Wrestling games have been around for almost as long as the gaming industry itself, and it's easy to understand why. After all, sports entertainment is full of colorful characters, captivating storylines, and epic action moments; which just so happen to be the trademarks of a great video game.
Thanks to companies like WWE, WCW, and AEW, there have been plenty of great licensed wrestling games over the years, many of which still hold up surprisingly well today. Those looking for the very best wrestling games ever made are going to need to delve deep into the annals of gaming history though, as some of the more recent examples tend to be very hit or miss.
Updated March 3, 2022, by Tom Bowen: With WWE 2K22 now just a few days away, many wrestling fans find themselves waiting with bated breath. It's been quite a while since the last good WWE game was released, after all, though many are silently hoping that could all change soon. To be fair, it's difficult to imagine 2K22 being any worse than its predecessor, which most consider to be one of the worst wrestling games of all time. The developers have also had the last few years to iron out some of the wrinkles, although the end result is going to have to be pretty smooth if it's going to measure up to some of the great wrestling titles from gaming's past. The following are arguably the best wrestling games of all time, and what all future wrestling games should be aspiring to emulate.
12 Fire Pro Wrestling D
- Publisher: Spike
- Developer(s): Spike
- Platform(s): Dreamcast
The Fire Pro Wrestling series has been around since the late eighties, but it wasn't until more than a decade later that the franchise started to make headway in the west. Around the turn of the century, there were multiple ports of Fire Pro Wrestling released, each with a letter at the end of the title to signify the system it was on. All of them were pretty great, but the pick of the bunch was probably the Dreamcast exclusive, Fire Pro Wrestling D.
Developed and published by the studio that would later go on to become Spike Chunsoft, Fire Pro Wrestling D never received a proper North American release. That didn't stop players from importing it though, or, in many cases, taking advantage of the Dreamcast's poor copy protection measures instead. Funnily enough, the game does feature quite a few western wrestlers in its expansive roster, but it's the title's tight controls, varied game modes, and excellent grapple mechanics that really set it apart from the competition.
11 WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain
- Publisher: THQ
- Developer(s): Yuke's
- Platform(s): PlayStation 2
Released exclusively for the PS2 back in late 2003, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain is the fifth game in the Smackdown! series and arguably the pinnacle of what it has to offer. With more than 50 superstars to choose from and a pretty decent create a wrestler mode, players really were spoiled for choice. This was also the first WWE game to include legends, with Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper both appearing.
Visually, it may not have held up particularly well, but its gameplay has aged like a fine wine. Almost two decades on from its release and it's still a lot of fun to play and perfectly captures the Ruthless Aggression era of the WWE. Sadly, this ended up being the last of the Smackdown! games, eventually being succeeded by the vastly inferior WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw series.
10 WWF Attitude
- Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
- Developer(s): Acclaim Studios Austin, Crawfish Interactive & Sculptured Software
- Platform(s): PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast & Game Boy
As far as wrestling games in the late nineties go, WWF Attitude is up there with the best. Taking the mold War Zone presented just a year earlier, Attitude released in 1999 feeling smoother than any 3D wrestling game before it. With a multitude of wrestling stipulations, some really grainy voice work, and a pretty decent single-player mode, this title was everything that a wrestling fan of the Attitude Era could have ever wanted.
The game plays like a typical fighter, with players pressing button combinations to pull off different moves. This was a little different from what modern players have become accustomed to, and, admittedly, doesn't hold up as well as one would like. For its time though, it was a great game and is still a lot of fun today. It was also the first game to feature Gangrel's iconic entrance where he rises from a fiery stage, so that's pretty cool too.
9 Legends of Wrestling II
- Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment
- Developer(s): Acclaim Entertainment, Sculptured Software, Powerhead Games
- Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance
Wrestling fans had long yearned for a game that let them take control of legends of the business as they hop from territory to territory and build their reputations in a pre-nationwide WWE world. Then came the Legends of Wrestling series. Allowing players to take control of megastars like Abdula The Butcher, Eddie Guerrero, and Hulk Hogan, there's a massive roster to choose from in the series' first installment, and that's before the fantastic "create-a-legend" mode is taken into account.
In this game, players can choose a territory to work in, where they'll be able to experience special storylines and feuds. Some of these are even pulled straight from real-life events, meaning Jerry Lawler can actually participate in his iconic feud with Andy Kaufman! For most modern wrestling fans that probably isn't going to be the instant sell that it should be, but it's pretty epic nonetheless.
8 WWE Day Of Reckoning II
- Publisher: THQ
- Developer(s): Yuke's
- Platform(s): GameCube
A (mostly) single-player WWE game with a focus on story, Day Of Reckoning II was the perfect alternative for GameCube players looking for something different from what WWE titles on the Xbox and PlayStation 2 had to offer. In this title, players create their own wrestlers and level them up as they go through the ups and downs of a typical WWE career. They can make decisions, change brands, win titles, and work their way up from the bottom of the barrel; hopefully, to main eventing WrestleMania.
To make matters more interesting, Day Of Reckoning II is actually pretty difficult, which helps it to keep players on their toes. With its rock-paper-scissors-style chain system, Day Of Reckoning II was something interesting and unique for its time. Mix in some fantastic visuals (for its era), and this game is arguably one of the biggest sleeper hits on Nintendo's lunchbox.
7 Fire Pro Wrestling World
- Publisher: SPIKE CHUNSOFT
- Developer(s): SPIKE CHUNSOFT
- Platform(s): PlayStation 4 & PC
Fire Pro Wrestling holds a special place in many gamers' hearts due to it being a fun non-WWE game with real-life wrestlers from around the world. Fire Pro Wrestling World edges out its predecessor just a little bit, however, thanks to its improved visuals and functionality. For starters, players can control Kenny Omega, who's arguably the best wrestler in the world.
An excellent roster isn't all that the game has going for it though. As well as boasting a fantastic selection of superstars, Fire Pro Wrestling World also refines that classic timed combat style that puts a heavy emphasis on strategy over everything else. This really is the thinking person's wrestling game and was completely different from anything else around at the time of its release.
6 WWE: SmackDown Vs Raw 2007
- Publisher: THQ
- Developer: Yuke's
- Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable & Wii
SmackDown Vs Raw 2007 was one of the most ambitious wrestling games of its era. With an absolutely loaded roster, a revamped combat system focusing on the right analog and context-sensitive moves, and a storyline for every character, there was an awful lot going on in this game.
It effectively served as the test subject for what the next decade of WWE games would look like, but there was something different about 2007 that made it worthwhile in its own right. Building up a created star had never been this fun, and unlocking Legends through challenges was incredibly rewarding too. It almost felt like real wrestling fans worked on this one, which is more than can be said for some of Yuke's' other attempts at adapting the sport.
5 WWE '13
- Publisher: THQ
- Developer(s): Yuke's
- Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 & Wii
WWE '13 was part of the "gimmick" era of WWE games. Yet, none of them did it better than the 2013 entry in the series with its "Attitude Era" mode, which replaced "Road To WrestleMania" from other titles. In this game mode, players are given 35 superstars from that iconic age of wrestling, and THQ worked with WWE to build video packages highlighting the most important moments from that time.
What's more, Attitude Era also allows players to act out specific moments from the era in question. Whether it's Mick Foley's missed flying elbow at WrestleMania 2000 or performing a Sharpshooter on Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1997 while controlling Shawn Michaels, there are a plethora of historical objectives for players to work through. Whether players are new to WWE, a lapsed fan, or a long-time viewer, WWE '13 is the most accessible to those who like pro-graps.
4 WWE All-Stars
- Publisher: THQ
- Developer(s): THQ San Diego
- Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii & Nintendo 3DS
WWE All-Stars is a fantastic stand-alone title that somehow failed to get a sequel. Despite this, its arcade-style combat, over-the-top visuals, and general bonkers presentation are still remembered fondly by many fans of the sport and help to make it one of the best wrestling games ever made.
Throwing realism in the trash and lighting it on fire, this underrated gem has players take control of superstars who are more jacked up than usual. Among other things, players can leap tall buildings to perform elbow drops and pull off sick combos to inflict damage on the opposition. Not only that, but the roster is a fresh mix of new and old, giving players of all stripes someone to choose from.
3 WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game
- Publisher: Midway Games
- Developer(s): Midway Games, Sculptured Software
- Platform(s): Super NES, Saturn, PlayStation, PC, Mega Drive/Genesis, 32X & Arcade
WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game is unlike any wrestling game that came before it and any that have arrived since. Instead of treating this title like a realistic (given the technology used) experience, this game is an over-the-top fighter, with some impressive combos for players to use. Whether that means launching a character into the air for a Tombstone Piledriver, or Doink The Clown literally electrocuting his enemies in-ring, this game is bonkers.
In all likelihood, players in 1995 had no idea what was going on when they played this in arcades or on their home consoles, but there's no doubt they had a blast while doing so. With that in mind, it's a real shame that the game never received a sequel. WrestleMania: The Arcade Game was ridiculously fresh considering what else was on the market at the time, and helped to breathe new life into the genre.
2 Saturday Night Slam Masters
- Publisher: Capcom
- Developer(s): Capcom
- Platform(s): Arcade, Genesis, Super NES & FM Towns Marty
Capcom made a wrestling game. That alone should be enough to sell anyone on this title. Giving players a legitimate backstory for Final Fight's Mike Haggar, Saturday Night Slam Masters allows players to take control of seemingly-real wrestlers as they fight around the world. With both singles and tag team bouts, there are two different game modes that play completely differently from one another, giving the game tons of replayability.
Where Saturday Night Slam Masters really excels, however, is through its roster. Sure, they borrow their likeness from real-life stars, but each fighter is different enough from the person who inspired them that they feel completely new and fresh. Each of them has a completely different fight-style and their varied move-sets can help to accommodate a wide variety of play styles.
1 Def Jam: Fight For NY
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Developer(s): Syn Sophia & EA Vancouver
- Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox & GameCube
Those who have never played a Def Jam game are seriously missing out. Rather than just wrestling, the games cover kickboxing, boxing, and mixed martial arts in addition to the good old-fashioned graps, making them completely different from the majority of their peers. Better still, Def Jam: Fight For New York lets players step into the shoes of several high-profile rappers like Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Xzibit, and Sean Paul as they beat the heck out of each other.
Yet, underneath that star-studded cast, there's a really good fighting game just waiting to be discovered. With plenty of different combat options to choose from, there's plenty of variety, and the tight controls feel super satisfying to boot. Not only that, but the sound design meshes perfectly with the gameplay, allowing players to feel like they're really dishing out pain with each successful strike.