Wrestling Games through the Ages: The Absolute Best Ones

Wrestling games were being made and played way before WWF was renamed as WWE in 2002. In fact, retro classics such as The Big Pro Wrestling, aka Tag Team Wrestling by Technōs Japan (1983) and Pro Wrestling by Masato Masuda (1986) are older than the WWF (1999), WCW, NWA and TNA! The popularity of wrestling in Japan played a big role in building an early wrestling fanbase among video gamers.

Later on, it was the global popularity of organizations such as the WWE, the WCW Nitro, and the TNA that took it to all new heights across the planet. Consequently, hundreds of licensed, unlicensed, indie, and knockoff wrestling games have been developed and released to multiple consoles and PC systems over the span of 40 long years. As is to be expected, not all of these games were great. In fact, a select few were so bad that kids at the time used to play those just to laugh at hilarious glitches!

Nevertheless, a gaming theme so vast and ancient had to have produced quite a few gems as well, right? Of course, which is exactly why we have carefully curated this list to only include the absolute best wrestling games ever released. Take a seat and enjoy as we travel through times of pixelated nostalgia, torn yellow tank tops and glitchy choke bombs, right up to photorealistic wrestler designs and flawless WrestleMania backdrops.

Saturday Night Slam Masters (1994) by Capcom

Everyone already knew that a wrestling game co-created by Tetsuo Hara was not going to be like any wrestling game that came before it, and Saturday Night Slam Masters proved everyone right! Consider the game to be a mix between Final Fight and Street Fighter with superpowered wrestlers. Saturday Night Slam Masters is a game where special finishing moves and superpowered, manga-level moves blend in together with perfection. It was an arcade wrestling game like no other. Many fans consider it to be one of the best fighting games ever released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role (2000) by Yuke’s

Also known in Japan as Exciting Pro Wrestling 2, WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role for the PlayStation is not just one of the highest selling wrestling games ever released, but it is also one of the most sold fighting sports games to have ever been developed till date. So, what makes WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role so special? It was fast, it had the first ever wrestler creation tool, and it was so much fun to play alone or with friends!

WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain (2003) by Yuke’s

The sequel to WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth was developed by Yuke’s as well, and yes, it was indeed renamed in Japan as Exciting Pro Wrestling 5 if you are wondering. However, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain looked and played better than any other wrestling game before it on the brand-new PlayStation 2’s hardware. As you may have noticed a pattern by now, most of Yuke’s wrestling games sold big and everyone loved them. WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain was not an exception, with many considering it to be the best wrestling game ever created even in 2022.

Lucha Libre 2 (2017) by Real Time Gaming

Lucha Libre 2 is a slot game by RGT that builds around that colorful theme of Mexican pro wrestling, masks, super moves, and of course, lots of bonus features. Even though luchadores do not have much of a presence in the UK, some of the best casino sites here have the game because everyone loves it. Now, there is no shortage of wrestling themed slot games and some of the others are pretty good too. Nevertheless, the fact that players can win as much as 50,000x bets made per line, or 5,000x their total stake is a huge pro for any slot game.

On top of that, Lucha Libre 2’s soundtrack, graphics, animations, color schemes, icons, and special effects are each meticulously created to provide players with the most authentic and typical lucha libre experience they can expect from a slot game. You will find some of the best casino sites here on OnlineCasinos.co.uk, where you’ll find reviews of Lucha Libre 2 and other interesting slots. The site is a constantly updated resource for finding out about brand new slots, new online casinos, limited-time bonus offers, etc. However, they are very particular about which sites they list, since they do not promote any online casino which isn’t properly registered with the UK Gambling Commission and regulated by an independent third party for fair play standards.

WWE All Stars (2011) by THQ

WWE All Stars is not a typical WWE simulation game that we are seeing almost every year from 2K Sports and Visual Concepts ever since the two took over the franchise from THQ. It’s an arcade fighting/wrestling game that reminds us quite a bit about Saturday Night Slam Masters from 1994. Complete with almost all the licensed wrestlers from WWE (contemporary) on its roster and amped up by combos and super moves, WWE ALL Stars was and still is arguably the most fun wrestling game to play in couch multiplayer with friends. If you have a PlayStation console, you might be surprised by how well the cell shaded graphics have aged even after 11 years.

Remember that these were each made for the time with technology available to the developers, as well as the gamers in that time-period. Therefore, Starman in Pro Wrestling 1986 (NES) might have been pink and mostly unrecognizable a human being, but his unique moves can still sneak a few hours from your daily schedule! Nevertheless, WWE All Stars (2011) by THQ might just be the most loved and enjoyable wrestling video game ever. The game looked phenomenal for the time and if you look back at it is 2022, it somehow still looks just as good as it did back then.