There are plenty ofwrestlinggames out there, but few really great ones. TheWWEgames stagnated after their peak inHere Comes the Painuntil it hit its nadir inWWE 2K20. Indie efforts likeRetroMania Wrestling, while fun, haven’t exactly blown people’s socks off either.
Related:Best Wrestling Games on the PS2
It’s enough to make a wrestling fan want to branch out intoother gaming genres. But where should they start? Which non-wrestling video games manage to find space for sports entertainment? Here are a few broad suggestions.
8Gears 5
Gears 5,part of theGears of Warseries, let people play as former WWE superstar and current Guardian of the Galaxy Dave Bautista. Unfortunately, he was only there for a limited time.
Bautista became a downloadable skin for Marcus Fenix as part of a promo event forClash of the Champions2019. He was largely the same as Fenix, except he had Big Dave’s voice, face, red specs, and the Batista Bomb. The promo has since ended, but the man himself is willing to return to the series, be it the games orthe Netflix projects.
7Super Smash Bros Ultimate
If that’s not enough, there are games with more than one wrestling move out there, even if they’re high-impact ones like the Batista Bomb. WhileSmash Brosseems a world away from pro-graps, the latest game managed to fit in some fun moves with its latestPokemonrep Incineroar.
Related:Super Smash Bros Ultimate: How to Unlock Incineroar
For a fire-type Pokemon, the only fire he seems interested in isFire Pro Wrestling. In combat, he can pull off lariats, body splashes, Irish Whips, and more to send his foes flying. If push comes to shove, he can finish them off with his deadliest move: the Max Malicious Moonsault! So long as players can get that Smash Ball first.
6Pokemon
Can Incineroar do all that in thePokemongames? For the most part, yes. Though they’re not as flashy as inSmash. He was part of the Gen 7 roster inUltra Moon/Ultra Sun. However, he was beat to the wrestling punch when Gen 6,Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, brought in Hawlucha.
It’s a literal high-flying Pokemon that combinedflight and fight together, diving towards rival monsters with hard punches, body splashes, and the X-Scissor. They must’ve taught Pikachu some things, too, as she turned up inPokken Tournament,Pokemon GO,and more as Pikachu Libre, a masked version of the series' mascot with similar throws and strikes.
5Saints Row the Third
The court jester toGrand Theft Auto’s mob boss has never shied away from a wrestling reference or two. They just peaked with the third entry. Players can pick some familiar-looking taunts and respect gestures for The Boss, be it ‘The Marine’ (John Cena), Woo! (Sting’s cry), or ‘Nature Boy’ (Ric Flair’s strut).
They can also perform bulldogs, RKOs, and more on passers-by, including a gang of evil luchadors. Though fighting their leader Killbane and his jobbers require harder-hitting moves. Like a literal chainsaw! Sharp-eared fans can also catch Rob Van Dam as the color commentator for Genkibowl and Hulk Hogan himself as the mad luchador Angel de la Muerte.
4Streets of Rage 4
Saints Row 4also had a beat ‘em up level where the Boss could show off his moves. But then beat ‘em ups have featured beefy grapplers ever since Mike Haggar drove grunts into the ground inFinal Fight. As iconic as theMayor of Metro Cityis, he’s had a lot of contenders. LikeStreets of Rage2’s Max Thunder.
He was the slow but strong option who slammed opponents instead of vaulting over them. His Thunder Tackle and Power Slide dash attacks made up for his lack of speed. He came back as a boss and DLC character for the long-awaitedStreets of Rage 4, where he gained some new moves to smash hordes of punks with, like the devastating Thunder Strike.
3No More Heroes
Suda 51has been involved in wrestling games since his surprisingly morbid story mode forSuper Fire Pro Wrestling Special, which he produced a DLC sequel to inFire Pro Wrestling World. Since then, his games have featured grapplers to one degree or another. For example, Mask De Smith inKiller7has his own level-up system via his masks.
So, it’s no surprise that he worked wrestling into theNo More Heroesseries as well. Lead character Travis Touchdown can learn to wrestle from videos, luchador masks, or from magazines inNo More Heroes 2. Just stun an enemy, and Travis can give them Tombstone Piledrivers, Tiger Drivers, and a variety of suplexes, among other slams and smashes.
2Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown
Fighting games are full of rather fantastical wrestlers.Skullgirls’Beowulf dashes across the screen with steel chairs.Street Fighter’s Zangief has been delivering Spinning Piledrivers for 30+ years. WhileTekken’sKing, while slightly more realistic, is still a near-7ft wrestler in a jaguar mask doing Rey Mysterio flips and Kurt Angle-esque multipart throws.
Related:Virtua Fighter 5: Every Major Change in Ultimate Showdown
The most realistic grapplers can be found in theVirtua Fightergames. Wolf Hawkfield and Jeffry McWild’s throws have such weight and impact that they’re impressive to watch. In turn, El Blaze has a more speedy Lucha Libre move set based on runs, dashes, and springboard jumps. Compared to some of their counterparts, they really bring out the more technical and intricate aspects of wrestling.
1Yakuza series
VF5: Ultimate Showdown’s improvements from earlierVF5games were largely because of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios, the people behind theYakuzaseries. Even there, they showcased their interest in pro-wrestling. Many of the games have featured Kiryu and co using wrestling moves, like suplexes, headscissors, and powerbombs. Beyond that, the games are a who’s who of Japanese puroresu greats.
Old legend Yoshiaki Fujiwara appeared in the first five games as The Florist. WhileYakuza 6andYakuza Kiwami 2featuredNew Japan stars past and presentwith Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, The Great Muta, and Masahiro Chono, among others. Former NJ grappler and current AEW star Kenny Omega is also due to appear in an upcoming game.
