In accordance with next week’s release of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008, I figured that it might be appropriate for wrestling fans (and wrestling game fans, as the two do not always coincide) to act nostalgic, and take a look at some of the better wrestling titles from years past.

Now, rather than claim my list to be THE definitive list of top wrestling titles, I welcome comments and conversation. My experience with wrestling gaming is extensive within a certain era so I welcome different opinions and discussions. Perhaps, after this week, I will visit my friendly neighborhood Game Xchange and pick up some classic titles.

Now, without further adieu, I give you my top 5 wrestling video games of all time:

5.) Smackdown vs. Raw 2007: The first next-gen WWE title was killer. Great CAW features, a deep and lengthy career mode (with superb voice acting, and sometimes goofy-yet-enjoyable plot lines) alone made this game successful. Factor in the best graphics in a WWE game to date, and a unique grappling system (I still love the flexing stall-suplex), and you have one hell of a game, and a hell of a lot of promise for the future. SvR 2007 has tremendous replay value, and it’s almost a shame that it’s about to become progressively obsolete.

4.) WWE Day of Reckoning /WWE DoR2: Great titles for the CAW fans and those who enjoy an in-depth story lines. These titles were my only real experience with last-gen pro wrestling offerings (barring the combined 15 minutes I spent with the abysmal Wrestlemania Gamecube titles). Both games revolved around a unique story, bringing a wrestler through the ranks to WWE stardom, and then reclaiming an unjustly lost title, all while maintaining the companionship of the leggy Stacie Keibler. The overly detailed CAW process and the very unique story-lines make DoR/Dor2 the forefathers of next-gen titles. The fun-factor of the single-player modes still make busting the old Gamecube out worth it every now and again.

3.) Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium: Now, truth be told, my experience with Fire Pro has been extremely limited, in that I never owned a SNES. My only experience with this game and its greatness was courtesy of computer emulators some years ago. This detracted from the experience, as I  was never able to fully figure out the controls, and thus, was never able to effectively master it. However, the game was the first to introduce an intricate CAW system. SFPWXP also satisfied some of our dream match-ups, as it included likenesses to grapplers across federation affiliations (even though names were changed). One of these days, I hope to get my hands on this game again, in which case, it may sky-rocket to #1 on my list.

2.) WWF Royal Rumble (SNES/Genesis): Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this was the game that sparked an addiction to wrestling games. A tolerable variety of game modes (by 90’s gaming standards) such as individual and tag-team tournaments (co-op was AMAZING), and the ever-so popular Royal Rumble, a variety of nostalgic grapplers, and nicely done finishing moves (although to this day, I still cannot perform IRS’s Write-Off), made this the wrestling game of my youth. Sleepovers rarely included any sleep when someone was packing their Genesis with Royal Rumble (honorable mention to WWF Raw for Genesis, basically Royal Rumble with an updated roster and some more game modes).

1.) WWF No Mercy (N64): Although numbers 5-2 are debatable, I will argue to the grave that No Mercy is, without question, the greatest wrestling game of all time. I have a HUGE honorable mention to its predecessors, (WCW vs. NWO World Tour, WCW vs. NWO Revenge, and WWF Wrestlemania 2000), as they are great games in their own right, and established the groundwork for No Mercy.

Now, graphically, No Mercy is far from the best that wrestling games have to offer. The same goes for sound, and even the amount of game modes. However, its simple control system made for an easy learning curve. Essentially, anyone could grasp the game in a matter of minutes, and the fluid nature of the grappling system made it largely satisfying. Busting out a Rock Bottom, or a Moonsault onto an opponent outside of the ring was as easy as flicking the joystick or holding the A button. No Mercy had some eye-popping animations that could be easily unleashed, making for instant satisfaction.

And to this day, I cannot think of another game that has provided a more entertaining and competitive multiplayer experience. It’s a bold statement, I know, but believe it. Madden, Halo, Goldeneye...they all take a back seat to No Mercy’s multiplayer action. The 4-player Royal Rumble/Battle Royal was the ultimate party game. A full 40-man contest (with no ring-out elimination) could make 3 hours pass by in a blink. In fact, I might just dig the old N64 out of the cobwebs right now……

 
All in All

There you have it, my jaded opinions of wrestling games’ cream of the crop. Perhaps I’m trapped somewhere between 1995 and 2001, and the nostalgia is too much to overcome. Post a comment, let me know your take. It may help pass the time for those of you foaming at the mouth for SvR 08’s release next week.

So in just a few short days, we’ll know where the latest WWE title ranks among the historical heavyweights.