Best wrestling video game to PLAY

[LunaticStrain]

Hey everyone,

I've been messing around with Fire Pro Returns again, and while it is a great game for simming/custom wrestlers, it's less enjoyable to actually play. Notice I said less, and not completely joyless. I find that if I play, the characters all feel the same. I know that's mainly because I'm using the same playstyle, I'm not thinking about off the rope planchas and such, so it all feels very stiff and formulaic.

So, two questions:
1) Any suggestions for how to 'play better'? How do you guys play when you actually play the game?

2) What is the most enjoyable wrestling game to actually play? At least in your opinions.

Thanks.

[daffu]

I thought you died. Thanks for not being dead.

[LunaticStrain]

Haha not dead, I just don't frequent this board much. PM me and I'll give you my Steam name if you want, that's where I usually am and where I mostly chat.

[SpiderFab4]

Two really fun wrestling games to play:

WWE Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth
WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain

I also find the 16-bit WWF games (Royal Rumble, Raw, Rage In The Cage) very fun.

[SonnyBone]

Fire Pro is a blast to play with friends. 4-player battle royales and tornado tags are fucking killer.

I rarely sim Fire Pro. I think it plays better than it sims, but that's me. I think the simmed matches look like rubbish in comparison.

KOC2 has given us the best overall matches. Phenomenal stuff.
KOC Green and Red and AJPW: King of Souls have also given us some awesome matches.

VPW was always a great game to play with friends, but not so much against the cpu.

Everything else is either average or shite.

[HG101]

So, two questions:
1) Any suggestions for how to 'play better'? How do you guys play when you actually play the game?

Personally, I rarely sim Fire Pro and actually really enjoy just playing it, but I definitely understand what you're talking about. It's a very "dry" series gameplay wise.

I think it's at its funnest when you try to work a match like your chosen wrestler. Like if I pick Hogan I'll try to do Hogan-esque spots and end with the Big Boot/Atomic Leg Drop combo, or stuff like that. I also generally stick to match ups that make sense (like two guys from the same era and promotion) rather than do like Farmer Burns vs. John Cena or whatever. But that's just me.

2) What is the most enjoyable wrestling game to actually play? At least in your opinions.

I think the most purely fun wrestling game to just play matches in is probably WWF Wrestlefest, with Saturday Night Slam Masters being a runner up. I can still fire up MAME anytime and play Wrestlefest and it's always fun.

[Nth]

Some of the best matches I've ever had in a wrestling game have been against human opponents in Fire Pro. Unfortunately I have not been able to play a human vs human Fire Pro match in almost two years now.

[October_Raven]

Fire Pro is fun to play (though much more fun IMO to sim)... but No Mercy is also a favorite to play for me.

Also TEW, if that counts.

One of my favorite wrestling games to play though is Taito's Champion Wrestler arcade game. Really fluid action for the era, challenging opposition in the later matches, cage matches that you could do regular moves like suplexes into the cage (fuck, how many games really have that?). Probably the only game ever that has the giant swing not only as potential match-ending submission, but also as a legitimately EVIL move in the right hands, because you can launch people out of the ring and headfirst into the cage.

Also has probably my favorite original character in a pro wrestling game (Sorry Starman and Candy Cane), the awesome force of NITRO PANKS.

[Express]

KOC2 for when I'm bah mah daaaaamn self.
And FP:R with a special touching friends.

[pugsarecool]

Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 is probably my favorite.

I love to play ECW Anarchy Rulz for classic ECW and some cool match types.

Fire Pro Returns, Smackdown Here Comes the Pain, and any of the AKI wrestling games are good too.

[mtincher]

No Mercy
KoC2
VPW2
SvR 06
HCTP

Those are all some of my favorites to just play. I have also been playing a lot of WWE '12 lately, especially with downloaded CAWs. It is fairly enjoyable as well.

[drunkensailor]

Two really fun wrestling games to play:

WWE Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth
WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain

I also find the 16-bit WWF games (Royal Rumble, Raw, Rage In The Cage) very fun.

day of reckoning 2 >>> those 2 imo

[jarry328]

wrestling