Wrestling is one of the most popular sports on the planet, yet whenever we talk about it – the conversation usually starts and ends with WWE. The reason behind this is the sheer popularity of the World Wrestling Entertainment brand, which has been dominating the sport for decades.
Whether it’s the sport itself, movies, or video games – the colourful characters, heavy marketing, and exciting storylines have kept us on the edge of our seats. So, it’s no surprise that we don’t normally think outside of the WWE brand in relation to wrestling.
However, there is an entire world of wrestling outside of WWE that is just waiting to be discovered. And of course, millions of us are already aware of them too, even if on a smaller scale. It is a sport after all, which is never confined to just one organization. Thus, whether it’s real life or video games, we have many alternatives available.
So, what are the best wrestling video games that are not associated with the WWE brand? Let’s take a look at our top ten picks for the genre!
Here’s 10 Non-WWE Wrestling Games
There are surprisingly far more non-WWE wrestling games than you would expect to see, so choosing 10 wasn’t an easy task. So, the games that you’ll see on this list are more than worth your time and attention.
Fire Pro Wrestling World
The Fire Pro Wrestling franchise contains some of the most prominent and entertaining wrestling video games. The first game came out in 1989, and for over a decade, people loved the sequels too. But some of the later releases were unfortunately less-than-favorable. Thus, the series went on a hiatus and finally returned with Fire Pro Wrestling World on the PlayStation 4 and PC platforms, which is a return to form for the series. And fans of the genre welcome the game with open arms.
The game features strategic gameplay and includes the usual things like steel caged matches, normal stadiums, death matches, and so on. But what makes it even better is that it features some crazy things like landmines too, as well as alternate rules that the player can apply like those that we see in MMA tournaments.
On top of that, this game is also licensed by New Japan Pro-Wrestling, which means that real-life wrestlers like Tetsuya Naito, Kenny Omega, Hana Kimura, and more ended up being a part of the game as well. The only downside to this game is the outdated graphics, though the developers made it look this way on purpose to keep the spirit of the franchise alive.
Saturday Night Slam Masters
Saturday Night Slam Masters is like the perfect hybrid between a wrestling game and a fighting game. After all, it was developed by Capcom and was released for home consoles and Arcades. The gameplay is similar to how traditional wrestling games are played, but combos and graphics will remind you of fighting games instead.
This makes the game a great gateway for those who normally don’t play wrestling games, as their fighting games experience will come in handy. And since the game supports up to 4 players, none of your friends will be left out either. The only thing that could have been better is the character roster – since it’s quite small. But the characters are designed by the manga artist Tetsuo Hara, who is best known for his work on the Fist of the North Star.
And lastly, if you’re a fan of Capcom games, then seeing Mike Hagger as a playable character will certainly make you very happy. And technically that makes the game canon to the Final Fight series too… for no real reason.
A sequel called Ring of Destruction was released a year later, for those who want more.
Def Jam: Fight for NY
Def Jam is a wrestling game that no one could have expected. But once it was released, everyone quickly realized that it was exactly what everyone was waiting for. First of all, the game features real-life rappers such as Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, D-Mob, Busta Rhymes, DMX, and more. Even if you’re more into modern-day music, the influence of some of these artists on the rap genre cannot be denied.
Then we have the gameplay itself, which is very fun. The game generally plays similarly to other wrestling games, but it’s rendered in full 3D and features flashy super moves. Every character plays differently in a way and the player can choose from several different types of fighting styles too.
On top of that, the game comes with a story mode full of cutscenes, which keeps you busy when you don’t have a friend over to play with you. And the artists that we mentioned aren’t there just for the faces – the game does feature a great soundtrack that makes every fight feel more intense than it already is.
The game was followed by a sequel called Def Jam: Fight for NY, and then another one called Def Jam Icon. And there is even a PSP spin-off called The Takeover. So, if you enjoy the first Def Jam game, you’re going to have a lot more to play in the form of the sequels.
WCW Vs. NWO: World Tour
WCW vs. nWo: World Tour is considered one of the best wrestling video games of all time. And that’s because it featured extremely fluid gameplay with authentic wrestling techniques, which went on to set a new standard for the genre.
Developed by the same company as Def Jam, AKI Corporation managed to get their hands on the license for WCW’s roster, which gave them characters like Sting, Hulk Hogan, and other iconic wrestlers that later joined WWE. And there are plenty of other playable characters too which have their own unique style.
The game does not look that good by today’s standards, as it’s a Nintendo 64 title. But let’s not judge a book by its cover, because hiding underneath is a solid wrestling game that even WWE struggled to compete with at the time.
Total Extreme Wrestling 2020
What we see of wrestling is what the organizations present to us. But watching everything play out is just one part of the industry. Managing all the different wrestlers, who they’ll fight, and what their personalities should be like is an incredibly important part of the process. And if it wasn’t for all that backend management, this sport wouldn’t be as successful as it is today.
Similar to games like Football Manager, Total Extreme Wrestling 2020 is a game that takes you backstage in the wrestling world. This simulator lets you run an entire organization and control the roster that it comes with. You don’t get to play any of the fights, but you manage them and then let your talent fight.
Things are not always simple though, of course. There are surprising developments that the player must deal with other than basic management too. Thus, it’s one of the most entertaining games in the genre even if you’re not fighting anyone directly.
King of Colosseum II
A lot of video games are released in Japan but never localized. Thus, they never see the light of day in other countries. However, on rare occasions, such a video game can turn out to be so amazing that people from all over the world import it anyways. That’s what happened with King of Colosseum II.
This game features a great roster that includes many famous Japanese pro-wrestlers, such as Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, KENTA, Scott Norton, and so on. And furthermore, you can even unlock some wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and Brock Lesner too if you play the game long enough.
The gameplay is pretty good and covers every important wrestling mechanic that you’d expect to see. The grabs and slams in particular are very satisfying, and the game’s realistic 3D graphics beautifully complement the experience.
Last but not least, the game does have a few extra things like the Matchmaker Mode, which lets you book your own cards. But sadly, unlike some other parts of the game that you can enjoy anyway even without knowing Japanese – the same cannot be said here. So, you’ll need a lot of translating if you intend to play the side content.
Wrestle Kingdom
Wrestle Kingdom is another Japan-only wrestling game that people enjoyed in other countries too. The first good thing to notice about it is the graphics, which are pretty realistic for its time and have a nice seventh-generation touch to them since it came out on the Xbox 360. Then we have the roster, which is pretty good too and includes wrestlers from New Japan Pro-Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah, and a bunch of freelancers.
If you’re into Japanese wrestling, then you’ll find much to love about this game. Single matches, tag matches, triple threats, and even battle royals are all featured here. And it features one of the best character customization modes which lets you create your own star and then unlock new moves for them.
It’s not a masterpiece by any means, but it’s a very solid wrestling game that everyone can enjoy – despite the lack of localization.
5 Star Wrestling
5 Star Wrestling is a 3D game that essentially parodies wrestlers from the WWE. However, despite the fact it’s not too polished, it’s still a pretty solid wrestling game that anyone can pick up and enjoy. And since the game is not too realistic, some of the finishing moves are very fun to watch too. It’s a bit too easy, but that’s not always a bad thing since beginner-friendly games are sometimes all you need.
Other than the gameplay, the humor is easily the best part of the game since we have character names like Andy Organ – which is obviously a parody of Randy Orton. And funnily enough, 5 Star Wrestling had even become a real brand for a short time, with wrestlers like AJ Styles signing up with them. But unfortunately, it was short-lived and failed to compete with WWE.
RetroMania Wrestling
RetroMania Wrestling may look like a game from the 90s – but don’t let the looks fool you. It’s a 2021 video game released for most modern-day platforms that perfectly captures the simplistic essence of classic wrestling games.
The game is not licensed to one specific brand, but it does feature a mixture of wrestlers from New Japan Pro Wrestling and Impact Wrestling. The gameplay takes inspiration from games like the Fire Pro Wrestling series, which is frankly a good inspiration to have.
The game features around 16 wrestlers, and there is even a game mode where all 16 of them can compete at the same time. And the usual things like cage matches, solo matches, and a story mode are present too, which makes this a satisfying package that will take you on a nostalgia trip.
Action Arcade Wrestling
Similar to number 9, Action Arcade Wrestling is an unlicensed game that takes inspiration from classic wrestling games. In the case of this game, it mostly takes inspiration from Saturday Night Slam Masters – though its gameplay feels more like a wrestling game and less like a fighting one.
The game features attractive graphics that maintain a sense of minimalism yet still look pretty good. And it comes with the ability to download community-created wrestlers, which essentially gives you the opportunity to get wrestlers based on real-life sportsmen without having to pay any extra money.
And last but not least, it’s available on most modern-day platforms so you don’t even have to boot up emulators to have a good time.
That’s it for our list of 10 Non-WWE Wrestling games that you should play. All of these games are different from each other yet contain the same authentic wrestling gameplay style that we know and love. And they’re fun both for solo experiences and with tons of friends by your side.
Whether you play one of the older ones or the recent ones – we’re sure you’ll have a lot of fun. So, why are you still here? Go ahead and break some bones!