8-bit to 16-bit Wrestling Games: the good, the bad, and M.U.S.C.L.E.

[BlastProcessing402]

Yeah, it's very good for a 16 bit game, huge sprites, but the camera angle changing can be jarring.

Sad that Sega didn't bring it to the US, the Genesis could have done with a 1st party wrestling title during that era. Glad they threw it on some of the Genesis collections.

They didn't release it on the Genesis, but they did release an arcade version in America. I remember playing it at Pizza Hut (and being fairly underwhelmed).

This thread makes me really bummed that US developers seem to be completely resistant to making an unlicensed wrestling game with over-the-top characters ala Pro-Wrestling, Saturday Night Slam Masters or even Punch-Out if you will in our modern era.

The closest we've gotten in recent years are previously mentioned M.U.S.C.L.E. games and the Rumble Roses games, which aren't bad other than both being paced in the Japanese pro wrestling match style (slow and steady).

I'd LOVE to see something with over-the-top original characters and crazy fast action ... the WWE Superstars game was a move in the right direction but the superdeformed WWE likenesses kind of held it back more than anything.

I'm a huge wrestling mark and I'm totally not opposed to playing with unlicensed characters if they're well designed and have personality. Wrestling games need to be fun again!

In addition to WWE All Stars (which was an all around mess, IMO), there was also WWE Legends of Wrestlemania, which was quite a bit better. It was too arcadey for my tastes, but still not a bad game.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

They didn't release it on the Genesis, but they did release an arcade version in America. I remember playing it at Pizza Hut (and being fairly underwhelmed).

In addition to WWE All Stars (which was an all around mess, IMO), there was also WWE Legends of Wrestlemania, which was quite a bit better. It was too arcadey for my tastes, but still not a bad game.

The Genesis/Mega Drive version of Wrestle War is pretty close to the arcade version.

Oh right right WWE ALL STARS, not Super Stars, forgot what it was called.

That's kind of the PACE of the game that I want but non-licensed so they can have the freedom to get wacky with character designs.

I guess developers view wrestling as a sports game genre in the US and as such they don't want to do it unlicensed.

[Johnny Nintendo]

I know it's not an 8 or 16 bit wrestling game, but Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 has to be the greatest wrestling game of all time. Definitely worth checking out if you're a wrestling mark like myself. Sorry I'm new by the way, just been lurking for the past 2 years.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I know it's not an 8 or 16 bit wrestling game, but Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 has to be the greatest wrestling game of all time. Definitely worth checking out if you're a wrestling mark like myself. Sorry I'm new by the way, just been lurking for the past 2 years.

Do the VPW games have the AKI engine used in the WCW Vs. NWO/Revenge and WWF Wrestlemania 2000/No Mercy games?

I think I scored those in an N64 lot years ago but never really played with them.

[EricThaDead]

Do the VPW games have the AKI engine used in the WCW Vs. NWO/Revenge and WWF Wrestlemania 2000/No Mercy games?

I think I scored those in an N64 lot years ago but never really played with them.

VPW2 uses the AKI engine. I'd assume VPW1 does too, as I can't think of a single N64 wrestling game that DIDN'T use that engine lol.

Edit: Oh, I forgot about Nitro/Mayhem/Backstage Assault/Attitude/War Zone. They didn't use the AKI engine, obviously, but I played them on PS1 lol.

[MidnightRider]

Funny enough, Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 was the engine tweaked for WWF Wrestlemnia 2000.

I would vote for the Fire Pro series as the best, on the other hand.

[Johnny Nintendo]

Yeah, that's what I usually find is some prefer the Fire Pro Series over the VPW games, and some prefer it the other way around. I haven't met many people who like both though.