If you grew up during the 1990s, chances are that you got caught up in the boom period of pro wrestling during this era. If you loved watching countless hours of wrestling back in the day like I did, chances are that you also wanted to play as many video games based on it as possible.
That love for the industry transferred seamlessly into the 2000s, where some of the best pro wrestling video games of all time came out. This was an absolutely stacked decade for wrestling games, and no matter what console you had, you could find a magnificent experience somewhere.
10 Best Non-WWE Wrestling Games
From AEW Fight Forever to Fire Pro Wrestling Returns, these wrestling games have equaled or even exceeded the quality of their WWE counterparts.
It wasn’t all WWE either, thankfully. The explosion of pro wrestling video games during this decade is still impressive, as you had everything from action-based fighting games, to slower-paced experiences, and even promotion management simulators.
This decade of wrestling games was truly something special. Every segment of the market had its own niche, and the pool of wrestling games was so much better for it.
10 Rumble Roses
A Long-Forgotten PS2 Classic
You could really tell how adept that developer Yuke’s was getting at wrestling games by this time, as they were able to take the excellent engine they created for the SmackDown games and create their own, wholly original game for Konami.
Rumble Roses takes a bit more outlandish approach to the world of pro wrestling. While their WWE outings were built more on the heightened reality of American pro wrestling, Yuke’s used Rumble Roses to embrace the more absurd vision of the industry in more of a Japanese style.
The characters, matches, and overall aesthetic are simply delightful. The animations are all still incredibly impressive even all these years later, a true testament to the magnificent work that Yuke’s was doing in this era.
9 TNA Impact
Enter The Impact Zone
After leaving the Asylum and getting a TV deal, TNA managed to become a viable, sometimes even better, alternative to WWE during the late 2000s. The influx of superstars like Kurt Angle, Booker T, and Christian Cage stabilized TNA’s roster.
Having this good of a roster meant that any potential TNA video game was going to be loaded. That was exactly what happened with TNA Impact in 2008.
You can really see the budget shine through in TNA Impact. The wrestlers’ faces look amazing, and the animations are all insanely accurate for each prospective fighter.
TNA Impact really captured the spirit and rebellious nature that the promotion had at the time. It was a fantastic alternative to both the on-screen WWE product and the video games.
8 WWE SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2006
The Evolution Of The SmackDown Franchise
With the early 2000s era of WWE acting as a transition period from the Attitude Era to Ruthless Aggression, the SmackDown video games were undergoing an equally big transformation.
Veering away from the more arcade-style action seen in the series since its inception, SmackDown vs. Raw took on more of a simulation feel. The aim of the new branding was to recreate the dramatic soap opera vibe of the TV product, all of which was perfected in SmackDown vs. Raw 2006.
Featuring the two top stars in the company at the time, John Cena and Batista, as dual cover stars, SVR 06 was easily one of the best pro wrestling games of the decade and the entire generation. The animations are sharp, and the story mode is one of the best you can find in a wrestling game, even today.
7 All-Star Pro Wrestling II
Simulation Style Wrestling Game Featuring The Stars Of Japan
|
Developer |
SquareSoft |
|---|---|
|
Release Date |
November 22, 2001 (JP Only) |
|
Platform |
PS2 |
Featuring Eastern promotions like New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro-Wrestling NOAH, and Zero-One, All-Star Pro Wrestling II was the sequel to a game that was fairly decent, and improved on it in every single way.
The level of detail found in the animation and presentation is simply astounding. It really captures the more methodical, almost simulation aspect that defines Japanese wrestling.
Iconic Japanese stars like Jushin Thunder Lyger, The Great Muta, and Shinjiro Ohtani are present and accounted for. It also features a few really cool American stars like Don Frye and Scott Norton, evoking the deep rosters that these companies had at the time.
It feels amazing to play as well. The smooth, highly detailed animation and huge movesets are a treat to engage with.
6 Total Extreme Wrestling 2005
The Best Pro Wrestling Simulation Game Of Its Era
|
Developer |
GreyDog Software |
|---|---|
|
Release Date |
October 6, 2005 |
|
Platform |
PC |
There’s no genre quite as fascinating as the pro wrestling management simulator. Taking control of a promotion, then steering it to success with your own brand of sports entertainment is always fun.
No game during this decade did it better than Total Extreme Wrestling 2005, the immensely popular promotion simulator created by Adam Ryland.
10 Best Wrestling Games, Ranked
These are some of the best and our favorite wrestling games of all time—if you smell what we’re cooking.
To this day, TEW 2005 remains one of my favorite games in the genre. It boasts a ton of new features, and with a still active mod scene, you can play out any possible historic scenario you want.
These days, TEW9 is the absolute peak, and one of my current addictions. But back in the day, TEW 2005 was the king of pro wrestling simulation games.
Total Extreme Wrestling 2005 was made available as freeware in late 2009, making it easy to jump into today.
5 WWE Day Of Reckoning
An Alternative To SmackDown
Back in the 2000s, it felt like there was only one option for WWE gaming, which was the SmackDown series. Which was fine, because that franchise was doing some awesome things back then.
But if you only had a GameCube, that meant your options were supremely limited, as SmackDown was a PS2 exclusive series.
This made WWE Day of Reckoning an enticing prospect. It was a GameCube-exclusive, and clearly took advantage of the powerful hardware inside the machine.
It nails a crucial aspect of pro wrestling games, which is snappy, well-executed animations to recreate the dramatic in-ring action. The presentation is also excellent, as the entrances and theme music are all supremely accurate to the real-life product at the time.
Day of Reckoning also has an outstanding create-a-wrestler and story mode. It’s still one of the most complex story modes you can find in a wrestling game, and even continued in the sequel a year later.
4 Def Jam Vendetta
An Idea So Crazy, It Actually Worked
Growing up alongside pro wrestling meant also growing up alongside music of the era. In addition to being drawn to the cartoon-like soap opera world of wrestling, I also became an obsessive fan of rap and hip hop.
Which made the prospect of a hip-hop-themed wrestling game something I didn’t know I needed until right then.
Def Jam Vendetta brings together all of rap’s most famous stars at the time, including DMX, Ludacris, Method Man, Red Man, and Ghostface Killah. It did so while also utilizing Aki’s vast library of amazing animations that dated all the way back to their iconic N64 outings.
The style, tone, and presentation are all impeccable. It captures the vibe and spirit of this era’s culture in such a pristine way.
If you ever played any of the classic N64 wrestling games, you’ll feel right at home here. It has all the same charm and simplicity that made those games so beloved.
3 Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
One Of The Best Fire Pro Games
Fire Pro Wrestling World is one of the best wrestling games on the market right now. The retro vibe and mod scene are so much fun, and it’s one of my most played games on Steam.
Back in the day, though, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns was achieving a lot with even more limited hardware.
The level of customization and options at your disposal in Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is remarkable. The roster of 327 fighters, all of which come from across the entire landscape of combat sports, is just insane.
American stars like Sting, Shawn Michaels, and Kevin Nash blend seamlessly with Japanese legends like Ultimo Dragon and the Great Kabuki.
The legacy of Fire Pro is still strong today, but this was easily one of the most amazing ways to experience the world of wrestling in the 2000s.
2 WWF No Mercy
Core Memory Unlocked
There may not be a more visceral memory for me than late nights spent playing Nintendo 64 wrestling games with my brother. The simple controls and authentic vibe satisfied our mutual obsession with pro wrestling, but none were ever up to the level of WWF No Mercy.
This game forms core memories for a lot of retro gamers out there. It was just the absolute best way to experience the unfiltered, out-of-control soap opera that the WWF was producing at the time.
The roster is incredible: Triple H, The Rock, The Undertaker, Chris Jericho, and Kurt Angle, just to name a few, alongside the solid midcard representation in the form of the Hardy Boyz, X-Pac, and Test.
The legacy of Aki’s wrestling games remains one of classy design and simple, easy to understand controls. That’s extremely prevalent in WWF No Mercy, as this stone-cold classic is still a favorite today.
1 WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain
The Next Big Thing
I don’t think any wrestling game defines the 2000s quite like WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain.
To this day, when anyone talks about the best pro wrestling games of all time, Here Comes The Pain will routinely top the list. It’s genuinely just that good.
The level of detail and high-quality presentation is still amazing over twenty years later. Movement inside the ring feels spectacular, and the animations remain some of the most mind-blowing I’ve ever seen in a wrestling game.
The WWE product at the time was stellar, and the video games followed suit. Wrestling was not as popular as it once was, or would be again, but if you were a fan at the time, Here Comes The Pain was a steady title in your rotation.
Here Comes The Pain isn’t just a great pro wrestling game. It’s a contender for one of the best combat games ever produced.
10 Weirdest Guest Characters In Wrestling Games
Wrestling games have been host to some strange guest characters over the years, but here’s a list of the weirdest to enter the ring.
- Security Camera Installation – indoor/outdoor IP CCTV systems & video analytics
- Access Control Installation – key card, fob, biometric & cloud‑based door entry
- Business Security Systems – integrated alarms, surveillance & access control
- Structured Cabling Services – voice, data & fiber infrastructure for new or existing builds
- Video Monitoring Services – 24/7 remote surveillance and analytics monitoring
Author: 360 Technology Group
