Pro Wrestling (NES video game)

Did You Know?

• Masato Masuda conceived the game system and was the sole programmer while at TRY, which later merged with Sonata to become Human.
• Masuda later created Human's Fire Pro Wrestling series.
• US copyright records list Try Company, Ltd. as the author.

Gameplay

The player selects one of six wrestlers, each possessing a distinct set of moves. Combat includes punching, kicking, running attacks, and a lock-up mechanic that leads to body slams, piledrivers, and other professional wrestling maneuvers. Wrestlers can climb the top two turnbuckles to perform high-flying attacks. All matches are one-on-one; tag team bouts are not available. A downed opponent can be hauled up for further attacks or pinned. A pinfall requires a three-count to win. One-player matches have a five-minute time limit; if no pinfall occurs, the match is declared a draw. Wrestlers may leave the ring, but must re-enter before the referee's 20-count or lose by count-out. A double count-out results in a draw if both fail to re-enter. The referee's count continues as long as at least one wrestler is outside the ring and only breaks when both are back inside. A wrestler executing a plancha can be counted out if he has crossed the ring ropes by the count of 20. The game was among the first wrestling titles to include an in-ring referee. The referee must run to the pinning wrestlers, lie on his stomach, and begin the three-count; if the referee is on the far side of the ring when a pin is attempted, the pinned wrestler gains extra time to escape. It also introduced a cameraman and commentators at ringside, though they do not interact with the wrestlers. Single-player mode has two parts: the player first fights increasingly difficult CPU opponents. After winning five matches, the player faces King Slender, the VWA Champion. If the player chose King Slender, the title match is against Giant Panther, though some versions contain a bug requiring King Slender to win more than five matches before the title shot.

Reception

The four reviewers of Bi-Weekly Famitsu gave mixed opinions: two found it superior to earlier wrestling games for the system, specifically citing Tag Team Match: M.U.S.C.L.E. and Tag Team Wrestling, while the reviewers disagreed on whether the moves were too many or too few and on their difficulty. Two reviewers noted it was most enjoyable as a two-player game. Computer Gaming World named it Best Sports Game of 1988 for Nintendo, praising its realistic graphics, non-stop action, and realistic moves, concluding it was the only wrestling game that truly understood what it simulated. Game Informer ranked it the 79th best game ever made in 2001, calling it a trailblazer and praising its soundtrack. Famitsu reported that Pro Wrestling was the number-one video game in the United States for about two months.