Escape From Mount Stupid: Wrestling Games

The wrestling genre has been so monopolised and stagnant for most of the past decade that it's easy to forget just how many great games have been made. As Johnny and I researched in preparation for writing this episode, we kept coming across quality games we had completely forgotten about. People in the office would hear us talking about them and come over to tell their personal wrestling game history. I don't think a single person mentioned a wrestling game released this millennium.

Some of the best gaming nights I've had have been with the new WWE titles. A few years back, some of my childhood friends started watching pro wrestling again and inevitably got back into the games too. So now when I fly home to Ireland I'm expected to learn the latest game's control scheme in a matter of minutes and battle it out with a group of experts. More often than not I'm the first one thrown out of the Royal Rumble, but it never stops the experience from being fun.

Maybe that's the key to a classic wrestling game. Perhaps our fond memories aren't really about the games themselves, but rather the times we spent playing them with friends and siblings. Are wrestling games, like their fighting game cousins, primarily designed for local multiplayer? It's an interesting line of thought, but I'm not sure even a crate of cool beer and the company of my best friends could make playing Rumble Roses enjoyable.

I'll guess I'll have to test it out next time I'm home.