The 20 Best Wrestling Video Games That Fans Will Want To Check Out

Wrestling PSAs tell the audience to not try the moves at home. Despite these messages being relevant and important, no one pays attention to them, since every pro wrestling fan would love nothing more than to superkick their friends and family — in the video game world, of course. The global popularity of brands such as WWE and NJPW has ensured that wrestling video games are a priority for game developers and publishing companies. According to The-Magicbox, "WWF War Zone" sold over 2.2 million units in the U.S. alone. This is only the sales figure for one singular title, proving this is a gaming genre that cannot be brushed off or ignored.

With such a dedicated and vocal fanbase, there's a constant scramble to create the greatest wrestling video game of all time. Fortunately, there have been many exceptional efforts that have dazzled different generations throughout the years. In fact, there's an argument to be made that wrestling fans have been spoiled by the sheer number of games available across multiple platforms. With that said, let's roll back the years and rank the 20 best wrestling video games of all time.

The year is 2005. The WWE rules the wrestling world, as Vince McMahon squashed all the competition into oblivion. In terms of video games, it's much the same as it is "WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw" that garners most of the attention around the world. However, there was one Japan-exclusive title that was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 which had wrestling fans chattering and begging their international friends to ship to them: "Wrestle Kingdom."

Teaming up with Yuke's, who had handled the WWE games for numerous years, this was a back-to-basics pure wrestling game that put the emphasis on developing and improving their chosen wrestler through hard-fought matches. This wasn't about sports entertainment (sorry, Chris Jericho), but about good, old-fashioned rasslin'. IGN praised "Wrestle Kingdom" for being a different simulation and wrestling experience to other games of its era, adding how "Drama mode is a solid addition to the game, and surprisingly, taking on an AI opponent can be very challenging at times."

For an 8-bit game, "Tecmo World Wrestling" had it all and then some, putting many modern games to shame. The graphics were smooth for the NES and each wrestler came equipped with 20 moves, including their own specialities. The roster was rich and deep with a variety of wrestlers and styles on offer. If the player performed a signature move, there was also the opportunity to see a replay of it as a cut-scene — a novelty for 1989. Another nice touch was the text commentary that added another layer to the game. Heck, it was certainly more exciting to read than to listen to the repetitive drivel from some WWE video games, that's for sure.

A GameFAQs review rated it eight of 10, stating: "8-bit video game lovers and wrestling purists ought to seek this one out for the old collection. It's by no means the absolute out-and-out best wrestling game you'll ever play, but for what it is, it's an excellent effort."

Midway's digitized approach to "Mortal Kombat" and "NBA Jam" drew a lot of attention in the mid-'90s. Gamers had never seen such a realistic approach to video games before, and the developer was redefining the landscape of what was possible. So imagine the surprise when Midway took inspiration from the WWF's new generation and made a fighting game out of it titled "WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game."

While it was based on pro wrestling, this game played more like "Mortal Kombat" with its fast strikes and combos. The wrestlers looked great and extremely lifelike; however, their moves were far more over the top than what fans would normally see on television every week. Plus, there were no DQs, since Doink the Clown could smash a noggin with a hammer and nothing happened — much like in any match in which Rick Knox is refereeing. GamePro couldn't get enough of the game, as writer Bruised Lee gave it an overwhelmingly positive review: "The mixture of intense gameplayer, well-balanced wrestlers, and wild moves will make you as sweaty as any character you play."

When "WCW vs. nWo: World Tour" debuted in 1997, not many people thought another game could top it. Sure, it had its minor flaws here and there, but the grappling system and move set more than made up for any obvious deficiencies. Well, "WCW/nWo Revenge" decided to take on the challenge to create an even better game. Not only did it make a few tweaks to the revolutionary grappling system, but it also put some effort into improving the other features, such as the graphics and roster, that had been lacking before.

"WCW/nWo Revenge" may have been released in the same year as "WWF War Zone," but there was only one winner out of these two games in 1998. Hogan Reviews proclaimed it as "undoubtedly the best WCW game ever, and has one of the best top-to-bottom rosters in a wrestling game period." Honestly, what was up with the Nintendo 64 receiving all the great wrestling video games?

Longtime gamers will have a special place in their hearts for the "SmackDown" series. However, if someone thinks that the first "SmackDown" game was the greatest, execute a heart punch on them, because "WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role" was the first entry that truly showcased this franchise's potential. Season Mode was a fantastic and novel inclusion at the time, since it gave fans a true taste of how wrestling storylines can be adapted and translated to the video game format. Also, the addition of ladders and caskets only fueled the hype of fans who love the gimmick matches as much as Tony Khan does.

"WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role" was also the final WWE game for the PS1, and what a high note to go out on. IGN even committed the cardinal sin of saying it was simply the best wrestling game around and gave gamers more bang for their buck than "WWF No Mercy," which is the Michael Jordan of the genre. That's a hot take for sure.

How many dollars did gamers drop on "WWF WrestleFest"? The answer is not nearly enough. The arcade game must have featured a special kind of wizardry or catnip for gamers, since there would always be a group surrounding the cabinets. Even if they weren't playing, they would be waiting to catch a glimpse of the Legion of Doom's interview with "Mean" Gene Okerlund during an infamous cut-scene. Regardless, the video game felt larger than life for 1991. Not only did it allow gamers to pick from superstars such as The Ultimate Warrior, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts, but it also contained signature and double team moves.

Sinclair User gave it an 88% score, citing how the variety of wrestlers and special moves added to the replayability of the game. Keeping in mind how "WWF WrestleFest" continues to be discussed three decades after its release, there's no disputing this game stood the test of time and still remains a banger today.

Look, to call "WWE 2K20" a disaster is putting it kindly. The game arrived with so many bugs that The Boogeyman came out of the woodwork to try and eat them all. As a result, "WWE 2K21" was canceled, so that the developer could have more time to create a better game that wouldn't get eviscerated by fans and critics alike. Surprisingly, "WWE 2K22" ended up being a welcome return to form for the series. The extra time made all the difference, as the developer simplified the gameplay, tweaked all the buggy issues from before, and brought back some sorely missed features, such as the GM mode. Suddenly, the memories of the glitches from "WWE 2K20" were all but forgiven, as they only lived on as memes among the Internet Wrestling Community.

Hardcore Gamer gave it a four out of five rating, adding that the decision to take a year off was the best choice for everyone. Additionally, the review commended the graphics and the easier gameplay mechanics that made it a much more accessible and enjoyable video game.

Tony Khan may have opened the Forbidden Door for mainstream inter-promotional crossovers; however, "WCW vs. the World" started it in the video game world. This title had a roster of 60 — yes, 60 -– pro wrestlers to choose from. All the WCW favorites, such as Sting, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Lex Luger, were present, as well as some fictional international stars that may have had different names, but had the look and move set of the real wrestlers. This means players could create dream bouts like Dean Malenko versus Ken Shamrock to see who would tap out the fastest.

"WCW vs. the World" didn't have the bells and whistles or the innovative grappling system that would revolutionize future WCW games. However, without this title, the others wouldn't be possible, so it had to learn how to walk before the rest could moonsault. AllGame gave it a positive review: "Once you and your friend, or enemy, fire up the PlayStation and fight one another, you'll be hooked. This is a great party game, and a pioneer for many future wrestling titles."

While every game in the "SmackDown! vs. Raw" series tried to do something new, none took as big a swing as "WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006." Instead of doing more of the frenetic gameplay of before, Yuke's decided to make the game more like the product on screen. Through the use of stamina and momentum bars, the action became more like what fans are accustomed to. In any match, it's unlikely that a wrestler will execute 20 superplexes in a row, since they'd be gassed by the fifth one. In much the same way, the game forced the player to think carefully about a strategy and to try and maintain some energy in the tank.

GameSpot's Alex Navarro gave "WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006" an outstanding rating of 8.9, writing: "Not every single thing that 'WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006' tries to do completely works, but the sheer amount of crazy new stuff in this game more than makes it worth the while of any wrestling fan. The gameplay is the best it's ever been, the presentation is top-notch, and the plethora of available modes is more than enough to keep any WWE enthusiast busy for hours and hours."

Was there any other option here? At this point in history, every wrestling video game fan knows all about "WWF No Mercy" and how it effectively raised a generation. The fact that players are still playing this game and creating mods for it to this day is testament to its unwavering legacy. More importantly, "WWF No Mercy" was a smart update to "WWF WrestleMania 2000," as the developers listened to the fanbase and understood that the wheel didn't need to be reinvented — it only required some fine tuning.

The power of simplicity was maintained for "WWF No Mercy," as it became the kind of game that wasn't only easy to play but also rewarding for players of all levels. IGN handed out an impressive nine out of 10 rating for the game, writing: "'No Mercy' is a terrific game from top to bottom. The game mechanics are sound, the animation is fantastic, the characters are very responsive and there's a tremendous amount of game modes." Without a shadow of a doubt, "WWF No Mercy" is the undisputed G.O.A.T. of wrestling video games.