Wrestling Empire
The first time I played Wrestling Empire I chose a random character who carried a gun. I didn't know the controls yet, so when the match started I accidentally shot my opponent and lost. The next match I switched to an N64 and used that to hit my opponent, disqualifying myself again. By the third match I learned to drop whatever prop I had before entering the ring and only use it when we were both outside. I used that N64 to knock out my opponent and win by ring-out.
Emergent stories like those that came from my first 20 minutes playing Wrestling Empire had me hooked. Each time I play through a few matches I come away with some kind of funny or incredible story.
Ron Funches has as bit where he says, incredulously, that he's shocked that the sport with the pageantry, fireworks, and gold belts is fake. Of course wrestling isn't fake -- the people in the ring are doing real moves and are actually putting their bodies on the line -- but it is predetermined. The Squared Circle book from 2013 does a great job explaining that the predetermined nature and pageantry has been around since the inception of the sport. And because the pageantry is so integral to the sport, the best wrestling games are the ones that lean into it.
Wrestling Empire was released in 2021 and is available on PC, Switch, and mobile phones. It's developed by solo dev MDickey from England, who has been making wrestling inspired games since 2000. Wrestling Empire is his most ambitious yet, and even 4 years after release, it continues to get significant updates.
The first thing most people comment on when seeing the game are the graphics. There is definitely a love them or hate them aesthetic. MDickie mentioned that he uses these low-poly graphics as a way to boost performance and give him more time to focus on the gameplay. Because I've been playing wrestling games since the NES era, I don't mind the look at all. They are reminiscent of the N64 wrestling games which isn't a bad thing. My roommates and I spent a lot of time playing WrestleMania 2000 for King of the Apartment.
The roster includes 350 wrestlers, all parodies of current and former wrestler from the major promotions, including AEW stars today. Players can create their own wrestler, but doing so counts towards the 350 limit so someone from the current roster has to be modified. With that many, I don't think there's any problem finding a few you can live without. There is also a strong modding scene where players can download other creations, including Starman from the NES
The controls are very straightforward. The four face buttons each have a different job and combining grab with different directions executes different moves. There are also position dependent moves that change things up too. For example, grab then down+x is a different move whether your character has their opponent grabbed from the front, back, or on the ground. Learning these new moves is a lot of fun and if something isn't to your liking there is a lot of customization too. Players can switch out any move from one of hundreds, and can even create their own through modding. There is seemingly no limit. Then add customizable entrance music and pyro, props, costumes, and taunts and it's hard to find two creations that are exactly the same.
This gameplay is where the game shines. MDickie spent a lot of time making position sensitive moves that keep the control scheme simple and still allows the player to do incredible things. Stacking three tables on top of each other, climbing the ropes with your opponent, then slamming them through all three is simple to pull off once the player is comfortable with the controls.
There are even multiple game modes, including career mode, a GM mode and one that let's you act a referee. If you choose the career mode you can free-roam between matches and interact with other wrestlers in a variety of locations, including a subway station. Many brawls have started there and ended in the hospital after someone was tossed on the tracks.
The game is janky, and it's not got the polish of the new WWE games, but Wrestling Empire has the heart. There isn't another game out there now that captures the spirit and pageantry of pro wrestling.