Wrestling Video Games for the Sega Mega Drive and Sony Playstation
Wrestling video games have a very rich history spanning multiple systems… But they all come down to punching people in a square ring. Despite how far the technology has come, I feel like it’s either a genre people will love or hate. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
I’m not a big wrestling fan, but it’s still a fighting game. The game play usually mimics those classic 2D Beat’em Ups. Grabbing, throwing and pulling off moves while clearing screen after screen of enemies.
I wanted to celebrate some of my favourite and unique wrestling video games available. A wrestling video from a non-fan who has a special little nostalgic place in his heart. With a love of hitting people virtually.
Wrestle War (Sega Mega Drive)
This is the first wrestling game I had (it must have been cheap!) As a kid, it was close to the beat ‘em ups I absolutely loved.
Wrestle War for the Sega Mega Drive is a button-masher at heart. A lot of the other, licensed wrestling video games allowed faster game play. Performing Irish-whips or pulling off moves that didn’t require tremendous button-mashing each and every time.
The button-mashing puts you at a clear disadvantage when facing a computer opponent. Wrestle War works better with a friend. The graphics are big and bold with great cooling character sprites and animation.
I talk about the ‘lack of showmanship’ in this game. In other words, there were zero expectations. The characters don’t need specific introductions. There’s no ‘sides’ these characters take or story-lines to follow. It just feels like a fighting game with very little drama.
Each character does have a specific move-set but you’re stuck with the dark-haired ‘wunderkind’ in career mode. You can only start to explore the entire roster if you’re playing with a friend. Again, another reason I’d recommend finding a friend.
Despite not being a big fan of the sport itself, there was a brief point in my life where I did watch WCW and NWO. At that point, I could recognize the characters. I knew there were factions (Babyface vs Heels) and I feel like the technology caught up and could bring some of the ‘TV screen excitement’ into a video game.
WCW Nitro (Sony Playstation)
I mentioned I was a WCW kid, I never watched the WWF or later, the WWE. This was the second wrestling game we ever received but we were watching WCW by this time.
WCW Nitro is the second WCW-licensed game available for the PS1 (after WCW vs the World) and it’s very obvious this is an early Playstation title. A few major problems step up straight away, the dull, brown-ish colours and the rigid, super-quick movements.
When WCW Nitro was first released for the Playstation, the graphics weren’t pretty. But they were forgivable. The action didn’t slow down (even with 4 characters on-screen) so I guess the compromises were made. When the game was later released to the Nintendo 64 in 1999 (as well as the sequel, WCW Thunder), gamers and critics had already seen better and were expecting a lot more by the late 90’s.
The pace of the game really threw me initially as well. The motions were rigid, but the game in normal mode also feels super-human fast. Dialing the game back to easy mode feels a lot more natural and gives you more room to breathe.
So this was my introduction to wrestling on the Playstation. The CD technology paired with 3D gave me a totally unique game compared to Wrestle War. The full-motion video, music tracks and sound-bytes all really helped ‘set-the-scene’ for a licensed wrestling game.
The game itself isn’t out to impress anybody but the hidden roster of fighters is still worth checking out. As well as a vast selection of secret rings. We get some great hidden wrestlers from the WCW as well as ‘classic’ re-skins. As well as truly bizarre animals and the downright mundane developers.
The PS1 got an expansion of the formula with WCW Thunder. Same game-engine and mechanics, but a lot of content was added to the game. Including cage matches, extra wrestlers and weapons. The game wasn’t released until 2 years after WCW Nitro and critically didn’t hold up. But it’s worth checking out if you love the game play here. Weirdo.
WCW vs nWO Revenge (Nintendo 64)
My first N64 review! and a game that is just a perfect fit for multi-player gaming on the Nintendo 64. Easily connect up to 4 players, plenty of characters and moves, coupled with the fast loading times of a cartridge.
WCW vs nWO Revenge is the last AKI developed WCW game for the N64. A Japanese developer who were responsible for the earlier WCW vs the World on the PS1 as well as . Their games are known for having MASSIVE rosters
The game itself also started to feel actually cinematic. The camera would shift and follow the action where necessary giving it a ‘live-TV’vibe and keeping the player in the action (instead of forcing them to watch from past the side-lines).
WCW Mayhem (Sony Playstation)
WCW Mayhem is about as close to a modern wrestling game as I got. It even has a create-a-wrestler mode! After the Nintendo 64 game, WCW Mayhem really brings home the excitement with announcers again, plenty of music and much more weapons.
Out of all the games I’ve touched on, this one feels like the most complete wrestling experience with a massive roster, fluid fighting animations and straight-forward fighting mechanics.
WCW Mayhem also introduced ‘Backstage Brawling’ to me. What an awesome concept. Walking towards the ring entrance allows you enter a few of the backstage areas in the game. Filled with weapons, items and occasionally, an idle wrestler who will jump in.
Does Eric Bischoff always kind of look like your friends Dad?
WCW Mayhem was succeeded by WCW Backstage Brawl. It expanded on the ‘backstage’ mechanics but was critically panned. Going backstage changes the fighting mechanics. Such as, fighting in a larger space with no ropes or ring-outs. I’m thankful that WCW Mayhem integrated the backstage areas but kept most of the focus inside the ring.
The Simpsons Wrestling (Sony Playstation)
A while ago, I was curious about why there were no 32-Bit (PS1, N64, Saturn) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games. I eventually found some of the Gameboy Advance, but I was also curious what the Simpsons were up to in the mid to late 90’s. Apparently, they weren’t doing much either. Simpsons’ Wrestling is the only console released Simpsons game on any 32Bit and 64Bit systems. But you can check out what they were doing on the PC with Virtual Springfield.
It’s interesting that out of all the concepts, they decided to develop a wrestling/fighting game with the Simpsons characters. Such wasted potential.
The stages in this game are massive. The characters practically need to run around the ring. Chasing each other to land a hit. It’s awkward and there’s not enough moves to keep someone playing for long.
The Simpsons’ games always have great production value. The voice-actors have returned to lend their talent for the game. The graphics are bright and colourful with the only thing desperately missing is a decent audio track.
Looking at what the Simpsons games were doing later on the PS2; Road Rage, Simpsons Skateboarding and Hit & Run, it’s obvious they were creating parodies of popular genres (and for the most part, succeeding). I like the approach better than the platformers they were pumping out of the Master System and the NES, but the Simpsons Wrestling just has too many problems for me to recommend checking it out. If you’re curious, plug in a few cheats (don’t fight to unlock the characters, there’s more to life) and try it via an emulator first.
3 Count Bout (Neo Geo)
Finally, the last game I felt like I needed to check out was 3 Count Bout for the Neo Geo.
Going full circle, 3 Count Bout feels a lot closer to the reason why I enjoy wrestling games in the first place. The beat ‘em up fighting style of gameplay in a much less repetitive, much more restricted way.
In terms of Neo Geo games, 3 Count Bout isn’t highly regarded. But it stands out for its incredible graphics and unique game play.
A lot like Wrestle War, the characters are fictional and the game itself doesn’t try and reflect the US Wrestling scene. Taking a lot more influence from the extreme Japanese approach to wrestling. Include weapons, electrified rings and smashing opponents against cars and crates.
If you like fighting games and beating people up digitally, maybe you’d like to check out some of the best fighting games the Atari Jaguar had to offer.