15 Best Wrestling Games Of All Time – WhatCulture

WWE and WCW games aplenty here. There are some surprises you won’t see coming too!Spoiler Alert: Several of the games featured on that graphic were only there to keep you guessing!That’s a bit cheeky, sure, but there are just so many wrestling titles to pore over and pick from. Being objective rather than subjective was tough too, because everyone has their own favourites and nostalgia does play a powerful part here. The objectivity extended to choosing games from a number of companies; otherwise, it would’ve just been a WWF/WWE SmackDown vs. Raw and 2K super show, or a love letter to the AKI Corporation.All of those get plenty of praise, don’t worry, but only the absolute best from select series were considered. The ultimate versions, if you like. That was the criteria unless those from the same run of games had individual genius which helped them stand out from one another or still made them 100% playable today.You might well be surprised by some of the choices. There are a few select oddities in there, and one doesn’t actually feature any traditional gameplay to speak of. No, it isn’t the woefully underbaked WCW Backstage Assault. That was murder on the eyeballs and murder on the thumbs as gamers literally wrestled with controllers to get workers onscreen to do anything.This list isn’t concerned with the worst though. It’s about the best wrestling gaming has had to offer over the years. Arcade button bashers, text-heavy sims and some newer heavyweights are all in contention.How’s this for an opening shocker to kick things off…?There’s no way Acclaim’s sometimes-fantastic/sometimes-clunky surprise package could’ve been higher. It’s the Marmite series of wrestling video games – the latter-day WCW Starrcade to WrestleMania. Some out there adore it despite obvious shortcomings (this writer fondly recalls his mum coming home with the original on PS2 right as he started exploring the old territory days via PowerSlam magazine and the wonders of the internet), whereas others think it tanked harder than a Mordecai push.LOW II had some charms though. The career mode was based around the old territorial systems in places like Florida, Texas and Atlanta, and the developers even made sure to revolve storylines around the wrestlers you picked. For example, choose to be Jerry Lawler and you’re practically guaranteed to run into that Andy Kaufman feud.The gameplay was a slight hangover from the dreaded days of WWF Attitude, which was cherished for its presentation but eventually loathed for the complicated combos required to pull off even the simplest of moves. Legends Of Wrestling plumped for something more intuitive, and it’s very much worth a play through today if you’ve still got an old PS2 knocking around or have a copy of the game and can work out emulation.It’s fun that Eddie Guerrero was included in the game even though he’d re-signed with WWE by the time it released as well. This is a gentle reminder that alternatives in the pro wrestling gaming market should be essential. It kinda sucks for hardcore fans that 2K’s (admittedly excellent) series has cornered the market.Give LOW II a try if you’re a traditionalist and fancy something a little different.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus. 10 Video Game Bosses Who Can Secretly Join Your Team

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