestling games ever made.

Extreme Warfare Revenge (PC, 2002)

EWR was the last in a series of freeware wrestling management sims created by a single developer, Adam Ryland. His games would go on to become more complex titles, sold rather than freely distributed, but it was EWR that managed to best capture that fan desire to run a wrestling company for themselves. The game is something along the lines of Football Manager in the wrestling world. You choose a company, or make your own, hire workers and attempt to gain popularity by putting on entertaining shows and negotiating TV rights. It’s astonishingly in-depth for a bedroom-coded freeware game, with matches based on wrestler’s ability to work together, the type of match, their chosen gimmick, etc. There are so many variables in fact, that it becomes easy to lose track of things in a larger promotion with many workers. This is not a negative, the game is fantastic because of its depth, allowing players to feel genuinely in control of every aspect of their promotion. So popular is EWR that fans continue to update the rosters and create picture packs and logos to make the game more authentic. Later paid titles would lose the real names, so EWR has retained its status as a fan favourite, and is the perfect game for the ‘Smart Mark’ who wants to create angles and rivalries, rather than just follow the basic career mode plot of most wrestling games.

Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (PS2, 2005/07)

Fire Pro has always been a game for the hardcore, and nothing makes this clearer than the PS2 iteration. Featuring graphics which would be more at home on the SNES, no one bought FPW to marvel at its technology. Underneath the old-school looks and classic grappling gameplay lies one of the most customisable games ever made. The depths of FPW’s creation mode are almost unfathomable. With 237 real-life wrestlers from lesser-known promotions already in the game, fans have filled the 500 CAW slots with everyone and anything – from Hulk Hogan to the ECW Zombie to a bear. There are almost 2,000 moves on offer, and the game is built to allow players to accurately recreate almost any wrestler in the business. Promotions, belts, rings and anything else imaginable can be added to the mix too, allowing fans to create and play out their dream matches. The gameplay may not be the best, but it has a tactical side to it that most wrestling games lack, based on accurate timing, and is in some ways more reflective of an actual match than the over-the-top theatrics of the Smackdown! series. FPW is certainly not for everyone, but for fans who are passionate enough it’s a very rewarding experience.

WWF Smackdown! (PS1, 2000)

When THQ took over the then-WWF license from Acclaim, few could have predicted just how successful they would become. Acclaim’s previous games had handled the move to 3D poorly, with WarZone and Attitude both being slow, lumbering and awkward. Their dull graphics hardly added to the appeal and it was obvious a new approach was necessary. The second the Yuke’s developed Smackdown! loads a match it’s clear that the right developers had been chosen. Wrestlers walk to the ring against a background of their entrance video and looked, at the time, incredibly accurate. Once the gameplay began it only got better, the slow pace of Acclaim’s games replaced by arcade-style action. No more complex buttons presses were needed, just a direction and one button – X for strikes and O for grapples. Picking up a downed opponent left them in a groggy state, ready to receive a heavy grapple move – same controls, just a different move this time. A finisher could also be used in this situation with a single button press – assuming your chosen wrestler’s special move wasn’t performed from atop the turnbuckle or on the ground. The simplicity and speedy matches were immense fun to play, but there was even more to enjoy.

The original Smackdown! had the series’ best season mode by far. Called ‘pre-season’, a created character (using a very basic CAW mode in which a head, body and legs were chosen) battled through a branching storyline. Winning matches earned points which could be used, RPG style, to upgrade four move types – Brawler, Powerful, Technical and Speedy. Each area had different moves available, so upgrading speedy meant plenty of top rope moves were selectable, but your character wouldn’t be able to chokeslam or powerbomb anyone. Each area could also be affected by bonuses such as powerful plus or minus, or even weakened body parts – earned in the one year pre-season mode. Your character also made alliances which would lead to run-ins from other wrestlers and back-up in storylines. With a great roster of varied styles and some fun additions like backstage areas for hardcore matches, Smackdown! was bursting with new ideas. All this led to the best wrestling game ever – circa mid-2000, paving the way for the enormous success of both the Smackdown! and subsequent Smackdown! Vs. Raw series’. While these later games in the series would have more match types, more wrestlers and more moves, the original still plays fantastically and its move-unlocking pre-season mode has never been topped, despite some excellent attempts involving more detailed storylines and similar stat-building.

Honourable Mentions:

WWF Royal Rumble (Dreamcast, 2000) WCW/NWO Revenge (N64, 1998) Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 (N64, 2000) Saturday Night Slam Masters (SNES, 1993) WWF No Mercy (N64, 2000) WWF Royal Rumble (SNES/Mega Drive, 1993)