Since the N64 days, I enjoy one way of just a one-on-one fight like Street Fighter 2 or a four-player mayhem like Super Smash Bros. But if you want a game that's lengthy, fun and not too difficult, AKI games are there way to go. Starting with WCW vs NWO World Tour which is a good start. Then WCW/NWO Revenge came along with the only option of customizing clothes and names but can't choose moves yet. WWF Wrestlemania 2000 is actually what sets the standard for wrestling games onward. WWF No Mercy rounds out with weight and having women championship for the first time. The only drawback, especially in Australia is the bugs that constantly resets the game which is why I also avoided the game too despite its success.
Later on, to the Gamecube, Yukes has to take over while AKI makes two more games: Def Jam Vendetta and Def Jam Fight for New York. Wrestling 18 is a decent attempt but Wrestling 19 is the first game that deals with wrestling outside of the ring. Day of Reckoning brings back the wrestling action involving button mashing. Plus, it's one of two games that has four girls with one exclusive game for girls. Day of Reckoning 2 has similar success with the use of stamina and has more storyline branches.
On the Wii, Yukes finally allow the wrestling series to run through a couple of years from WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2008, which is failure since no one knows how to implement motion control that works, all the way to simply WWE 13 with classic and Gamecube controls at the cost of sound and music quality. The arcade WWE Superstar on the Wii in Australia is a moderate success, save from watery sound effects and difficulty identifying which controls to use, although the 3DS has more success.
Speaking of handheld, WWE Superstar works well on the 3DS. And some games on GBA and DS despite its limitations at least make the gameplay work well due to the number of buttons to press. Perhaps the worst part, there's no wrestling game on the Wii U whatsoever! Perhaps that is for the best.
With the success returning with Nintendo Switch, let's say the water is trckling at the moment. WWE 2K18 would've been successful by 2K if they haven't overloaded with too much content and too many bugs to clean up. Hopefully they'll make a comeback in the future. After all, why not play wrestling on the go? A few games bring wrestling back from obscurity. Retro Wrestlemania is one without create a wrestler but makes up with commentary and music which is the closest to AKI style with simplistic controls. Mat Dickie triumphs the game with the N64 graphic style with Wrestling Empire and later on Old School. So, all is not totally lost. Later in 2024, Ultra Pro Wrestling will be coming out of all consoles after AEW Fight Forever in which Yukes and other developers finally honor the legacy of WWF No Mercy, both modern and early times.
As the Nintendo Switch lifespan is coming to an end soon, I hope Nintendo Switch 2 (maybe) can help bring sports games back from extinction and continue to push the fun and entertaining value that everyone loves when it comes to wrestling. Please show that wrestling on Nintendo continue to go down a path of fun and entertainment just like the old days of the N64 era. Maybe, one day, they'll update past games with ridiculous names while retaining what makes it fun: simple controls, pleasing graphics and music that gets your heart pumping. Thank you.
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